Tina Louise | |
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Born | Tina Blacker February 11, 1934 New York City, U.S. |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1952–present |
Spouse | |
Children | Caprice Crane |
Tina Louise (nee Blacker; born February 11, 1934) is an American actress widely known for her role as movie star Ginger Grant in the television situation comedy Gilligan's Island . Louise is the last surviving cast member.
She began her career on stage in the mid-1950s before landing her breakthrough role in 1958 drama film God's Little Acre for which she received the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year.
Louise had starring roles in The Trap , The Hangman , Day of the Outlaw , and For Those Who Think Young . Her other films include The Wrecking Crew , The Happy Ending , The Stepford Wives , and Johnny Suede . She also had a recurring role on the primetime soap opera Dallas .
Louise was born Tina Blacker on February 11, 1934, in New York City. [1] An only child, she was raised by her mother, Sylvia (née Horn, later Myers), a fashion model. Her father, Joseph Blacker, was a candy store owner in Brooklyn, and later an accountant. [2] Her parents divorced by the time she was four. Louise attended PS 6, Scarborough Day School and Miami University. [3] She is Jewish. [4]
The name "Louise" was added during her senior year in high school when she mentioned to her drama teacher that she was the only girl in the class without a middle name, and he suggested it. [5]
Louise got her first role at age two after being in an ad for her father's candy store. She began studying acting, singing, and dancing at age 17 under Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in Manhattan. Her acting debut came in 1952 in the Bette Davis musical revue Two's Company , [6] followed by roles in such other Broadway productions as John Murray Anderson's Almanac , Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? , and the hit musical Li'l Abner . [7] She appeared in the live television dramas Studio One and Producers' Showcase .
She was offered modeling jobs, including the 1958 Frederick's of Hollywood catalog, and she appeared on the cover of several pinup magazines such as Adam, Sir!, and Modern Man. Her pictorials for Playboy in May 1958 and April 1959 were arranged by Columbia Pictures studio in an effort to promote her.
Louise made her film debut in 1958 in God's Little Acre . That same year, the National Art Council named her the "World's Most Beautiful Redhead." [8] The next year, she starred in Day of the Outlaw with Robert Ryan. She became a leading lady for stars such as Robert Taylor and Richard Widmark, often playing sombre roles. She turned down roles in the films of Li'l Abner and Operation Petticoat , [9] taking roles on Broadway and in Italian cinema. Among her Italian film credits were The Siege of Syracuse and Garibaldi (both in 1960).
Louise returned to the United States, began studying with Lee Strasberg, and became a member of the Actors Studio. [10] [11] In 1962, she guest-starred on the situation comedy The Real McCoys , portraying a country girl from West Virginia in the episode "Grandpa Pygmalion". She appeared with Bob Denver two years later in the beach party film For Those Who Think Young (1964). In 1964, she left the Broadway musical Fade Out – Fade In to portray movie star Ginger Grant on the situation comedy Gilligan's Island . Over time, she became unhappy with the role and was worried that it would typecast her. Although she continued to work in film and made guest appearances on television, she claimed repeatedly that playing Ginger had ruined her movie career. She did not appear in any of the subsequent Gilligan's Island sequel movies: Rescue from Gilligan's Island (1978), The Castaways on Gilligan's Island (1979), or The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island (1981). Other actresses played the role of Ginger in the sequels. She maintained a steady acting career after the series ended, going on to appear in the Matt Helm spy spoof The Wrecking Crew (1969) with Dean Martin and in The Stepford Wives (1975). As of December 2020, she is the last surviving cast member of Gilligan’s Island.
Louise attempted to shed her comedic image by playing darker roles, such as a heroin addict in a 1974 episode of Kojak and as a cruel corrections officer in the 1976 television movie Nightmare in Badham County . Other credits from this era include the made-for-TV films Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby (1976) and SST: Death Flight (1977), and the soap opera Dallas during the 1978–1979 seasons. In the fall of 1984, she succeeded Jo Ann Pflug as Taylor Chapin on the syndicated soap opera Rituals .
Later film roles included a co-starring appearance in the Robert Altman comedy O.C. and Stiggs (1987) as well as the independently made satire Johnny Suede (1992) starring Brad Pitt. She appeared in the situation comedy Married... with Children as Miss Beck in episode "Kelly Bounces Back" (1990). In 2014, Louise starred in the spiritual drama Tapestry and the horror film Late Phases . [12] [13]
Although Louise declined to participate in any of three Gilligan's Island reunion television films, she made brief walk-on appearances on a few talk shows and specials for Gilligan's Island reunions, including Good Morning America (1982), The Late Show (1988) and the 2004 TV Land award show with the other surviving cast members. In the 1990s, she was reunited with costars Bob Denver, Dawn Wells, and Russell Johnson in an episode of Roseanne . [6] She did not reunite with them for the television film Surviving Gilligan's Island (2001), co-produced by Wells; Ginger was portrayed by Kristen Dalton in the television film. [14] Her relations with series star Denver were rumored to be strained, but in 2005, she wrote a brief, affectionate memorial to him in the year-end "farewell" issue of Entertainment Weekly after his death. [15]
Following the news of Dawn Wells' passing in December 2020, Louise denied any longtime rumors that she resented the role of Ginger Grant: "Never true – I loved doing my part, especially after they really started writing for my character, originally billed as a 'Marilyn Monroe' type of character. A different director took over and really started to write for my character. I really loved my character." She also said that she was very grateful to the show's fans for their continued support, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic: "We were part of the wonderful show that everyone loves and has been a great source of comfort, especially during these times. We brought a lot of joy to people and still do. This show is an escape from so many things going on. Fathers share it with their children now. I get letters all the time about that." [16]
Louise made one record album, It's Time for Tina, which was released originally on Concert Hall in 1957 (Concert Hall 1521), and later reissued on Urania Records (1958 and 1959 respectively). [17] With arrangements by Jim Timmens and Buddy Weed's Orchestra, 12 tracks include "Tonight Is the Night" and "I'm in the Mood for Love." Coleman Hawkins is featured on tenor sax. The album has been reissued on CD twice, most recently on the UK label Harkit Records. [18] The album was released on iTunes in 2012. She also recorded for United Artists Records [19] but recorded just one single for that label in 1958. [20]
A Democrat, Tina Louise campaigned for John F. Kennedy during the 1960 presidential race. [21]
From 1966 to 1971, Louise was married to radio and TV announcer/interviewer Les Crane, with whom she had one daughter, Caprice (born 1970), [22] [23] who became an MTV producer and a novelist. Caprice Crane's first novel, Stupid and Contagious, was published in 2006, [24] and was dedicated to her mother. [25]
From 1965 to 1968, Les Crane had simultaneous careers as an actor and an interviewer who covered a wide variety of controversial topics. In 1969, when he concentrated on acting, he and his wife Tina appeared together as a fictitious married couple in a segment of Love, American Style titled "Love and the Advice-Givers." [26]
Louise is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and a lifetime member of the Actors Studio. [27] Louise has been a vocal advocate for improving child literacy. She donated a portion of the proceeds of her 2007 book, When I Grow Up, to literacy programs and said in a 2013 interview that she had been volunteering at local public schools since 1996. [27] [28] She has written three books including Sunday: A Memoir (1997) and When I Grow Up (2007). [6] When I Grow Up is a children's book that inspires children to believe they can become whatever they choose through creative and humorous comparisons of animal kingdom achievements. She also published a second children's book titled What Does a Bee Do? in 2009. [29]
Louise is quoted as saying, "The best movie you'll ever be in is your own life because that's what matters in the end." [30]
Louise campaigned for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race. [31]
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1958 | God's Little Acre | Griselda Walden | Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress Laurel Award for Best Female Supporting Performance (5th place) |
1959 | The Trap | Linda Anderson | |
1959 | The Hangman | Selah Jennison | |
1959 | Day of the Outlaw | Helen Crane | |
1960 | L'assedio di Siracusa | Diana / Artemide / Lucrezia | |
1960 | The Warrior Empress | Sappho | |
1961 | Garibaldi | French Journalist | |
1961 | Armored Command | Alexandra Bastegar | |
1964 | For Those Who Think Young | Topaz McQueen | |
1967 | The Seventh Floor | Dr. Immer Mehr | |
1968 | The Wrecking Crew | Lola Medina | |
1969 | How to Commit Marriage | Laverne Baker | |
1969 | The Good Guys and the Bad Guys | Carmel | |
1969 | The Happy Ending | Helen Bricker | |
1970 | But I Don't Want to Get Married! | Miss Spencer | Television film |
1973 | Call to Danger | April Tierney | Television film |
1975 | The Stepford Wives | Charmaine Wimpiris | |
1975 | Death Scream | Hilda Murray | |
1976 | Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby | Marjean Dorn | Television film |
1976 | Nightmare in Badham County | Greer | Television film |
1977 | SST: Death Flight | Mae | Television film |
1977 | The Kentucky Fried Movie | Voice | Uncredited |
1978 | Mean Dog Blues | Donna Lacey | |
1979 | Friendships, Secrets and Lies | Joan Holmes | Television film |
1980 | The Day the Women Got Even | Mary Jo Alfieri | Television film |
1981 | Advice to the Lovelorn | Diane Marsh | Television film |
1981 | Peter-No-Tail | Molly Creamnose | Voice, English version |
1984 | Dog Day | Noémie Blue | |
1984 | Hell Riders | Claire Delaney | |
1985 | Evils of the Night | Cora | |
1985 | O.C. and Stiggs | Florence Beaugereaux | |
1987 | The Pool | Miloha | |
1988 | Dixie Lanes | Violet Hunter | |
1991 | Johnny Suede | Mrs. Fontaine | |
1997 | Welcome to Woop Woop | Bella | |
2000 | Growing Down in Brooklyn | Mrs. Pip | |
2004 | West from North Goes South | Celeste Clark | |
2014 | Late Phases | Clarissa | |
2019 | Tapestry | Rose | |
Year | Show | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1956 | Studio One | Dolores | Episode: "Johnny August" |
1956 | Producers' Showcase | Maude | Episode: "Happy Birthday" |
1957 | The Phil Silvers Show | Gina | Episode: "Bilko Goes South" |
1957 | Climax! | Maxene Sumner | Episode: "A Matter of Life and Death" |
1961 | Tales of Wells Fargo | Helene Montclair | Episode: "New Orleans Trackdown" |
1961 | The New Breed | Stella Knowland | Episode: "I Remember Murder" |
1962 | Checkmate | Checkmate | Episode: "A Funny Thing Happened on My Way to the Game" |
1962 | The Real McCoys | Tilda Hicks | Episode: "Grampa Pygmalion" |
1963 | Burke's Law | Bonnie Belle Tate | Episode: "Who Killed Billy Jo?" |
1963 | Route 66 | Robin | Episode: "I'm Here to Kill a King" |
1964 | Kraft Suspense Theatre | Angie Powell | Episode: "The Deep End" |
1964 | Mr. Broadway | The Girl | Episode: "Smelling Like a Rose" |
1966 | The Red Skelton Show | Daisy June | Episode: "Be It Ever So Homely, There's No Face Like Clem" |
1964–1967 | Gilligan's Island | Ginger Grant | Series regular, 98 episodes |
1967 | Bonanza | Mary Burns | Episode: "Desperate Passage" |
1968 | It Takes a Thief | Anna Martine | Episode: "Totally by Design" |
1970 | Ironside | Candy | Episode: "Beware the Wiles of the Stranger" |
1973 | Mannix | Linda Cole | Episode: "The Faces of Murder" |
1969–1973 | Love, American Style | Mrs. Rossi / Wilma / Lola/ Audrey | 4 episodes |
1974 | Kojak | Audrey Norris | Episode: "Die Before They Wake" |
1973, 1974 | Police Story | April / Anita | 2 episodes |
1974 | Movin' On | Helen Trueblood | Episode: "The Cowhands" |
1974 | Kung Fu | Carol Mercer | Episode: "A Dream Within a Dream" |
1975 | Cannon | Nell Dexter | Episode: "The Wedding March" |
1976 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | Susan Dager | Episode: "All Passions Spent" |
1978–1979 | Dallas | Julie Grey | Special guest star, 5 episodes |
1979 | The Love Boat | Betty Bricker | Episode: "My Sister, Irene/The 'Now' Marriage/Second Time Around" |
1980 | Fantasy Island | Lisa Corday | Episode: "Unholy Wedlock/Elizabeth" |
1980 | CHiPs | Edie Marshall | 2 episodes |
1982 | Matt Houston | Jessica Collier | Episode: "The Kidnapping" |
1983 | Knight Rider | Anne Tyler | Episode: "The Topaz Connection" |
1984–1985 | Rituals | Taylor Chapin Field von Platen | Series regular |
1986 | Blacke's Magic | Lainie Warde | Episode: "Death Goes to the Movies" |
1986 | Santa Barbara | Cassie Dunn | Special guest star |
1986 | Simon & Simon | Robin Price | Episode: "Act Five" |
1990 | Married... with Children | Miss Beck | Episode: "Kelly Bounces Back" |
1994 | All My Children | Tish Pridmore | Special guest star |
1995 | Roseanne | Roseanne (cameo) | Episode: "Sherwood Schwartz: A Loving Tribute" |
1999 | L.A. Heat | Patricia Ludwigson | Episode: "In Harm's Way" |
Gilligan's Island is an American sitcom created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz. The show's ensemble cast features Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Tina Louise, Russell Johnson, and Dawn Wells. It aired for three seasons on the CBS network from September 26, 1964, to April 17, 1967. The series follows the comic adventures of seven castaways as they try to survive on an island where they are shipwrecked. Most episodes revolve around the dissimilar castaways' conflicts and their unsuccessful attempts to escape their plight, with the ship's first mate, Gilligan, usually being responsible for the failures.
Julie Newmar is an American actress, dancer, and singer known for a variety of stage, screen, and television roles. She is also a writer, lingerie designer, and real estate mogul. She won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role as Katrin Sveg in the 1958 Broadway production of The Marriage-Go-Round, and reprised the role in the 1961 film version. In the 1960s she starred for two seasons as Catwoman in the television series Batman (1966–1967). Her other stage credits include Ziegfeld Follies in 1956, Lola in Damn Yankees! in 1961, and Irma in Irma la Douce in 1965 in regional productions.
Robert Osbourne Denver was an American comedic actor who portrayed beatnik Maynard G. Krebs on the 1959–1963 series The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and Gilligan on the 1964–1967 television series Gilligan's Island.
James Gilmore Backus was an American actor. Among his most famous roles were Thurston Howell III on the 1960s sitcom Gilligan's Island, the father of James Dean's character in Rebel Without a Cause, the voice of the near-sighted cartoon character Mr. Magoo, the rich Hubert Updike III on the radio version of The Alan Young Show, and Joan Davis' character's husband on TV's I Married Joan. He also starred in his own show of one season, The Jim Backus Show, also known as Hot Off the Wire.
Alan Hale Jr. was an American actor and restaurateur. He was the son of actor Alan Hale Sr. His television career spanned four decades, but he was best known for his secondary lead role as Captain Jonas Grumby, better known as The Skipper, on the 1960s CBS comedy series Gilligan's Island (1964–1967), a role he reprised in three Gilligan's Island television films and two spin-off cartoon series.
Dawn Elberta Wells was an American actress. She is best known for her role as Mary Ann Summers in the sitcom Gilligan's Island.
Mary Ann Summers is a fictional character in the television sitcom Gilligan's Island which ran on the CBS network from 1964 to 1967, and has run more or less continuously since in reruns. She was played by actress Dawn Wells.
Ginger Grant is a fictional character portrayed by actress Tina Louise in the 1964 to 1967 television sitcom Gilligan's Island.
Les Crane was a radio announcer and television talk show host, a pioneer in interactive broadcasting who also scored a spoken word hit with his 1971 recording of the poem Desiderata, winning a "Best Spoken Word" Grammy. He was the first network television personality to compete with Johnny Carson after Carson became a fixture of late-night television.
Li'l Abner is a 1959 musical comedy film based on the comic strip of the same name created by Al Capp and the successful Broadway musical of the same name that opened in 1956. The film was produced by Norman Panama and directed by Melvin Frank. It was the second film to be based on the comic strip, the first being RKO's 1940 film, Li'l Abner.
Gilligan's Planet is an American Saturday morning animated series produced by Filmation and MGM/UA Television which aired during the 1982–1983 season on CBS. It was the second animated spin-off of the sitcom Gilligan's Island.
The New Adventures of Gilligan is an American Saturday morning animated series produced by Filmation, which aired on ABC during the 1974–75 seasons. The show was based on the 1964–67 sitcom Gilligan's Island. A few years later, Filmation produced a sequel, Gilligan's Planet.
Rescue from Gilligan's Island is a 1978 made-for-television comedy film that continues the adventures of the shipwrecked castaways from the 1964–67 sitcom Gilligan's Island, starring Bob Denver and Alan Hale Jr., and featuring all the original cast except Tina Louise. The film first aired on NBC as a two-part special on October 14 and October 21, 1978. The film has the characters finally being rescued after 15 years on the island. The film was directed by Leslie H. Martinson.
Judith Lee Baldwin is an American film and television actress. A life member of the Actors Studio, Baldwin amassed 46 screen credits between 1969 and her leading role in 2005's Every Secret Thing. In 1978, she replaced Tina Louise in the role of Ginger Grant in Rescue from Gilligan's Island. Baldwin reprised the role in The Castaways on Gilligan's Island the following year.
Jennifer Gan was an American stage, film and television actress. She appeared in sixteen film and TV titles in the 1960s and early 1970s.
Surviving Gilligan's Island: The Incredibly True Story of the Longest Three-Hour Tour in History is a 2001 American made-for-television docudrama film based on the 1964–1967 television sitcom Gilligan's Island.
The first season of the American comedy television series Gilligan's Island was shown in the United States on September 26, 1964 and concluded on June 12, 1965 on CBS. The season introduced the comic adventures of seven castaways as they attempted to survive and escape from an island on which they had been shipwrecked. Most episodes revolved around the dissimilar castaways' conflicts and their failed attempts—invariably Gilligan's fault—to escape their plight. The season originally aired on Saturdays at 8:30-9:00 pm (EST).
The second season of the American comedy television series Gilligan's Island commenced airing in the United States on September 16, 1965, and concluded on April 28, 1966, on CBS. The second season continues the comic adventures of seven castaways as they attempt to survive and escape from an island on which they had been shipwrecked. Most episodes revolve around the dissimilar castaways' conflicts and their failed attempts—invariably Gilligan's fault—to escape their plight. The season originally aired on Thursdays at 8:00-8:30 pm (EST). Unlike the first season, this season was shot in color.
The third and final season of the American comedy television series Gilligan's Island commenced airing in the United States on September 12, 1966, and concluded on April 17, 1967, on CBS. The third season continues the comic adventures of seven castaways as they attempted to survive and escape from an island on which they had been shipwrecked. Most episodes revolve around the dissimilar castaways' conflicts and their failed attempts—invariably Gilligan's fault—to escape their plight. The season originally aired on Mondays at 7:30-8:00 pm (EST).
For my beautiful mother, Tina Louise...
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