By admin 
Despite the fact that “Gilligan’s Island” is about a group of adults who are marooned on a desert island, it actually hosted quite a few guest stars throughout its three seasons (98 episodes). One such guest star was Don Rickles, who made his appearance on a 1966 episode entitled “The Kidnapper.” Rickles was a famous insult comic — probably the greatest roaster of all time and one of the founders of the format. He was a huge influence on self-proclaimed roastmaster Jeff Ross and is the kind of tentpole figure in comedy that anyone serious about stand-up needs to study, regardless of taste or style.
Rickles could roast or provoke just about anyone, and when he guest-starred on “Gilligan’s Island,” he directed that energy toward Russell Johnson, who played the Professor. Johnson’s dislike of Rickles was most likely informed by his distaste for Rickles’ brand of comedy, but it’s hard to believe that Rickles didn’t see Johnson, a man described by Bob Denver (actor who played Gilligan) as “level-headed” and a “peacemaker,” as a challenge.
The Kidnapper was a classic episode of Gilligan’s Island
A “kidnapper” named Norbert Wiley (Don Rickles) found his way onto the same island as the show’s castaways, stranded thanks to a damaged boat. Norbert only knows how to interact with other people through kidnapping, apparently, and so cycles through multiple islanders — Mrs. Howell, Mary Ann, and Ginger — by kidnapping and them and demanding money for their return, only for each of them to escape his clutches.
The group manages to trap Norbert in a bamboo cage after using Gilligan as bait, and while Ginger attempts to psychoanalyze his “compulsion” to kidnap, the Professor, the Skipper, and the rest of the islanders repair his boat. It seems like they might finally get off the island until Norbert escapes, having lied to Ginger about his psychological state, alone on his now-repaired boat. “Gilligan’s Island” may have been a sitcom, but every single episode felt like its own little tragedy thanks to every plan to escape the island that almost succeeded.
Don Rickles made Russell Johnson lose his temper
