This iconic photo is not edited, now look closer and try not to gasp when you see it…
This sneaky blooper has been missed by many fans, but now you’re in on the secret!
The friendly physician
How many of you remember the episode The Friendly Physician from season two of Gilligan’s Island?
In this quirky storyline, the castaways are lured to another island by a mad scientist, played by Vito Scotty, who portrays the eccentric Dr. Boris Balancoff. Promising to rescue the stranded group, he secretly plans bizarre experiments, including one where he swaps Gilligan’s brain with Mrs. Howell’s!
The Friendly Physician is the only episode where the castaways actually leave the island — and the only one where they switch bodies.
But here’s a little blooper from the episode you may have missed. During the scene when the castaways are sailing away from the scientist’s eerie castle, take a closer look at the background. You’ll spot buildings from the CBS studio lot!
The lagoon set was carefully designed to hide any traces of the surrounding studios, warehouses, and equipment, with plenty of plants and trees placed to create an isolated island feel. However, in this particular shot, the camera was positioned just wrong enough to expose a peek behind the Hollywood magic, showing parts of the studio lot that weren’t meant to be seen.
It’s a fun reminder that even on a “deserted” island, showbiz can sneak into the picture.
The Kennedy assassination
A rather dark bit of trivia given how silly the show was, but filming the original pilot of Gilligan’s Island, titled “Marooned,” coincided with the assassination of John F. Kennedy in November 1963.
The cast and crew got news of the assassination while wrapping up filming in Honolulu Harbor. The tragedy also delayed filming, as U.S. naval and military bases closed for a period of mourning.
If you look closely at the season 1 intro sequence, you can see US flags in the background at half-mast: they were lowered in honor of the slain president.
Alan Hale rushed to his audition on horseback
It’s hard to imagine anyone else but the great Alan Hale Jr. playing The Skipper — and the actor truly went the extra mile when it came to auditioning.
Hale was in Utah filming the western Bullet for a Bad Man when he received the casting call for Gilligan. According to the book Surviving Gilligan’s Island, Hale snuck off set on horseback. He then hitchhiked his way to Las Vegas, got on a flight to Los Angeles, and made his audition.