Ginger From Gilligan's Island Couldn't Stand This Rumor-Spreading Co-Star

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Despite running for only three seasons in the 1960s, "Gilligan's Island" remains a fan favorite. The series, which followed a group of mismatched people getting into weekly hijinks while stranded on a deserted island, has become part of the pop culture lexicon while far outlasting its time on TV. And while the characters often butted heads, that was nothing compared to some of the feuds the cast had with one another. Issues flared between the show's titular star Bob Denver and Tina Louise, who played the bombshell movie star Ginger. 

The problems became public in a 1965 TV Guide article that discussed the on-set tension between Denver and Louise, stating (via Slashfilm), "Denver will not say why he and the glamorous Tina do not get along, nor will any of the castaways — they just ignore her, and she ignores them ... And recently when Denver was asked to pose for pictures with her, he adamantly refused." 

Denver was more than happy to share his recollections of filming "Gilligan's Island" in his book, "Gilligan, Maynard & Me." In the book, Denver portrays Louise in a bad light, claiming that Louise's off-set exploits were cause for commotion: "I would go to my dressing room at lunchtime and try to take a nap, except Tina was always bringing boyfriends to her dressing room." Upset over the accusation, Louise responded in the National Examiner (via Y! Entertainment) by questioning Denver's sexual prowess: "When I make love, it takes more than 45 minutes. Maybe that would be enough time for Bob, but not me. I require much more attention."

Tina Louise was starring on Broadway opposite Carol Burnett in "Fade Out-Fade In" when she was offered the role of Ginger on "Gilligan's Island." According to Louise (via Forbes), she was told her role on the sitcom would be in the same vein as Lucille Ball.  Yet, when she showed up for filming, "the director wanted it to be a more sarcastic kind of character." Louise felt that the studio had changed the character without informing her: "I didn't even want to work on it anymore. I told him I wanted to quit." Louise's issues with her character reached the head of CBS, who ended up agreeing with her and fired the director.

But there were still issues between Louise and the other actors. Along with Bob Denver, the still stunning Louise also had a feud with Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann. In an interview with Studio 10, Wells claimed, "Tina thought she was a movie star ... She was never difficult. She was never part of the company, though ... I think she thought it was going to be about her." Louise, on the other hand, felt nothing but affection for Wells.

Fellow star Russell Johnson also spoke about Louise's attitude on the show, writing in his memoir, "Here on Gilligan's Island", "She made it known when we were filming the series — and says it more often today — that she didn't like playing fiery Ginger." But there was one member of the cast that Louise apparently liked and even thought was sexy: Jim Backus. Talking to the New York Post, Louise said that the man who played Thurston Howell III, "Jim was hilarious. Humor, hon ... He was adorable."