WWW- Bob Denver, whose portrayal of the bumbling first mate on the classic 1960s TV show “Gilligan’s Island” made him an icon to generations of fans, has died at age 70, his agent said yesterday.
Denver, who survived a quadruple-bypass surgery earlier this year, died Friday in North Carolina as a result of cancer treatment, said his agent, Mike Eisenstadt.
Denver’s 40-year run of international celebrity was the result of “Gilligan’s Island,” which ran a mere three years on CBS, from 1964 to 1967.
The show was savaged by critics, but “Gilligan’s Island” was embraced by viewers, with Denver’s title character receiving most of the affection. His greatest gift as an actor was keeping Gilligan lovable, even though his ineptitude inevitably kept the seven castaways of the S.S. Minnow stranded for a total of 98 episodes.
“He had a natural talent for comedy,” said Russell Johnson, who played The Professor.
“He entertained more than one generation and made people feel good – and he’ll continue to do that as long as they rerun the show.”
Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann, said she regretted that most viewers saw Denver as a clumsy comic foil.
“I wish the fans knew the depth of that man,” she said. “He was a really bright guy who was articulate and loved Shakespeare.”
Denver was known to TV viewers before donning Gilligan’s red shirt and white sailor’s cap. On his previous show, “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis,” he played TV’s first beatnik, Maynard G. Krebs.
On that 1959-1963 series, Denver’s flaky character played bongos with Thelonious Monk and got shot into space with a chimp. Desiring only to hang out in coffee shops and play drums, Krebs would scream, “Work?!” whenever someone suggested that he find gainful employment.
The Krebs character was popular with more than just viewers. Bob Dylan once told Rolling Stone that Denver’s Krebs was the motivation for “If Dogs Run Free,” one of Dylan’s worst songs.
Denver did star in two more series – “The Good Guys” and “Dusty’s Trails” – but neither lasted. He struggled against typecasting, but eventually gave in to the stardom that “Gilligan’s Island” created.
“I certainly didn’t set out to have a series rerun forever,” Denver said in 2001, “but it’s not a bad experience at all.”
Denver’s fourth wife, Dreama, and his children, Patrick, Megan, Emily and Colin, were with him when he died.
“He was my everything and I will love him forever,” Dreama said.
She has asked fans to make donations to his foundation, which helps handicapped children in West Virginia, where the actor retired. The address is: The Denver Foundation, PO Box 931, Princeton, WV 24740.