Producer, The

Synopsis
US sitcom about a group of seven castaways. Famous Hollywood producer Harold Hecuba, (Silvers, the guest star) arrives on the island. To impress him the castaways mount a musical version of Hamlet. The play is set to Carmen, with the ‘to be or not to be’ and ‘what a rogue and peasant slave am I’ speeches combined and revised to ‘to flee or not to flee’ and set to Carmen’s ‘Hanabera’ aria. Skipper (Polonius) sings ‘to thine own self be true’ to the ‘Toreador’ aria while Ophelia sings a speech to the Barcarolle from Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffman. After Hecuba leaves the island the castaways hear on the radio that his production of Hamlet has been a hit on Broadway.
Series
Gilligan’s Island
Language
English
Country
United States
Medium
Television
Technical information
Colour / Sound
Transmission details
3 Oct 1966 (Channel: CBS)
Duration
30 mins

Credits

Director
Ida Lupino
Writer
Dee Caruso; Gerald Gardner
Cast
Bob DenverGilligan (Hamlet)
Jim BackusThurston Howell III (Claudius)
Natalie SchaferEunice Wentworth Howell (Gertrude)
Alan Jnr HaleSkipper (Polonius)
Tina LouiseGinger Grant (Ophelia)
Dawn WellsMary Ann Summers (Laertes)
Phil SilversHarold Hecuba

Additional Details

Production type
Sitcoms/Variety
Plays
Hamlet
Keywords
Hollywood; musicals; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes
Episode included in the DVD entitled GILLIGAN’S ISLAND: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON.
History
Episode 72, series 3.
Reviews
For an analysis of the episode see Burt, Richard Unspeakable ShakXXXspeares: Queer theory & American Kiddie Culture. London: Macmillan, 1998. pp181-9.

Production Company

Name

CBS Television

Name

Gladasya

Online Retailer

Name

amazon.com

Web
http://www.amazon.com External site opens in new window

How to cite this record

Shakespeare, "Producer, The". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/shakespeare/search/index.php/title/av36995 (Accessed 26 Nov 2024)