'Gilligan's Island' Actress Natalie Schaefer was a millionaire in real life and played one on TV

Photo byClassic TV Preservation Society

Natalie Schafer was a millionaire, and also played one on TV.

Shaefer, who died at 90 years old in 1991, was best known to classic television viewers as Eunice "Lovey" Wentworth Howell on the classic TV sitcom romp, Gilligan's Island.

A Closer Look

Natalie Schafer began her career on Broadway and then transitioned to the big screen decades before performing opposite her TV husband Jim Backus (Thurston Howell III) on Gilligan's Island.

Schafer was usually typecast in movies, playing high society, elegant or fashionable women.

Following the cancellation of Gilligan's Island in 1967, Schafer did a few guest appearances on shows. Most notably, Shaefer was seen two years later in a 1969 episode of The Brady Bunch (which was created and executive produced by Sherwood Schwartz, who held the same position on Gilligan's Island).

Schafer only consented to appear in the Gilligan’s Island pilot for the trip to Hawaii (where the pilot was filmed). The actor was startled when the now-legendary sitcom got picked up for a full season (not to mention two more years).

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Schafer was worth $10 million, and most of her fortune went to her dogs.

Conclusion

Natalie Shafer, along with the rest of her Gilligan's Island co-stars (including Jim Backus, Bob Denver, Dawn Wells, Alan Ladd, Jr., and more will be forever cherished by countless classic TV fans around the world.