Where To Watch
Bob Denver had ''nothing to say'' about his rumored clash with Tina Louise
Denver was not a fan of gaining press from a negative situation. He said, "The best thing you can do is overlook someone's problems."
When rumors start to go around, it's hard for actors to escape them. No matter where they are, the true or false statement is brought up — especially in interviews. Many might say it's the reporter or interviewer's job to attempt to get the truth from the interviewee, but actors like Bob Denver steered away from making matters worse.
He played Gilligan on Gilligan's Island and was the main character of the show, as his character's name is in the title. However, his castmates, like Tina Louise, were stars too, just not the series' focal point. The show ran from 1964 to 1967, which was longer than many expected, and rumors started that Denver and Louise were not fond of each other.
In 1965, during an interview with The San Bernardino County Sun, the interviewer tried to get Denver to talk about the situation but he refused to lean into the negative energy. The article in the newspaper stated, "I asked Bob about the rumbles on Gilligan's Island, especially Bob's problems with Tina Louise. It had been rumored for months that they were waging their own private Vietnam."
Denver replied, "Look, I don't want to talk about it. I have nothing to say. To me, the guys on Gilligan's Island are the greatest bunch of fellows I've ever worked with. We're always pulling gags on one another; we eat together and work together. That's professionalism."
Apparently, Tina Louise talked publicly about her disenchantment with her part and co-stars. Bob Denver didn't like when actors talked badly about their castmates or shows.
"If someone wants to knock me, let 'em. I get angry when I read about [actors] knocking either other actors or their show or just about anything," Denver added.
Although the interviewer sought an "exciting" response for a "good drama story," Denver didn't give in. He understood that sometimes there would be issues on set, but the main goal was not to get the press off of the negativity.
"When you've got a big cast like ours, there's bound to be personality clashes. After all, you can't like every human being you meet, even if you want to. The best thing you can do is overlook someone's problems. I don't believe in using someone's unprofessionalism to get my name in the papers."
Related
