1. near Hawaii
   near Mexico
2. Arctic Ocean

The show features seven people stranded on a remote island somewhere near Hawaii. Unfortunately, they aren't close enough to the islands to expect a prompt rescue.

1. plane crash
   shipwreck
2. tsunami

Five tourists set out on a pleasure tour and run into a massive Pacific storm. They are trapped on an island along with two crew members.

1. three minutes
   three hours
2. three weeks

The show's theme song is one of its most memorable qualities. "The mate was a mighty sailin' man / The Skipper brave and sure / Five passengers set sail that day / For a three-hour tour, a three-hour tour." It turned out to be a much longer trip than anyone expected.

1. the SS Shark
   the SS Minnow
2. the SS Bulgaria

The wrecked ship is named the SS Minnow. It's a ridiculous name for a ship, and it's a clue to the slapstick comedy that is so common in each episode.

1. three
   six
2. nine

There were just three seasons of "Gilligan's Island," for a total of 98 episodes. The first two seasons got great ratings, but in the third season, the show dropped substantially in popularity.

1. "Little Buddy"
   "Gilligan"
2. "Little Guy"

The Skipper routinely calls Gilligan "little buddy." The pair generally gets along, but they also frequently drive each other crazy.

1. Jim Backus
   Bob Denver
2. Alan Hale, Jr.

Bob Denver played the iconic Gilligan. Denver worked on other productions in Hollywood and theater, but he was always mostly closely linked to "Gilligan's Island."

1. slavery
   racism
2. politics

Sherwood Schwartz created the show as a commentary on politics, and more specifically, disharmony. He intended the show to be a demonstration that very different people can learn to get along for the greater good.

1. he's rich
   he has just one arm
2. he's black

Mr. Howell is the show's millionaire. He's married to Lovel Howell. The wealthy couple greatly misses their material luxuries during their seemingly endless days on the island.

1. radio
   messages in bottles
2. HBO

The group isn't entirely cut off from the rest of the world -- they have an AM radio. Once in a while, they are able to hear broadcasts from the Hawaiian islands.

1. high school science
   college physics
2. middle school sex education

The Professor has a lofty sounding name. But in spite of his supposed credentials, he's made a career as a high school science teacher.

1. he wanted way too much money
   he thought the concept was terrible
2. he had a phobia about deserted islands

Van Dyke was a hugely famous funnyman in the 60s. He read the pilot script and said that it was worthless and that he wanted nothing to do with the show.

1. true
2. false

The group still has access to the SS Minnow, which is damaged but not destroyed. But even after many episodes, they can't seem to find a way to fix the leaky ship.

1. movie star
   TV broadcaster
2. nude model

Ginger was the ravishing "movie star." However, the other members of the group question just how big of a celebrity she really is.

1. a famous celebrity died
   there was a terrible attack
2. the president was assassinated

The show was created in the early 1960s, and the opening credits were filmed just after John F. Kennedy was assassinated. It's a sad reminder that real life often intrudes on even during our most whimsical moments.

1. The Professor
   Gilligan
2. Skipper

There are a couple of characters close to Ginger's age, but it's the Skipper -- who is old enough to be her father -- who shows the most interest in the "movie star."

1. Ginger
   Mrs. Howell
2. no one

By all accounts, The Professor is a good-looking guy who could probably steal the hearts of the island's women. But he is consistently portrayed as totally uninterested in romantic relationships.

1. censorship
   there was already too much sex happening with the other characters
2. the show's creator was gay

In the early 60s, TV shows were still pretty conservative, and no one wanted the headaches of dealing with network censors. So the creators dodged the issue altogether by making The Professor (and everyone other than Ginger) pretty sexless.

1. Willy
   Bill
2. Gilligan

It's never mentioned during an episode, but Gilligan's real first name is Willy. Sherwood Schwartz indicated in an interview that Willy was the first mate's name.

1. arrogant but smart
   kind but incompetent
2. completely stupid

Gilligan is the kind and gentle guy who also happens to be consistently incompetent. He and the Skipper are silly buffoons.

1. they stab each other in the back
   they are friends
2. they hate each other

Mary Ann and Ginger don't always like each other. But for the most part, the group's only two young women generally get along as friends.

1. she was old
   she was scarred
2. she was ugly

Schafer was literally a millionaire playing the role of a millionaire, and she had more leverage than most actors. She didn't want any close-ups of her face because she was significantly older than everyone else on the show.

1. no one knew her name
   she was the nicest person in the room
2. an aloof, self-centered movie star

Tina Louise was reportedly very distant on set and steered away from the other cast members, in part because she had anticipated being the star of the show. She later blamed the show for typecasting her and ruining her career.

1. true
2. false

Wells became a huge star after "Gilligan's Island" and went on to many other productions. But like some of her co-stars, she was always most famous for her role as Mary Ann.

1. Gilligan is actually better at construction
   he's totally inept with tools
2. he's an incredible handyman

The Professor is like MacGyver -- he can fix just about any problem by using his inventive construction skills. But for whatever reason, he's clueless when it comes to fixing the SS Minnow so that the group can get home.

1. Hawaii
   Hollywood
2. Idaho

Some of the opening credits were shot in Hawaii. But the roughly 100 episodes were mostly filmed on a set in Hollywood.

1. he hated the role
   he felt ignored
2. he loved every second of the experience

Hale loved being the Skipper and went to great lengths just to audition for the part. After the show ended, he often wore his Skipper outfit for public outings.

1. true
2. false

There's no helping some people. There were some viewers who contacted the U.S. Coast Guard, indicating that there were people stranded in the Pacific … and that someone should go and rescue them.

1. true
2. false

The show's producers expected that the show would return for a fourth season, so the final episode merely ends with the group still stranded on the island. The fourth season never emerged, leaving our heroes forever stuck on their remote island.

1. everyone but Gilligan is rescued
   they wind up back on the same island
2. everyone dies

After a long adventure, the group succeeds in escaping their prison of an island. Eventually, they all decide to go on yet another cruise to celebrate their friendship … and of course, they wind up trapped on the island all over again.