Gilligan (fictional character)
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- For other people named Gilligan, see Gilligan (disambiguation)
Willy Gilligan is a fictional character played by Bob Denver on the 1960s TV show Gilligan's Island and its many sequels. His first name was never revealed in the series. According to series creator Sherwood Schwartz it was actually Willy Gilligan, which would have been used had this ever been deemed necessary to the story.
Gilligan is always seen wearing a red shirt and white sailor's cap. He was the first mate on the S.S. Minnow and accidentally stranded his companions in a shipwreck when during a storm he threw an anchor overboard without a line attached. He served with The Skipper in the U.S. Navy. Gilligan is The Skipper's 'little buddy', and the two fall in the mold of the fat guy/thin guy comedy team pioneered by Laurel and Hardy. Not much was ever learned about Gilligan's past or family, but he mentioned in one episode an uncle who couldn't read. He also has an older brother, from whom he actually swiped his ubiquitous red shirt; Gilligan once declined appearing on a TV broadcast (via a government probe that had landed on the island) because his brother would "kill" him if he saw Gilligan was wearing his shirt. Gilligan sometimes related anecdotes about childhood friends, Skinny Mulligan and Fatso Flannigan.
The character of Gilligan is noted for numerous physical comedy skits presented on the show, often using his friend the Skipper in the role of a straight man. Continuing gags on the program include Gilligan always apparently in danger of being seduced by Hollywood star Ginger Grant (which never actually happens, at least on camera), always eating Mary Ann's coconut cream pie, making fun of the Skipper's weight and constantly (albeit inadvertently) derailing efforts of the castaways to get off the island.
Despite his bumbling nature, Gilligan is acknowledged to have an innate and compensating innocence of character that frequently and unexpectedly saves the day for his companions. Other more recent ensemble stories have had similar characters somewhat lacking in wit but with big hearts, such as Mater in the movie Cars.
Today Gilligan is widely recognized as a comedic American popular culture icon, ranked for example at 122nd place in the July 2003 list of 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons compiled by VH-1 and People Magazine. Gilligan is undoubtedly linked forever in the growing up of countless millions of American children in the 60's, and through syndication to this day.
[edit] See also
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- Bob Denver's Gilligan Fan club** http://www.bobdenver.com/index.html
