Meet the Real-Life Couples of the ‘Gilligan’s Island’ Cast: Love Stories of TV’s Beloved Castaways
It’s pretty tough to look at Gilligan’s Island and take it seriously, but in some ways that may have been the point when writer/producer Sherwood Schwartz created the show in 1964. Times were dark following the assassination of President Kennedy the year before, and America needed to laugh. Which they did with this show about seven boat passengers turned castaways that lasted three seasons, made household names of people like Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr and Tina Louise, and has been handed down from parents to children ever since.
And while viewers may have felt that they’d really gotten to know Gilligan (Denver), the Skipper (Hale), millionaire Thurston Howell III (Jim Backus) and his wife, “Lovey” (Natalie Schafer); movie star Ginger Grant (Louise), the Professor (Russell Johnson) and Mary Ann (Dawn Wells), the same really couldn’t be said about the actors who brought them to life. This is especially true when it comes to their personal lives, in particular who they were married to. As it turns out, which you’ll discover below, those seven actors were married a total of 14 times. So sit right back and you’ll hear a tale….(cue up the theme song)
Bob Denver and Maggie Ryan
Bob Denver (Gilligan) was married four times, the first to actress Maggie Ryan, who he was with from 1960 to 1966. Their marriage spanned from Bob working on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis through the first two seasons of Gilligan’s Island. They had three children: Kim Denver, Patrick Denver and Megan Denver.
His second marriage was to Jane Webber, a union that there isn’t much known about beyond the fact that they were together from 1967 to 1970. Next up was Carole Abrahams, with whom he was wed from 1972 to 1975.
In the photo above, Bob and Maggie attend the Spotlighters Teen Awards dinner in 1966.
Meet Bob and Maggie’s 3 Kids
In 1965, Bob Denver poses in a canoe with three of his children, (L-R) Kim (7), Megan (1 1/2), and Patrick (3). The canoe floats in a lake covered with lily pads and lined with tropical flora.
Bob Denver and Dreama Perry
His longest-lasting marriage was to Dreama Perry, the two of them being wed from 1979 until Bob’s death in 2005. An actress, Dreama was highly-supportive of the actor and even became his manager later in life, working to preserve his legacy. The two had a son together, Colin, who was diagnosed as being severely autistic, which led them, in 1999, to create The Denver Foundation, designed to help people with special needs. Bob Denver died on September 2, 2005, at the age of 70.
Alan Hale Jr. and Bettina Reed Doerr
Alan Hale Jr. (Jonas Grumby, the Skipper) was married twice. His first wife was Bettina Doerr Hale, to whom he was with from 1943 to 1963, the marriage ending the year before the arrival of Gilligan’s Island. They had four children together: Alan Brian, Chris, Lana and Dorian. Word is that they stayed friendly with each other post-divorce for the sake of the kids.
Alan Hale Jr. and his first born, Brian Alan
Alan Hale Jr. and Naomi Grace Ingram
In 1964, Alan married former singer Naomi Grace Ingram. They were together until his death on January 2, 1990 at age 68. Naomi demonstrated unwavering support through the years, not only in terms of Alan’s acting career, but outside ventures as well, among them the seafood restaurant, The Lobster Barrel.
Jim Backus and Betty Kean
Jim Backus (Mr. Howell, “the millionaire”) had two wives. The first was actress and comedian Betty Kean, to whom he was married from 1939 until their divorce in 1942. Following the end of the marriage, she and sister Jane Kean formed the comedy duo The Kean Sisters.
Jim Backus and Henny Kaye
His second wife was Henrietta Kaye, who he referred to as Henny. An actress and writer, the two of them would frequently collaborate on projects, including the humor books Only When I Laugh and What Are You Doing After the Orgy?. They were together until Jim’s death on July 3, 1989, at age 76.
Natalie Schafer and Louis Calhern
Natalie Schafer (Mrs. Howell) was married to character actor Louis Calhern from 1933 until they were divorced in 1942. He was best known for the title role of 1953’s Julius Caesar and Buffalo Bill in Annie Get Your Gun (1950). Later in life, her partner was Maurice Hill (reportedly about 20 years her junior), who would go on to take care of her in her final years. Natalie died on April 10, 1991 at age 90.
Tina Louise and Les Crane
Tina Louise (who played Ginger Grant, “the movie star” clearly modeled on Marilyn Monroe) was married only once, to radio and television broadcaster and interviewer Les Crane. They married in 1966, but had what has been described as a tumultuous relationship. As a result, they separated in 1969 and were divorced in 1971.
In the photo above, Tina Louise and Les Crane attend a party in Los Angeles,CA in 1966.
1972
On November 1, 1970, Tina gave birth to their one child, Caprice Crane. In this photo, Les Crane is in a floral waistcoat, with Tina in a gypsy-style scarf.
Tina Louise with her and Les Crane’s daughter, Caprice, on February 4, 1980.
Russell Johnson and Constance Dane
There were three marriages for Russell Johnson (the Professor, whose previous credits include The Twilight Zone), the first to Edith Calhoon from 1943 until their divorce in 1948. Next was actress and writer Kay Cousins, who he met at the Actor’s Lab theatrical company based in Hollywood. They were together from 1949 until her death in 1980. They had two children, daughter Kim and son David.
Wife number three was Constance “Connie” Dane, whose son Russell became stepfather to. They were wed from 1982 until his death on January 16, 2014, at age 89.
In the photo above, Russell Johnson and wife Constance attend Warner Home Video’s Gilligan’s Island DVD launch.
Dawn Wells and Larry Rosen
Dawn Wells (Mary Ann) was only married once, to Hollywood talent agent Larry Rosen. They were wed in 1962, during the early days of Dawn’s career, and were divorced in 1967, which is the same year that Gilligan’s Island came to an end. They had no children. Dawn Wells passed away on December 30, 2020, at age 82.
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