Louise added that she has not received residuals from the show in the nearly 60 years since its finale
Gilligan’s Island may have a long-lasting legacy, but it wasn’t a particularly lucrative deal for the actors involved.
The ’60s sitcom portrayed a hodgepodge charter of characters shipwrecked on a deserted island, where they spent the next three seasons trying to find ways to get home (often thwarted by first mate Gilligan’s mistakes). Despite airing in the ’60s, Gilligan’s Island continues to find new viewers with repeated reruns and its availability on streaming platforms. It’s a household name for many — but it didn’t make its cast that rich, despite their notoriety.
In a March 7 interview with Forbes, Tina Louise — who portrayed the movie star Ginger Grant on the show — revealed that the cast members “made so little money” filming all 98 episodes, with each actor reportedly receiving “like $1,500 an episode,” she said.
Though the reruns and availability on streaming platforms would lead many to believe it a show that has continued to sustain Louise’s life post-acting, she confirmed to the outlet that she has not received any residuals from the show over the past 60 years.
“Nothing! Not a cent,” the 91-year-old said.
But it seems that acting has never been about the money for Louise, who admitted elsewhere in the interview that she almost quit Gilligan’s Island before it aired. When offering advice for young women looking to break into the business, she recommended they “do a play” — even if it doesn’t make them any money.
“Don’t be worried about getting money from that,” she said. “You’ll have to have another job of some kind, but I would say to be seen, whether you made money or not, do a play. Just do something you have to do every single night. I think you bloom better, starting on the stage. That’s what I did.”
Louise’s acting career slowed in the ’90s, and though she’s taken on a smattering of parts throughout the 21st century (the most recent of which was the role of Rose in the 2019 film Tapestry), she admits that she doesn’t have an agent — but isn’t opposed to returning to the screen for the right project.
“Yes, I would [continue acting] — but it’s like dreaming will not make it so,” she said. “I don’t think people come to find you, but if somebody asked me to do something that I wanted to do — that I found some reason to do — I would want to do it. I just don’t have representation in that area, but I mean, I can be found. I think it’s pointless to have an agent. Why would they do that at this point? I’m open to doing work. I just take one day at a time and I’m doing what I want to do.”
But for now, her main goal is staying alive for another 40 years at the request of her daughter — and she won’t entertain any idea that suggests otherwise.
“I’m not thinking about leaving. I don’t think of that,” she concluded. “I don’t want to think about it. I’m running to stay healthy. I’m walking to the gym. I’m just thinking about staying alive for my family. I love being alive.”
