S. S. Minnow
Encyclopedia
The S. S. Minnow is a fiction
al charter boat on the hit 1960s television sitcom Gilligan's Island
.
The ship ran aground on the shore of "an uncharted desert isle" (in the south Pacific Ocean
), setting the stage for this popular situation comedy.
is a very small bait fish, but the TV boat was actually named for Newton Minow
, who Gilligan's Island executive producer
Sherwood Schwartz
believed "ruined television". Minow was chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) in 1961, and is noted for a speech in which he called American television "a vast wasteland
".
The inclusion of the ship prefix
S.S. in the name indicates it was powered by steam, even though in one episode the Professor is trying to make spark plugs for the (gasoline) engine out of sea shells, and in another where the castaways make some home-made glue to repair the boat, when the glue dries and fails and all the boards spring off, what appears to be a diesel engine can be seen.
from insurance money for the first in the 1978 made-for-TV movie Rescue From Gilligan's Island
. At the end of that movie, the cast and boat are wrecked on the same island, as shown by Gilligan
's discovery of a plank with "Minnow I" on it. How they knew to call the first vessel "I" before there was a second is not explained.
in the made-for-TV movie The Castaways on Gilligan's Island
, the sequel to Rescue From Gilligan's Island. It does not have the prefix "S. S.", as it is not a steamboat
.
. Having put the boat through a major restoration, the new owner plans to use it for charters and sight seeing tours. It is equipped with an old life preserver with "S.S. Minnow" on it, as well as other show items.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al charter boat on the hit 1960s television sitcom Gilligan's Island
Gilligan's Island
Gilligan's Island is an American television series created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz and originally produced by United Artists Television. The situation comedy series featured Bob Denver; Alan Hale, Jr.; Jim Backus; Natalie Schafer; Tina Louise; Russell Johnson; and Dawn Wells. It aired for...
.
The ship ran aground on the shore of "an uncharted desert isle" (in the south Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
), setting the stage for this popular situation comedy.
Origin of its name
A minnowMinnow
Minnow is a general term used to refer to small freshwater and saltwater fish, especially those used as bait fish or for fishing bait. More specifically, it refers to small freshwater fish of the carp family.-True minnows:...
is a very small bait fish, but the TV boat was actually named for Newton Minow
Newton N. Minow
Newton Norman Minow is an American attorney and former Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. His speech referring to television as a "vast wasteland" is cited even as the speech has passed its 50th anniversary...
, who Gilligan's Island executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
Sherwood Schwartz
Sherwood Schwartz
Sherwood Charles Schwartz was an American television producer. He worked on radio shows in the 1940s, and created the television series Gilligan's Island on CBS and The Brady Bunch on ABC...
believed "ruined television". Minow was chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) in 1961, and is noted for a speech in which he called American television "a vast wasteland
Wasteland Speech
The Wasteland Speech was a speech given by Federal Communications Commission chairman Newton N. Minow to the convention of the National Association of Broadcasters on May 9, 1961. The speech was Minow's first major speech after he was appointed chairman of the FCC by President John F Kennedy...
".
The inclusion of the ship prefix
Ship prefix
A ship prefix is a combination of letters, usually abbreviations, used in front of the name of a civilian or naval ship.Prefixes for civilian vessels may either identify the type of propulsion, such as "SS" for steamship, or purpose, such as "RV" for research vessel. Civilian prefixes are often...
S.S. in the name indicates it was powered by steam, even though in one episode the Professor is trying to make spark plugs for the (gasoline) engine out of sea shells, and in another where the castaways make some home-made glue to repair the boat, when the glue dries and fails and all the boards spring off, what appears to be a diesel engine can be seen.
S. S. Minnow II
The S. S. Minnow II was a successor boat purchased by the SkipperThe Skipper
The Skipper is the title and nickname of Jonas Grumby, a fictional character from the 1960s situation comedy Gilligan's Island. Played by Alan Hale, Jr., the Skipper was the owner and captain of the S. S...
from insurance money for the first in the 1978 made-for-TV movie Rescue From Gilligan's Island
Rescue From Gilligan's Island
Rescue from Gilligan's Island is a two-part television movie that continues the adventures of the shipwrecked castaways from the 1964–1967 TV series Gilligan's Island starring Bob Denver and Alan Hale, Jr. The film first aired on NBC October 14 and October 21, 1978...
. At the end of that movie, the cast and boat are wrecked on the same island, as shown by Gilligan
Gilligan (fictional character)
Gilligan is a fictional character played by Bob Denver on the 1960s TV show Gilligan's Island and its many sequels. It starred Bob Denver as "Gilligan", the bumbling, dimwitted, accident-prone crewman of the S.S. Minnow...
's discovery of a plank with "Minnow I" on it. How they knew to call the first vessel "I" before there was a second is not explained.
Minnow III
The Minnow III is the plane built by the ProfessorThe Professor (Gilligan's Island)
- External links :*...
in the made-for-TV movie The Castaways on Gilligan's Island
The Castaways on Gilligan's Island
The Castaways on Gilligan's Island is a television movie that continues the adventures of the shipwrecked castaways from the 1964-1967 TV series Gilligan's Island and the first reunion movie, Rescue From Gilligan's Island, featuring the original cast from the television series with the exception of...
, the sequel to Rescue From Gilligan's Island. It does not have the prefix "S. S.", as it is not a steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
.
S.S. Minnow today
The S.S. Minnow used in the opening of the second and third season color episodes, previously named the Bluejacket, now resides at Schooner Cove Marina on the east side of Vancouver Island, in Nanoose Bay, British ColumbiaNanoose Bay, British Columbia
Nanoose Bay is a community of about 5 000 people in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is located between Nanaimo and Parksville on the Strait of Georgia on the east coast of Vancouver Island. The town is named after a First Nations band related to the Nanaimo Indians...
. Having put the boat through a major restoration, the new owner plans to use it for charters and sight seeing tours. It is equipped with an old life preserver with "S.S. Minnow" on it, as well as other show items.