The elegant Natalie Schafer revealed her beauty secrets in the '60s

A quart of ice cream a day will keep the doctor away. Or at least that's how Natalie Schafer saw it.

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Natalie Schafer is known for two things: her role as Lovey Howell in Gilligan's Island and for being one of the most elegant women in Hollywood in the '60s.

Schafer was in 99 episodes of Gilligan's Island, and during her time on the series she went through many challenges while trying to keep up her glam appearance.

As successful as she was, it wasn't without following strict, and sometimes not-so-strict guidelines.

In a 1965 interview with Carlsbad Current-Argus, Schafer gave a few of her personal beauty tips. She always had an answer for how to look your best, even while stranded on an island.

"I adore cooking and eating, and haven't the character to abstain," she said. "So I just induldge myself, and then go on a diet if my weight goes above 124."

Although Schafer would diet, she didn't seem too concerned about what people thought of her. So much so, that this next beauty tip is the exact opposite of what most doctors would tell you to do.

"I think I've tried every diet there is, but my favorite I invented myself. The ice cream diet," she said. "I eat a quart of ice cream a day: a bowl of vanilla with my coffee in the morning, two bowls of different flavors at lunch, a bowl of any flavor as an afternoon snack, and two bowls for dinner. I can lose three pounds in five days."

We'd really like to know exactly how many choices of ice cream flavors Schafer had in her freezer! The ice cream diet is an interesting one, but somehow seemed to work for Schafer, who lived to be 90 and passed away in 1991. 

According to the interview, Schafer learned to love the casual California lifestyle, which also helped her with her health journey. So what does one do for exercise after eating a quart of ice cream?

"I have a swimming pool now," she said. "It's very small, but no matter. It's large enough for exercise. I swim every day, au naturel, before I go to work and when I come home. I can't bear to do exercises regularly, but in the water it's fun. It's also more beneficial because the water offers resistance."

Schafer swore by the diet. However, she said there was one downside.

"Of course, it doesn't make you very popular in restaraunts," she said. "I remember going to Romanoffs in Beverly Hills for dinner once when I was following the diet. I had chocolate ice cream... the waiter thought I was insane!"

Schafer's secret to having energy: a teaspoon of honey in coffee or preferred drink of choice. And her favorite glam beauty tip: false eyelashes. Her last beauty tip:

"Wear clothes and hair styles of the time, not those you wore in your twenties," she said.

A quart of ice cream a day will keep the doctor away.

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11 Comments

JamesDean59 22 months ago
Now that I'm older than she was in the series, I see her beautiful.
Concrete64 22 months ago
She was great. Her and Jim Backus made for a believable couple.
PDCougar 22 months ago
Sort of off-topic: Funko has just announced that "Gilligan's Island" is FINALLY going to be offered as Funko Pop figures! Strange but true fact: This will also mark the FIRST time since the show came to TV more than 55 years ago that the Howells or Ginger have ever been done in in any type of figural form! (Well, not counting those voodoo dolls in that one episode!)
LoveMETV22 23 months ago
Although best known for her role as Lovey Howell on Gilligan's Island. Natalie Schafer appeared in many Films all the way back to 1930, but mainly 1940 onward. She appeared on numerous TV series:
I Love Lucy (1954), The Beverly Hillbillies (1964), Mayberry RFD (1970), Mannix (1972),
The Brady Bunch (1974), Three's Company, The Love Boat, and Phyllis (1976), as well as others. She certainly was an accomplished actress.
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BuckeyeBeth 22 months ago
I’ve got to think that most of the houses in Beverly Hills or the Hollywood Hills area had large stockade or concrete block fences around them even at that time. Especially in the homes of people in the entertainment business. I think backyards should be like Vegas. What happens there should stay there. :)
Supercat58 23 months ago
Of the three women on the island, I thought she was the prettiest. Mary Ann had a down home sweetness, Ginger was delicate and glamorous, but Mrs H was a total gorgeous knockout in my eyes ❤️
Mob39 23 months ago
Loved her on Gilligan’s island! The Howells were my favorite! 🙂
Sway 23 months ago
She lived til 90 so something was working. She was 13 years older than Jim Backus…didn’t look it.
CoreyC Sway 23 months ago
Natalie was the oldest cast member and was a great sport on the show. She loved doing the show.
MrsPhilHarris 23 months ago
I can’t even imagine eating that much ice cream. I had ice cream twice last year and none the year before.
Runeshaper 23 months ago
That is one of the most interesting diets EVER! LOL Natalie Schafer was super cool.
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