Surprising Stories from the Set of Gilligan’s Island

The S.S. Minnow wasn’t named after a tiny fish at all. Instead, it was a sly nod to Newton Minow, the FCC chairman who famously labeled television “America’s vast wasteland” in 1961. Producer Sherwood Schwartz didn’t appreciate the insult and decided to have a little fun with him.

So he christened the ill-fated tour boat with Minow’s name, turning the shipwreck into a tongue-in-cheek jab at the critic himself. It’s one of those behind-the-scenes details that adds a wink to the show’s already playful spirit—and reveals just how far producers will go to make a point.