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Don Rickles was the complete opposite of his Gilligan's Island character
Norbett Wiley was a smooth-talking kidnapper, but Don Rickles let people take advantage of his niceness.
When a kidnapper goes around the island holding each woman hostage for ransom money, the group has to find a way to capture him.
The Skipper, Gilligan and the Professor made a trap, catching Gilligan instead of the kidnapper. The good thing is that as the kidnapper, Norbett Wiley, tried to take the Skipper, he got caught.
Wiley wasn't like any average criminal; he was a smooth talker who convinced the castaways that he was a good guy. The professor was against letting him go, but the others were confident that Wiley needed help changing his illegal ways. This made the group debate about keeping him as a prisoner.
Once they finally got the professor to give Wiley a chance, the group soon discovered it was a mistake. The castaways threw him a welcome back to society party to celebrate the criminal "turning over a new leaf." While at the party, he stole their wallets, jewelry and more. He even stole Ginger's earrings as they were dancing!
Don Rickles guest starred on the Gilligan's Island episode, "The Kidnapper," where he was the smoother talker. In real life, the actor was different from Norbett Wiley. Of course, he wasn't a criminal, but he wasn't a smooth talker either.
Rickles was the opposite and believed he was "too soft." In an interview with The Shreveport Journal in 1978, the actor said he was "too easy" to get along with, and that enabled people to take advantage of him.
"I'm too much of a softie. Always trying to go along. I'll say, 'Whatever you guys think...' and I really don't like the idea," he said.
Some might read that quote and say, "Well, he doesn't necessarily always have to be a part of ideas that he doesn't like." Yet, Rickles built a career out of making fun of people and himself, so it worked.
He was also great at what he did and made audiences laugh worldwide, which brought him happiness. Rickles was known for getting respect on stage, and even hecklers respected him!
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