It’s a fun reminder that even on a “deserted” island, showbiz can sneak into the picture.
The Kennedy assassination
A rather dark bit of trivia given how silly the show was, but filming the original pilot of Gilligan’s Island, titled “Marooned,” coincided with the assassination of John F. Kennedy in November 1963.
The cast and crew got news of the assassination while wrapping up filming in Honolulu Harbor. The tragedy also delayed filming, as U.S. naval and military bases closed for a period of mourning.
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If you look closely at the season 1 intro sequence, you can see US flags in the background at half-mast: they were lowered in honor of the slain president.