Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Actress Tina Louise

As anyone who remembers "Gilligan's Island" - that is, most of us - know, Ann-Margaret (relax, I'll get to her) wasn't the only gorgeous red-haired actress of the sixties, nor even the only gorgeous red-haired actress of the sixties known by two first names.

Tina Louise was an up and coming stage and film actress in the late fifties and early sixties who had appeared in movies like God's Little Acre and the Broadway musical Fade Out - Fade In. Then in 1964, she found herself playing a famous move actress stranded on an island with six other castaways in "Gilligan's Island." Her character, Ginger Grant, was clearly inspired by Marilyn Monroe, an actress who, like Ginger, bore an alliterative name that shared a surname with that of a U.S. President.

Tian Louise was never happy in the show, having apparently taken on the role at the urging of her agent. When the show ended after three seasons, she went on to appear in several theatrically released and televised movies, and she got good reviews in 1975's The Stepford Wives.

She's currently a volunteer reading teacher in New York City's public school system.

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