The Real Reason Russell Johnson & Dawn Wells Weren't In The Gilligan's Island Opening

TV trivia fanatics will happily point out that the first-season theme song to Sherwood Schwartz's seminal sitcom "Gilligan's Island" is different from the theme heard in later seasons. The song is the same — it's the usual, earworm sea shanty that everyone can sing from memory — but the final listing of the show's dramatis personae is different. In the later seasons, the theme song listed Gilligan (Bob Denver), the Skipper too (Alan Hale), the Millionaire (Jim Backus) and his wife (Natalie Shafer), the movie star (Tina Louise), the professor (Russell Johnson) and Mary Ann (Dawn Wells), there on Gilligan's isle.

In the first season, however, the professor and Mary-Ann were introduced merely as "And the rest." Johnson and Wells didn't have credits and photos like everyone else. This was a little baffling, as all seven characters were of equal value to the series; no one was a supporting player.

This wasn't the case in the minds of some of the actors, however. At the time, Backus would have been the most recognizable star, and his credit came with his character's name attached as "As Thurston Howell III." Louise, having appeared in hit films like "God's Little Acre" and "Day of the Outlaw," had a similar contract stipulation to Backus', and likewise had an "As Ginger" after her credit. None of the other actors had their character names listed.

Louise, it seems, was very protective of her fame and her image as an actor, and demanded that her credit be last in any above-the-line roll-call of cast members. Because of the way the theme song was written, however, Louise's demands forced Schwartz to cut Wells and Johnson from the lineup.

This story is related in a 2010 article from TVSeriesFinale.com.

It's worth noting that Bob Denver was the undisputed star of the series, seeing as the series was named after his character. He was truly indispensable, and Denver's talents for physical comedy carried the series into the pop consciousness in perpetuity. Standing next to him, however, were six actors of equal stature, all contributing to the show equally. "Gilligan's Island" was a true ensemble piece, and the fates of all the characters overlapped. Louise may have been wanted to be listed last in the credits, but her demands forced two of her equals to be erased. Luckily, Denver was wise enough to confront the studios about how Wells and Johnson were going uncredited, and pulled a little muscle on their behalf.

According to a 1995 Today Show interview, Denver noted that he had a clause in his own contract, allowing him to be listed wherever he wanted in the credits. Denver said he wanted his name moved into the last spot on the roll-call, merely to exert his own contractual power. The network felt that wasn't acceptable, and they went to Louise to re-word her contract to have characters listed after her. 

The theme song was re-written for the show's second season to include "the Professor and Mary Ann," and Johnson and Wells finally appeared on-screen. 

A fun afterthought: 1996's "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie" — a film wherein a trio of wiseacres watched and commented on the Universal classic "This Island Earth" in real time — made reference to the swap. Johnson appears in "Earth" as a reporter. When he first appears on-screen, one of the wiseacres yelled out, in Johnson's voice, "What's this 'and the rest' crap?" 

The real ones know.