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Tina Louise

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Tina Louise
Louise in 1964
Born
Tina Blacker

(1934-02-11) February 11, 1934 (age 90)
New York City, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active1952–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1966; div. 1971)​
ChildrenCaprice Crane

Tina Louise (nee Blacker; born February 11, 1934) is an American actress widely known for her role as movie star Ginger Grant in the television situation comedy Gilligan's Island. Louise is the last surviving cast member.

She began her career on stage in the mid-1950s before landing her breakthrough role in 1958 drama film God's Little Acre for which she received the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year.

Louise had starring roles in The Trap, The Hangman, Day of the Outlaw, and For Those Who Think Young. Her other films include The Wrecking Crew, The Happy Ending, The Stepford Wives, and Johnny Suede. She also had a recurring role on the primetime soap opera Dallas.

Early life

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Louise was born Tina Blacker on February 11, 1934, in New York City.[1] An only child, she was raised by her mother, Sylvia (née Horn, later Myers), a fashion model. Her father, Joseph Blacker, was a candy store owner in Brooklyn, and later an accountant.[2] Her parents divorced by the time she was four. Louise attended PS 6, Scarborough Day School and Miami University.[3] She is Jewish.[4]

The name "Louise" was added during her senior year in high school when she mentioned to her drama teacher that she was the only girl in the class without a middle name, and he suggested it.[5]

Career

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Early work

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Louise got her first role at age two after being in an ad for her father's candy store. She began studying acting, singing, and dancing at age 17 under Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in Manhattan. Her acting debut came in 1952 in the Bette Davis musical revue Two's Company,[6] followed by roles in such other Broadway productions as John Murray Anderson's Almanac, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, and the hit musical Li'l Abner.[7] She appeared in the live television dramas Studio One and Producers' Showcase.

She was offered modeling jobs, including the 1958 Frederick's of Hollywood catalog, and she appeared on the cover of several pinup magazines such as Adam, Sir!, and Modern Man. Her pictorials for Playboy in May 1958 and April 1959 were arranged by Columbia Pictures studio in an effort to promote her.

Louise with Gene Barry from the television series Burke's Law (1964)

Hollywood and Gilligan's Island

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Louise made her film debut in 1958 in God's Little Acre. That same year, the National Art Council named her the "World's Most Beautiful Redhead."[8] The next year, she starred in Day of the Outlaw with Robert Ryan. She became a leading lady for stars such as Robert Taylor and Richard Widmark, often playing sombre roles. She turned down roles in the films of Li'l Abner and Operation Petticoat,[9] taking roles on Broadway and in Italian cinema. Among her Italian film credits were The Siege of Syracuse and Garibaldi (both in 1960).

Louise as Ginger Grant in 1966

Louise returned to the United States, began studying with Lee Strasberg, and became a member of the Actors Studio.[10][11] In 1962, she guest-starred on the situation comedy The Real McCoys, portraying a country girl from West Virginia in the episode "Grandpa Pygmalion". She appeared with Bob Denver two years later in the beach party film For Those Who Think Young (1964). In 1964, she left the Broadway musical Fade Out – Fade In to portray movie star Ginger Grant on the situation comedy Gilligan's Island. Over time, she became unhappy with the role and was worried that it would typecast her. Although she continued to work in film and made guest appearances on television, she claimed repeatedly that playing Ginger had ruined her movie career. She did not appear in any of the subsequent Gilligan's Island sequel movies: Rescue from Gilligan's Island (1978), The Castaways on Gilligan's Island (1979), or The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island (1981). Other actresses played the role of Ginger in the sequels. She maintained a steady acting career after the series ended, going on to appear in the Matt Helm spy spoof The Wrecking Crew (1969) with Dean Martin and in The Stepford Wives (1975). As of December 2020, she is the last surviving cast member of Gilligan’s Island.

Louise attempted to shed her comedic image by playing darker roles, such as a heroin addict in a 1974 episode of Kojak and as a cruel corrections officer in the 1976 television movie Nightmare in Badham County. Other credits from this era include the made-for-TV films Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby (1976) and SST: Death Flight (1977), and the soap opera Dallas during the 1978–1979 seasons. In the fall of 1984, she succeeded Jo Ann Pflug as Taylor Chapin on the syndicated soap opera Rituals.

Later work

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Louise in The Happy Ending (1969)

Later film roles included a co-starring appearance in the Robert Altman comedy O.C. and Stiggs (1987) as well as the independently made satire Johnny Suede (1992) starring Brad Pitt. She appeared in the situation comedy Married... with Children as Miss Beck in episode "Kelly Bounces Back" (1990). In 2014, Louise starred in the spiritual drama Tapestry and the horror film Late Phases.[12][13]

Although Louise declined to participate in any of three Gilligan's Island reunion television films, she made brief walk-on appearances on a few talk shows and specials for Gilligan's Island reunions, including Good Morning America (1982), The Late Show (1988) and the 2004 TV Land award show with the other surviving cast members. In the 1990s, she was reunited with costars Bob Denver, Dawn Wells, and Russell Johnson in an episode of Roseanne.[6] She did not reunite with them for the television film Surviving Gilligan's Island (2001), co-produced by Wells; Ginger was portrayed by Kristen Dalton in the television film.[14] Her relations with series star Denver were rumored to be strained, but in 2005, she wrote a brief, affectionate memorial to him in the year-end "farewell" issue of Entertainment Weekly after his death.[15]

Following the news of Dawn Wells' passing in December 2020, Louise denied any longtime rumors that she resented the role of Ginger Grant: "Never true – I loved doing my part, especially after they really started writing for my character, originally billed as a 'Marilyn Monroe' type of character. A different director took over and really started to write for my character. I really loved my character." She also said that she was very grateful to the show's fans for their continued support, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic: "We were part of the wonderful show that everyone loves and has been a great source of comfort, especially during these times. We brought a lot of joy to people and still do. This show is an escape from so many things going on. Fathers share it with their children now. I get letters all the time about that."[16]

Music

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Louise made one record album, It's Time for Tina, which was released originally on Concert Hall in 1957 (Concert Hall 1521), and later reissued on Urania Records (1958 and 1959 respectively).[17] With arrangements by Jim Timmens and Buddy Weed's Orchestra, 12 tracks include "Tonight Is the Night" and "I'm in the Mood for Love." Coleman Hawkins is featured on tenor sax. The album has been reissued on CD twice, most recently on the UK label Harkit Records.[18] The album was released on iTunes in 2012. She also recorded for United Artists Records[19] but recorded just one single for that label in 1958.[20]

Personal life

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A Democrat, Tina Louise campaigned for John F. Kennedy during the 1960 presidential race.[21]

From 1966 to 1971, Louise was married to radio and TV announcer/interviewer Les Crane, with whom she had one daughter, Caprice (born 1970),[22][23] who became an MTV producer and a novelist. Caprice Crane's first novel, Stupid and Contagious, was published in 2006,[24] and was dedicated to her mother.[25]

From 1965 to 1968, Les Crane had simultaneous careers as an actor and an interviewer who covered a wide variety of controversial topics. In 1969, when he concentrated on acting, he and his wife Tina appeared together as a fictitious married couple in a segment of Love, American Style titled "Love and the Advice-Givers."[26]

Louise is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and a lifetime member of the Actors Studio.[27] Louise has been a vocal advocate for improving child literacy. She donated a portion of the proceeds of her 2007 book, When I Grow Up, to literacy programs and said in a 2013 interview that she had been volunteering at local public schools since 1996.[27][28] She has written three books including Sunday: A Memoir (1997) and When I Grow Up (2007).[6] When I Grow Up is a children's book that inspires children to believe they can become whatever they choose through creative and humorous comparisons of animal kingdom achievements. She also published a second children's book titled What Does a Bee Do? in 2009.[29]

Louise is quoted as saying, "The best movie you'll ever be in is your own life because that's what matters in the end."[30]

Louise campaigned for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race.[31]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Film Role Notes
1958 God's Little Acre Griselda Walden Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress
Laurel Award for Best Female Supporting Performance (5th place)
1959 The Trap Linda Anderson
1959 The Hangman Selah Jennison
1959 Day of the Outlaw Helen Crane
1960 L'assedio di Siracusa Diana / Artemide / Lucrezia
1960 The Warrior Empress Sappho
1961 Garibaldi French Journalist
1961 Armored Command Alexandra Bastegar
1964 For Those Who Think Young Topaz McQueen
1967 The Seventh Floor Dr. Immer Mehr
1968 The Wrecking Crew Lola Medina
1969 How to Commit Marriage Laverne Baker
1969 The Good Guys and the Bad Guys Carmel
1969 The Happy Ending Helen Bricker
1970 But I Don't Want to Get Married! Miss Spencer Television film
1973 Call to Danger April Tierney Television film
1975 The Stepford Wives Charmaine Wimpiris
1975 Death Scream Hilda Murray
1976 Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby Marjean Dorn Television film
1976 Nightmare in Badham County Greer Television film
1977 SST: Death Flight Mae Television film
1977 The Kentucky Fried Movie Voice Uncredited
1978 Mean Dog Blues Donna Lacey
1979 Friendships, Secrets and Lies Joan Holmes Television film
1980 The Day the Women Got Even Mary Jo Alfieri Television film
1981 Advice to the Lovelorn Diane Marsh Television film
1981 Peter-No-Tail Molly Creamnose Voice, English version
1984 Dog Day Noémie Blue
1984 Hell Riders Claire Delaney
1985 Evils of the Night Cora
1985 O.C. and Stiggs Florence Beaugereaux
1987 The Pool Miloha
1988 Dixie Lanes Violet Hunter
1991 Johnny Suede Mrs. Fontaine
1997 Welcome to Woop Woop Bella
2000 Growing Down in Brooklyn Mrs. Pip
2004 West from North Goes South Celeste Clark
2014 Late Phases Clarissa
2019 Tapestry Rose

Television

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Year Show Role Notes
1956 Studio One Dolores Episode: "Johnny August"
1956 Producers' Showcase Maude Episode: "Happy Birthday"
1957 The Phil Silvers Show Gina Episode: "Bilko Goes South"
1957 Climax! Maxene Sumner Episode: "A Matter of Life and Death"
1961 Tales of Wells Fargo Helene Montclair Episode: "New Orleans Trackdown"
1961 The New Breed Stella Knowland Episode: "I Remember Murder"
1962 Checkmate Checkmate Episode: "A Funny Thing Happened on My Way to the Game"
1962 The Real McCoys Tilda Hicks Episode: "Grampa Pygmalion"
1963 Burke's Law Bonnie Belle Tate Episode: "Who Killed Billy Jo?"
1963 Route 66 Robin Episode: "I'm Here to Kill a King"
1964 Kraft Suspense Theatre Angie Powell Episode: "The Deep End"
1964 Mr. Broadway The Girl Episode: "Smelling Like a Rose"
1966 The Red Skelton Show Daisy June Episode: "Be It Ever So Homely, There's No Face Like Clem"
1964–1967 Gilligan's Island Ginger Grant Series regular, 98 episodes
1967 Bonanza Mary Burns Episode: "Desperate Passage"
1968 It Takes a Thief Anna Martine Episode: "Totally by Design"
1970 Ironside Candy Episode: "Beware the Wiles of the Stranger"
1973 Mannix Linda Cole Episode: "The Faces of Murder"
1969–1973 Love, American Style Mrs. Rossi / Wilma / Lola/ Audrey 4 episodes
1974 Kojak Audrey Norris Episode: "Die Before They Wake"
1973, 1974 Police Story April / Anita 2 episodes
1974 Movin' On Helen Trueblood Episode: "The Cowhands"
1974 Kung Fu Carol Mercer Episode: "A Dream Within a Dream"
1975 Cannon Nell Dexter Episode: "The Wedding March"
1976 Marcus Welby, M.D. Susan Dager Episode: "All Passions Spent"
1978–1979 Dallas Julie Grey Special guest star, 5 episodes
1979 The Love Boat Betty Bricker Episode: "My Sister, Irene/The 'Now' Marriage/Second Time Around"
1980 Fantasy Island Lisa Corday Episode: "Unholy Wedlock/Elizabeth"
1980 CHiPs Edie Marshall 2 episodes
1982 Matt Houston Jessica Collier Episode: "The Kidnapping"
1983 Knight Rider Anne Tyler Episode: "The Topaz Connection"
1984–1985 Rituals Taylor Chapin Field von Platen Series regular
1986 Blacke's Magic Lainie Warde Episode: "Death Goes to the Movies"
1986 Santa Barbara Cassie Dunn Special guest star
1986 Simon & Simon Robin Price Episode: "Act Five"
1990 Married... with Children Miss Beck Episode: "Kelly Bounces Back"
1994 All My Children Tish Pridmore Special guest star
1995 Roseanne Roseanne (cameo) Episode: "Sherwood Schwartz: A Loving Tribute"
1999 L.A. Heat Patricia Ludwigson Episode: "In Harm's Way"

Stage work

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References

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  1. ^ Film Fatales Women in Espionage Films and Television, 1962-1973. McFarland. 2002. pp. 191–193. ISBN 9780786411948.
  2. ^ "Tina Louise Is Back in New York, and Likes to Walk in Central Park", The Miami News, January 5, 1958.
  3. ^ Morehouse, Ward (December 29, 1957). "Hear of Tina? You Will, Now She's in Movies". Arizona Republic. p. 37. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  4. ^ Markowitz, Endel (1979). Encyclopedia Yiddishanica. Markowitz. p. 86. ISBN 978-0933910027.
  5. ^ Balsamini, Dean (October 9, 2021). "Last ‘Gilligan’s’ castaway, actress Tina Louise, reveals sexiest costar". New York Post.
  6. ^ a b c "Tina Louise Biography". Tvguide.com. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
  7. ^ Grant, Ila S. (November 24, 1958). "World's most beautiful redhead here for film". Bend Bulletin. (Oregon). p. 8.
  8. ^ Grant, Ila S. (November 24, 1958). "World's Most Beautiful Red Head Here For Film". The Bulletin. p. 8.
  9. ^ Tina Louise Interview. Gilligansisle.com (February 11, 1934). Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  10. ^ Associated Press. "21 More Join Actors Studio". The St. Petersburg Evening Independent. March 18, 1964.
  11. ^ Garfield, David (1980). "Appendix: Life Members of The Actors Studio as of January 1980". A Player's Place: The Story of The Actors Studio. New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc. p. 279. ISBN 0-02-542650-8.
  12. ^ Stephen Baldwin, Burt Young and Tina Louise to Star in Ken Kushner's Tapestry broadwayworld.com Retrieved January 17, 2014
  13. ^ "Adrian Garcia Bogliano's 'Late Phases': Check out the first image from the upcoming horror film" Ententainment Weekly, Retrieved January 17, 2014
  14. ^ An Ask Morty Page. Mortystv.com. Retrieved on July 3, 2012.
  15. ^ Tina Louise (September 6, 2005). "Tina Louise Remembers Bob Denver". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 25, 2009. Retrieved October 14, 2009.
  16. ^ Doree Lewak (December 30, 2020). "Tina Louise, last surviving 'Gilligan's Island' star, reveals truth about Dawn Wells". The New York Post. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  17. ^ Gingerly – Tina Louise Archived March 23, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Zimbio (March 22, 2008). Retrieved on July 3, 2012.
  18. ^ Welcome to Harkit Records – Specialist in Jazz and film CD Titles Archived August 5, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. Harkitrecords.com. Retrieved on July 3, 2012.
  19. ^ OCIE SMITH – "LIGHTHOUSE". YouTube. December 28, 2013. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  20. ^ "45 Discography for United Artists Records 101-999 series". www.globaldogproductions.info.
  21. ^ "Tina Louise profile". Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  22. ^ "Tina Louise: Waiting for Baby". Corpus Christi Caller Times. Corpus Christi, Texas. October 18, 1970. p. 75.
  23. ^ "Tina Louise a Mother". Indiana Evening Gazette. Indiana, Pennsylvania. November 3, 1970. p. 6.
  24. ^ Crane, Caprice. Contemporary Authors Online. Gale.
  25. ^ Stupid and Contagious. LibraryThing. Retrieved September 11, 2024. For my beautiful mother, Tina Louise...
  26. ^ Metacritic documentation of the joint acting appearance of Les Crane and his wife Tina Louise
  27. ^ a b Fussman, Cal (December 17, 2013). "Tina Louise: What I've learned". Esquire.
  28. ^ Buchanan, Carol (January 22, 2008). "Tina Louise gives books to children". St. Croix Source.[permanent dead link‍]
  29. ^ What Does A Bee Do? (9781439261446): Tina Louise: Books. Amazon.com; retrieved July 3, 2012.
  30. ^ "Tina Louise profile". TV dot com. Retrieved April 26, 2012.[permanent dead link‍]
  31. ^ Newsday report of celebrity donors to Hillary Clinton's campaign August 21, 2016

Works cited

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  • Boulware, Jack (2000). San Francisco Bizarro: A Guide to Notorious Sights, Lusty Pursuits, and Downright Freakiness in the City by the Bay. 175 Fifth Avenue, New York N.Y. 10010: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-20671-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
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