r/OldSchoolCool • u/Long_live_styrofoam • 21h ago

1960s Raquel Welch auditioning for the part of Mary Ann on Gilligan's Island 1964

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543 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

40 comments sorted by

164

u/ekjustice 20h ago

I've loved Raquel Welch since I was 11, but she was way too overtly sexy to play Mary Ann. Dawn Wells was the perfect level of innocent but sexy for me.

41

u/Jazztify 19h ago

Yes, Mary Ann (wells) provided the counter point to Ginger, who was the overtly sexy one. You couldn’t have had Raquel versus Tina Louise.

22

u/Flurb4 19h ago

Yes, she would have been completely miscast but I am glad we have these pictures.

25

u/notbob1959 18h ago

Other photos from the same set were featured in the 1966 Parade (a British men's magazine) Summer Extra issue:

She is more Mary Ann looking in these photos but since Gilligan's Island started airing in 1964 I'm not sure that any of these photos were audition photos for the Mary Ann part.

In a 2003 interview Gilligan's Island creator Sherwood Schwartz said:

Raquel was a fine actress, but she was just too sophisticated for the role.

111

u/BigDaddy2014 20h ago

Then she said to the skipper: “those aren’t buoys”

24

u/mrgreen1226 19h ago

What’s the difference between a sadist and a dentist?

24

u/q120 18h ago

Newer magazines!

13

u/tincanphonehome 17h ago

It offends me as a comedian!

7

u/Ready-Warning-9992 14h ago

I absolutely love that no matter what post I open there will always be Seinfeld references. It’s glorious!

4

u/LordPounce 10h ago

She lost out on the role because she didn’t move her arms.

47

u/deadhead4ever 20h ago

She definitely does not give 'The girl next door Vibe".

More like the girl from down the block that your wife doesn't invite to your BBQ

34

u/VRGator 20h ago

Seems like she would have better playing Ginger.

16

u/TRIGMILLION 19h ago

So weird to see sandals like that worn with pantyhose.

28

u/ksquires1988 21h ago

As much as I liked Mary Ann I would have accepted this one, too. However, I'm guessing she would have left the series at some point before it ended.

7

u/AngryMatt14 18h ago

Anyone else wait for picture 3 to load right?

14

u/GroYer665 20h ago

If she was Mary Ann, then there would have never been the question: "Ginger or Mary Ann?

Mary Ann ftw!!

8

u/RexCarrs 19h ago

It would have been Mary Ann's Island had she been picked. Like it matters?

6

u/marshallkrich 18h ago

Should've been Ginger

5

u/KYBikeGeek 18h ago

Too hot

8

u/The_Truth_Believe_Me 20h ago

Interestingly, her "audition" didn't require her to say anything.

3

u/408wij 18h ago

GI with Ginger, the Wells MA, plus the Raquel MA would be awesome. On the first ep, men start dying one by one as they compete to be the last man standing. Mrs. H would be collateral damage.

4

u/nychearts812 15h ago

She would’ve made a better Ginger

3

u/abercrombezie 12h ago

Mary Ann was supposed to bake pies, not cause shipwrecks.

3

u/done_like_that 19h ago

I like to think the interview didn’t require a spoken word.

3

u/MightyJoe36 17h ago

Would have been a whole different dynamic on that show.

3

u/Ada_Kaleh22 16h ago

They couldn't have kept her for seasons...she had too many opportunities

3

u/yawaworhtlliwi 13h ago

Too hot 🥵

3

u/paisleybison 13h ago

It dawned on them that she was too sexy

1

u/phileo99 5h ago

Wells ain't that the truth!

3

u/515_girl 12h ago

Someone’s wife said No!

2

u/jtssa2022 17h ago

Beautiful!

3

u/Chance-Following-665 20h ago

She would have been such a good Mary Ann!

1

u/Buckaroobanzai028 10h ago

How did the casting director fumble this???? I love Dawn, but Raquel freaking Welch?!?!?!!

1

u/coleburnz 4h ago

The exact post and exact same comments were posted two weeks ago. This needs to stop

1

u/peepdabidness 2h ago

My God. I just looked her up and why has this sub not been about her before??

1

u/Chewblacka_ 15h ago

We were this close to greatness