123. Whitman Book: GILLIGAN'S ISLAND

Collectible Whitman Books were published by Western Publishing, founded in 1910, and which became well-known for the Little Golden Books of our childhood--those thin, hardbound books with golden spines that carried titled from Sesame Street stories to children's classics. The company also came up with a book series for older children and teens from the 1940s-1980s. The series from the 1950s-1970s included titles licensed from popular movies and TV shows, and this "Gilligan's Island" authorized edition is one of them. Gilligan's Island followed the comic adventures of 7 castaways as they attempted to survive and ultimately escape from the island where they were shipwrecked. It aired from 1964-67 on CBS and was seen on Philippine TV (Ch. 7) as well as the Far East TV (Clark Field, included). The "Ballad of Gilligan's Isle", the TV theme song, even became a minor hit. I used to have a coloring book as well, but only this Whitman book survived to tell the "tale of a fateful trip that started from this tropic port, aboard this tiny ship. The ship set ground on the shore of this uncharted desert isle. With Gilligan, The Skipper too, the millionaire and his wife, the movie star, the professor and Mary Ann...Here on Gilligans Isle!".