Inside Gilligan's Island

Book excerpt: While every new TV series has to face some problems, no show had to overcome greater obstacles than Gilligan's Island. In spite of that, no series has achieved greater success, as measured by the fact that Gilligan's Island has given rise to three TV movies, two animated series, and is the most rerun program in the entire history of television. Now, Sherwood Schwartz, creator, writer, and producer of Gilligan's Island, tells the life story of the show: from the labor pains of scripting, casting, and production to its golden years of afternoon reruns. Fascinating history that could be known only by the show's creator is enhanced by wonderful photos, sketches, and other illustrations from the author's personal collection, as well as the guest forewords by all seven "Castaways." An appendix lists plots, writers and directors for every episode. All this behind-the-scenes information makes the book a special treat, not only for fans, but for anyone interested in an inside look at the television industry.