- Gilligan's Island aired from 1964 to 1967
- Actor Kurt Russell was actually in an episode
- He guest starred as "Jungle Boy"
Gilligan's Island had some memorable guest stars over the years. Many names from Old Hollywood were on the show, but there was one child actor who made it big long after Gilligan's Island ended. That star was none other than Kurt Russell.
Gilligan's Island: Kurt Russell was "Jungle Boy"
It's true: a young Kurt Russell played a character called "Jungle Boy" on Gilligan's Island. The star was born in 1951 and became a child actor on TV in the '60s.
At age 13, Kurt Russell guest starred in the Gilligan's Island season 1 episode "Gilligan Meets Jungle Boy." He'd already been acting for a few years at that point, and was even the title star of a show called The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters.
In the episode, "Gilligan" (Bob Denver) discovers "Jungle Boy," and a memorable bit includes the group saying his name repeatedly, to the annoyance of "The Skipper" (Alan Hale Jr.).
Also interesting:
We will always love this series!
Making us laugh for decades!
Test your knowledge!
What is the name of the pirate whose treasure "The Goonies" were trying to find?
Kurt Russell on his Gilligan's Island episode today
A few years ago, on Today, Kurt Russell was asked to reflect on his Gilligan's Island episode from 1965. He responded with a joke about his character's skimpy costume.
"When you're 13 years old and you got to do Gilligan's Island in a loincloth, you got to go back to your public school afterwards. I'll tell you what, you learn how to handle yourself pretty quickly," Russell said.
Shortly after Gilligan's Island, Kurt Russell became a Disney star, and in the 1980s he emerged as a popular leading man.
Gilligan's Island ended over 50 years ago, and just one of the main cast members is still living today.
