Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale of a fateful trip, the law, Gilligan and the Skipper, too. It's time for Legal Tales from Gilligan's Island.
Sounds like a lawyer's dream sitcom.
While it's rare to include "legal issues" in the same sentence with Gilligan's Island, Robert Jarvis says the situation comedy regularly made the law a central part of its plot.
Jarvis, professor of law at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, documents the extent to which the show dealt with legal issues in recent article, "Legal Tales From Gilligan's Island," which appears in the 1998 issue (Volume 39 Number 1) of the Santa Clara University Law Review.
"Although the show has been the subject of numerous studies, its legal facets are almost never mentioned," says Jarvis. "As a result, even the show's most ardent fans are rarely aware of just how law appeared in the series."
The article recounts the history of the show and the numerous legal issues that arose in connection with its creation, filming, and distribution. It explains why the castaways' ship was named after a despised government lawyer, offers examples of the show's use of the law, and examines the show's impact on legal comedies.
There's no doubt the show still impacts pop culture. Its last episode aired nearly 30 years ago but it has proven so popular that it has spawned two cartoon series, three made-for-television reunion movies, an off-broadway play and a soon-to-be-released full-length film.
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Editors & Producers: You can reach Jarvis at 954-262-6172 (office) or [email protected]. He'd be happy to send you a copy of the article or you can contact Steve Infanti of Dick Jones Communications, [email protected] at 814-867-1963 for a copy.
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