The Producer

"**The Producer**"
"The Producer"
Gilligan's Island episode
Episode no.	Season 3; Episode 72
Directed by	George Cahan and; Ida Lupino
Written by	Dee Caruso and; Gerald Gardner
Featured music	Morton Stevens
Production code	0512
Original air date	October 3, 1966
Guest appearance
	Phil Silvers
Episode chronology
← Previous; "Pass the Vegetables, Please"	Next →; "Voodoo"
	List of episodes

Last updated April 23, 2024

"The Producer" is the fourth episode of the third season of Gilligan's Island , in which the castaways stage a musical version of Hamlet . It first aired in on October 3, 1966.

Synopsis

After curmudgeonly film producer Harold Hecuba (Phil Silvers) crash lands near the island during an around-the-world talent hunt, the castaways are forced to tolerate him until his rescue plane arrives. When Ginger asks him for a role in his next movie however, Mr. Hecuba laughs at the idea, causing Ginger to become so upset that she refuses to return to civilization with the rest of the castaways.

Hoping to change Mr. Hecuba's mind, Gilligan suggests that they perform a play for Mr. Hecuba so that he might reconsider Ginger's talent and ultimately decide to use her in a movie. From the limited resources available on the island, they create a musical version of William Shakespeare's Hamlet. The cast performs three songs for their show. These parody the "To be, or not to be" speech of act 3, scene 1; the "Get thee to a nunnery" exchange between Hamlet and Ophelia later in the same scene, and Polonius's "Neither a borrower nor a lender be" speech from act 1, scene 3.

The episode employs snippets of dialog taken directly from the original work and musical passages from the operas Carmen and The Tales of Hoffmann . Hamlet's soliloquy is done to the Habanera (aria), Ophelia adapts Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour (the Barcarolle), and Polonius's advice is set to the Toreador Song:^[1]

Neither a borrower nor a lender be.
Do not forget: stay out of debt.
Think twice, and take this good advice from me:
Guard that old solvency!
There's just one other thing you ought to do.
To thine own self be true.

Hecuba awakens as the castaways rehearse at night, taking over the production. When help arrives Hecuba departs alone, leaving behind all the others in order to take full credit for the musical version of Hamlet he intends to stage as his next project.

Cast

In order of appearance:

The show's only other regular character, The Professor, serves as the production's technical crew.^[2]

Reception

Although the show Gilligan's Island seldom earned awards of any sort, "The Producer" was selected by TV Guide as one of the 100 greatest television episodes of all time.^[3] In Gilligan Unbound: Pop Culture in the Age of Globalization, Paul A. Cantor terms the Hamlet production a "full-scale Broadway show" and notes the episode as "evidence of the degree of sophistication the castaways are able to achieve in their supposedly primitive state..."^[3] Cantor also observes in an introduction to Hamlet that this episode is one of several recent examples that demonstrate the enduring popularity of Shakespeare's play, since audiences continue to recognize references to the centuries-old drama.^[4] Cantor places the episode within the framework of a tradition of Hamlet parodies that dates back to the nineteenth century.^[4] Yet Michael D. Bristol interprets these parodies, including the Gilligan's Island episode, as reflective of "a distinctively modern experience of subjectivity" in Shakespeare's version of the character.^[5]

Trivia

Part of the first song of the episode is featured in the Space Ghost Coast to Coast episode with Bob Denver, Dawn Wells, and Russell Johnson.^{[ citation needed ]}
In 1997 TV Guide ranked the episode number 52 on its '100 Greatest episodes of All Time' list.^[6]

Related Research Articles

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, often shortened to Hamlet, is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play depicts Prince Hamlet and his attempts to exact revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet's father in order to seize his throne and marry Hamlet's mother. Hamlet is considered among the "most powerful and influential tragedies in the English language", with a story capable of "seemingly endless retelling and adaptation by others". It is widely considered one of the greatest plays of all time. Three different early versions of the play are extant: the First Quarto ; the Second Quarto ; and the First Folio. Each version includes lines and passages missing from the others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hecuba</span> Spouse of king Priam in Greek mythology

Hecuba was a queen in Greek mythology, the wife of King Priam of Troy during the Trojan War.

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.

<i>Hamlet</i> (1996 film) 1996 film directed by Kenneth Branagh

Hamlet is a 1996 British epic historical drama film and an adaptation of William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, adapted and directed by Kenneth Branagh, who also stars as Prince Hamlet. The film also features Derek Jacobi as King Claudius, Julie Christie as Queen Gertrude, Kate Winslet as Ophelia, Michael Maloney as Laertes, Richard Briers as Polonius, and Nicholas Farrell as Horatio. Other cast members include Robin Williams, Gérard Depardieu, Jack Lemmon, Billy Crystal, Rufus Sewell, Charlton Heston, Richard Attenborough, Judi Dench, John Gielgud and Ken Dodd.

Polonius is a character in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet. He is chief counsellor of the play's ultimate villain, Claudius, and the father of Laertes and Ophelia. Generally regarded as wrong in every judgment he makes over the course of the play, Polonius is described by William Hazlitt as a "sincere" father, but also "a busy-body, [who] is accordingly officious, garrulous, and impertinent". In Act II, Hamlet refers to Polonius as a "tedious old fool" and taunts him as a latter day "Jephtha".

"To be, or not to be" is a speech given by Prince Hamlet in the so-called "nunnery scene" of William Shakespeare's play Hamlet. The speech is named for the opening phrase, itself among the most widely known and quoted lines in modern English literature, and has been referenced in many works of theatre, literature and music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ginger Grant</span> Fictional character on Gilligans Island television sitcom (1964–1967)

Ginger Grant is a fictional character portrayed by actress Tina Louise in the 1964 to 1967 television sitcom Gilligan's Island.

Gilligan is a fictional character played by Bob Denver on the 1960s TV show Gilligan's Island and its many sequels. Gilligan, affectionately called "little buddy" by the "Skipper", is the bumbling, dimwitted, accident-prone first mate of the SS Minnow. His first name, given in the pilot episode, is Willie. He wears a trademark red shirt, pale trousers, white sneakers, and white navy cap.

<i>Rescue from Gilligans Island</i> 1978 television film directed by Leslie H. Martinson

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.

The Professor (<i>Gilligans Island</i>) Fictional character

Roy Hinkley, referred to as the Professor, is one of the seven castaways from the television series Gilligan's Island (1964–67); he was played by Russell Johnson. The character was originally played by John Gabriel in the pilot episode, but the network thought he looked too young to have all the degrees attributed to the Professor.

Prince Hamlet is the title character and protagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet (1599–1601). He is the Prince of Denmark, nephew to the usurping Claudius, and son of King Hamlet, the previous King of Denmark. At the beginning of the play, he is conflicted whether, and how, to avenge the murder of his father, and struggles with his own sanity along the way. By the end of the tragedy, Hamlet has caused the deaths of Polonius, Laertes, Claudius, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two acquaintances of his from childhood. He is also indirectly involved in the deaths of his love Ophelia (drowning) and of his mother Gertrude.

Cultural references to <i>Hamlet</i> Review of the topic

Numerous cultural references to Hamlet reflect the continued influence of this play. Hamlet is one of the most popular of Shakespeare's plays, topping the list at the Royal Shakespeare Company since 1879, as of 2004.

<i>The Castaways on Gilligans Island</i> 1979 made-for-television film directed by Earl Bellamy

The Castaways on Gilligan's Island is a 1979 made-for-television comedy film that continues the adventures of the shipwrecked castaways from the 1964–1967 sitcom Gilligan's Island and the first reunion movie, Rescue from Gilligan's Island, featuring the original cast from the television series with the exception of Tina Louise, who was replaced in the role of Ginger Grant by Judith Baldwin. Written by Al Schwartz, Elroy Schwartz and series creator Sherwood Schwartz and directed by Earl Bellamy, it was first broadcast on NBC May 3, 1979. Unlike the independently-produced Rescue from Gilligan's Island, this and the subsequent The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island were produced by MCA/Universal Television.

The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island is a 1981 made-for-television comedy film. It is the third of three movies that reunited the cast of the 1964–1967 sitcom Gilligan's Island. The film aired on NBC on May 15, 1981.

What follows is an overview of the main characters in William Shakespeare's Hamlet, followed by a list and summary of the minor characters from the play. Three different early versions of the play survive: known as the First Quarto ("Q1"), Second Quarto ("Q2"), and First Folio ("F1"), each has lines—and even scenes—missing in the others, and some character names vary.

Ophelia is a character in William Shakespeare's drama Hamlet (1599–1601). She is a young noblewoman of Denmark, the daughter of Polonius, sister of Laertes and potential wife of Prince Hamlet, who, due to Hamlet's actions, ends up in a state of madness that ultimately leads to her drowning.

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.

<i>Gilligans Island</i> season 3 Season of television series

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).

References

↑ Thomas C. Foster (2003). How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines. HarperCollins. p. 164. ISBN 978-0-06-000942-7 . Retrieved 2009-05-09.
↑ Sherwood Schwartz (1994). Inside Gilligan's Island. Macmillan. p. 301. ISBN 978-0-312-10482-5 . Retrieved 2009-05-09.
1 2 Paul Arthur Cantor (2003). Gilligan unbound: pop culture in the age of globalization. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 20, 218. ISBN 978-0-7425-0779-1 . Retrieved 2009-05-09.
1 2 Paul Arthur Cantor (2004). Shakespeare, Hamlet (second edition, introduction). Cambridge University Press. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-521-54937-0 . Retrieved 2009-05-09.
↑ Michael D. Bristol (1996). Big-time Shakespeare. Taylor & Francis. p. 164. ISBN 978-0-415-06017-2 . Retrieved 2009-05-09.
↑ TV Guide Book of Lists . Running Press. 2007. pp. 185. ISBN 978-0-7624-3007-9.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[foster-1] Thomas C. Foster (2003). How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines. HarperCollins. p. 164. ISBN 978-0-06-000942-7 . Retrieved 2009-05-09.

[schwartz-2] Sherwood Schwartz (1994). Inside Gilligan's Island. Macmillan. p. 301. ISBN 978-0-312-10482-5 . Retrieved 2009-05-09.

[cantor-3] 1 2 Paul Arthur Cantor (2003). Gilligan unbound: pop culture in the age of globalization. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 20, 218. ISBN 978-0-7425-0779-1 . Retrieved 2009-05-09.

[cantor2-4] 1 2 Paul Arthur Cantor (2004). Shakespeare, Hamlet (second edition, introduction). Cambridge University Press. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-521-54937-0 . Retrieved 2009-05-09.

[bristol-5] Michael D. Bristol (1996). Big-time Shakespeare. Taylor & Francis. p. 164. ISBN 978-0-415-06017-2 . Retrieved 2009-05-09.

[6] TV Guide Book of Lists . Running Press. 2007. pp. 185. ISBN 978-0-7624-3007-9.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]