Don't Call it Gilligan's Island
Who doesn't love field trips?
I felt like an excited kid when Rob Reynolds and I got to film a high school science class at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) research facilities on Coconut Island in Kaneohe Bay. It took three months to set up the shoot with Malia Rivera , who oversees the high school outreach program. First, we needed to get approval from the University of Hawaii, since HIMB is part of that system. Then we had to get Kamehameha High School's consent, along with signed release forms from parents to film the students for an upcoming Career Changers TV episode. But it was well worth the wait. I'll have more to say about the experience next month when we air that segment. Here's a few quick notes I jotted down that I don't want to forget...
Unexpected Hollywood connections: You probably know Coconut Island was in the opening credits of the 60s sitcom, Gilligan's Island were filmed there too. But I bet you didn't know one of the HIMB staff was in the Waterworld movie. I was chatting with Fritz, the skipper of the boat that transported us to the island, and he said he was part of the trimaran crew in that big budget Kevin Costner bomb, which was filmed off the coast of the Big Island.
It came up because I mentioned I had written a sci-fi screenplay about genetically-engineered super crabs that take over the Big Island, which got some interest from the Waterworld producers a few years ago. Turns out that two of the HIMB researchers we interviewed specialize in genetic studies. However, they did not think my scenario of GM seafood making food of humans was very plausible. I guess they don't watch the Syfy Channel, which regularly shows movies such as Mansquito references come up, mainly because there's so much more to its history and place in Hawaiian culture. (Click here for more on that.)
Malia told us it was Princess Pauahi who had the coconut trees planted in honor of Queen Emma, and there are over 370 of those trees on the 28-acre island. In fact, the coconuts are now a hazard and she had us walk on certain paths to avoid being conked on the head by falling fruit -- or are they actually nuts?
Sea life studied spans the gamut: Everything from invasive algae (they're experimenting with urchins that feed on gorilla ogo) to tiny snapping shrimp, dolphins (sound experiments related to the sonar controversy) and sharks -- not just hammerheads, but sand sharks, reef sharks and tiger sharks that we saw swimming around in enclosed pens.
Gilligans Island Hawaii - Bookshelf
Inside Gilligan's Island
Neither did the furious beat of Hawaiian war chant torn toms. Both seemed wrong for a rollicking comedy show called Gilligan's Island. ...Hawaii for Dummies
... offers something else really special: Blissful escape, Gilligan's Island– style, ... this crown-jewel Hyatt is one of Hawaii's most satisfying resorts. ...Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-bottoms: 1960s and 1970s
The Official Gilligan's Island's Mary Ann Web Site. http://www.dawn-wells.com/ ( accessed March 20, 2002). Hawaii Five-0 From 1968 until 1980, Hawaii Five-0 ...Tropical Bob's Where to Eat in Hawaii
... Hawaii Five-O, and the pilot episode for Gilligan's Island. I remember having my school year disrupted by constant shoots of Hawaii Five-O being done at ...How I escaped from Gilligan's Island, and other misadventures of a Hollywood writer-producer
Gilligan's Island,” he proudly concluded, turning to me for a response. ... He seems to think that he'll force CBS to shoot in Hawaii, as they did the pilot ...Detect Information Directory
Tour Gilligan's Island
Hawaii Vacation Rentals. If you are lucky enough to visit the filming site of Gilligan's Island, please send us a report and tell us how you enjoyed your stay. ...
Gilligan's Island - Wikipedia
History of the comedy series created by Sherwood Schwartz about a group of castaways stranded on an uncharted desert isle.
City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii
City and County of Honolulu official site, featuring information about the city, mayor, city council, agencies, and departments.
Official Gilligan's Island Fan Club ·' ̄`·. ̧ ̧
Is The Gilligan's Island Movie Is Finally In Production? TV Guide ... Welcome to the "Gilligan's Island Fan Club" run by the 7 stranded castaways. ...
Gilligan's Island, Hawaii Imaginary Place Information - ePodunk
Get all the local information you need on Gilligan's Island, Hawaii, HI - community history, demographics, local search and more at ePodunk
