While many didn't like Eva Grubb, Tina Louise thought the character was interesting

Why have one Ginger when you can have two: the real one and a look-alike?

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Ginger and the group were so close to finally leaving the island, but a special guest had other plans. Tina Louise perfected the role of Ginger on Gilligan's Island. Yet, the actress got to play a different character, Eva Grubb, in the episode "All About Eva."

In an interview with The Atlanta Constitution in 1966, Louise revealed that she looked so different as Eva that the actors' union required the show to give her special credit. "Viewers won't even suspect that I'm playing both characters unless, of course, they pay close attention to the credits," she began. "[I] look so completely different as Eva Grubb that the actors' union required [that I] be given a special credit stating that I play both parts."

How exactly did Louise pull this new character off? It was simple. "They simply left off the mouth, the eyes, the hair-do, and they photographed me from my bad side," she said.

Ginger had her moments on the show, but she never hit someone on the head with a coconut, tied them up and tried to steal their identity. Eva Grubb did, however, and she wasn't ashamed of it. Grubb was the first dramatic role on Gilligan's Island, which leaned more toward comedy. Louise felt that the character was interesting.

"They finally gave me something interesting to do," the actress said. "I play an unhappy, very plain school teacher who is very neurotic. She comes to the island to escape from reality, and she is very depressed to find Gilligan and his gang there. All she wants to do is sit in the shade of a coconut tree and dream dreamy thoughts. Meanwhile, Gilligan (Bob Denver) and crew plot to ride her [little] old boat to freedom."

Some viewers didn't like the role, and was happy she only appeared in one episode.

The interviewer, Paul Jones, wrote in the article that he'd known Louise for years and couldn't wrap his head around why an actress of her status would be on a show like Gilligan's Island. He asked "how she got trapped" in the show, and she told him that she didn't like the part of Ginger particularly but enjoyed the steady employment.

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21 Comments

bagandwallyfan52 23 months ago
BAG AND WALLY FAN 52 IS BACK!!!!!
Long may BAG ZOMBROSKI (NEIL H SCHWARTZ ) EPISODES
OF HAPPY DAYS AND WALLY
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EPISODES BE SEEN ON TV
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Wally PLUMSTEAD SKIP YOUNG was on The Adventures of Ozzie
And Harriet
kb7rky bagandwallyfan52 23 months ago
Dude...switch to decaf.
LoveMETV22 23 months ago
Although spelt Grubb with two b's, not exactly a flattering last name. Kind of like if they had named the character Mary Slobb, or something similar.
JeffPaul76 23 months ago
Hello. I finally got around to reading this article after 4 days being on the site. It's very interesting to find out Tina Louise didn't like playing Ginger Grant, but she liked playing Eva Grubb. I knew it was her the first time I saw the episode in question. Good day.
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23 months ago
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23 months ago
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bagandwallyfan52 23 months ago
Wonderful Theme Song : The
Ballad of Gilligan's Island 🏝️🏝️,!!
vinman63 23 months ago
Bob Denver's son played the part of Gilligan in an episode where the skipper was a giant.
CaptainDunsel 23 months ago
I enjoyed the episode, but I certainly never needed any "special credit" to know it was one actress playing both parts, even when I was a kid.
Runeshaper 23 months ago
Cool beans.
CaptainDunsel Runeshaper 23 months ago
Thermally reduced legumes.
JHP Runeshaper 23 months ago
I like bacon snips and diced onion ...and some ghost pepper sauce too:)
Runeshaper JHP 23 months ago
Sounds delish!
CoreyC 23 months ago
Tina was the best of playing dual roles. Bob Denver and Jim Backus was doing copies of Gilligan and Thurston Howell.
JHP 23 months ago
Tina Louise showed her real acting talent in doing that character - CASE closed
Andybandit 23 months ago
I don't remember the episode when Tina played Eva in an episode of GI. I am sure Tina played it good.
Pacificsun 23 months ago
I liked the story too! Different, and had never read this about Ginger and Eva.

As we have read already, Tina Louise was hungry for serious roles. Certainly an extensive resume, as I remember her in Mannix alright. I thought WWW too, but don't see the credit there, so maybe not. The Gilligan's Iland "Ginger" role did stereotype her. But she has such a definite personality, that was part of it.
Pacificsun Pacificsun 23 months ago
s/b Island
justjeff Pacificsun 23 months ago
She may have wanted serious roles, but she sure did a ton of sultry cheesecake images. I chose not to post some of those pictures because they might have violated MeTV's "family oriented' policy, but here's two of the "tamer" ones from her record album covers...
MsRockford74 23 months ago
I like the Eva episode and thought it was cool that Tina played both parts. When I was younger, I didn't know it was Tina playing Eva, too, until my parents told me lol.
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