Tina Louise has been the sole surviving cast-member of Gilligan’s Island ever since the 2020 death of Dawn Wells. Over the past few years, the 91 year-old Louise has rarely been seen in public. That’s why it was so exciting when Louise reemerged this week, and she’s looking better than ever!
Rare Sighting Of Tina Louise
Louise, who is best known for playing “The Movie Star” Ginger Grant on Gilligan’s Island from 1964 to 1967, was just spotted out and about in New York City. Though Louise is now in her 90s, you would never know it by looking at her. Indeed, the woman who masterfully portrayed the beautiful Ginger is showing the world that age really is just a number!
Louise was seen in photos walking in New York City while wearing jeans, a black jacket and oversized black sunglasses. She was also carrying an umbrella. On top of that, Louise is still rocking her signature red hair!
Check out a photo from this sighting of Louise below.
Related: Bob Denver And Tina Louise Reportedly Ignored Each Other While Filming ‘Gilligan’s Island’
Louise’s Complicated Relationship With Gilligan’s Island
While Louise is best known for her portrayal of Ginger, she has always had a complicated relationship with Gilligan’s Island. Prior to her time on the hilarious Gilligan’s Island, Louise was intent on being a serious dramatic actress. In 1959, she won the Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer for her work in God’s Little Acre.
By 1964, when Louise was cast in Gilligan’s Island, she was appearing on Broadway alongside Carol Burnett in the musical Fade Out – Fade In.
“The CBS casting director Ethel Winant called me at the theater, ‘Do you think you could play this Lucille Ball/Marilyn Monroe-type of character?’ I said yes,” Louise told Forbes in a March interview. “I got there and the director wanted it to be a more sarcastic kind of character. And so, then I didn’t even want to work on it anymore. I told him I wanted to quit.”
Louise immediately met with the head of CBS and gave him a piece of her mind.
“I didn’t want to play it and I didn’t think the show would be successful, changing the original idea of the character,” she explained. “You just can’t go into people’s homes and dress somebody up like a doll and then have her to be not nice.”
Things changed for the better for Louise when Richard Donner was brought in to direct Gilligan’s Island.
“The writers started writing for what I was supposed to be doing and the show became a hit, and I enjoyed the part,” Louise added.
Louise Moves On From Gilligan’s Island
Unlike the other cast-members on Gilligan’s Island, however, Louise never returned for any of the show’s many spin-offs and sequels. Instead, she focused on taking on other film and television roles. Louise has accumulated an impressive 86 film and television credits, according to her IMDB page.
In film, Louise notably starred in the 1975 feminist horror classic The Stepford Wives. Meanwhile, her television credits include episodes of iconic shows like Ironside, Kojak, Dallas and The Love Boat. Louise’s most recent acting appearance came in the 2019 faith-based movie Tapestry.
Full Story: Ginger of ‘Gilligan’s Island’ Fame To Star In New Faith-Based Film ‘Tapestry’
Back in March, Louise gave an interview to The New York Times in which she refused to mention Gilligan’s Island by name. Instead, she made it clear that she wants to be remembered for her body of work, rather than for one television show.
“I’m very grateful for all the things that have happened to me and the opportunities that I’ve had,” Louise said. “I’d like to be known for other things.”
Check out a televised interview that Louise gave last year in the video below.
Whether Louise wants to acknowledge it or not, Gilligan’s Island will go down in history as one of the most beloved and hilarious shows of all time. In the end, as the last surviving cast member of that series, we’re just happy that Louise appears to be both happy and healthy.
God bless you, Tina Louise!
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