Bob Denver was attending college at Loyola-Marymount University, in Los Angeles, when he got into acting. At first, Denver wasn't sure he wanted to be an actor, but gradually gave in, deciding that's what he was going to do for a career. Before he became established, he worked as a mailman and teacher. He then got a screen test for the part of Maynard G. Krebs and to his surprise won the part. After four years on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Denver got his most famous part of Gilligan, in Gilligan's Island. After Gilligan's three-year run ended he did a few other television shows (including the Gilligan wannabe Dusty's Trail) and Broadway plays. On September 2, 2005, he died of complications related to cancer treatment at Wake Forest University Baptist Hospital in North Carolina. He had most recently lived in Princeton, West Virgina. He is survived by his wife Dreama, and four children.
Graduated from Loyola-Marymount University in Los Angeles. His future co-star on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Dwayne Hickman, was a classmate at Loyola-Marymount. Used to work for the U.S. Postal Service as a mailman, and as a high school teacher. Denver suffered a broken neck in 1956, which prevented him from getting inducted in the U.S. Army. Has a son, Colin, with Dreama - has 4 other children from previous marriages. In real life, he is diametrically opposite of the well-known inept and goofy characters he has portrayed on television. He is an enormously talented, introverted, and well-read man who loves children, especially his own. Father of Patrick Denver, Megan, Emily, and Colin. Grandfather of Elana. In contrast to more egoistical TV stars -- especially William Shatner on Star Trek -- Denver often went out of his way to help his fellow cast members on Gilligan's Island. This is included trying to give Dawn Wells an equal share of publicity as Tina Louise and demanding that she and Russell Johnson be given an equal credit in the show's title sequence. He was born just one day after Elvis Presley. Studying at Loyola Marymount in L.A. where he received a degree in political science, he switched from a possible law career to acting and made his West Coast stage debut in a late 50s production of "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial." Raised in Brownwood, Texas where he graduated from high school. The family eventually moved to California. Made his film debut in a small role in A Private's Affair starring Sal Mineo just prior to finding TV fame. On Tuesday, September 6, 2005, Bob's friend from the _"Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, The" (1959)_ show, former actress-turned-California State Senator Sheila James Kuehl, who played boy-crazy Zelda Gilroy on the show, was granted her request that the Senate adjourn in Denver's memory. The first name of his Gilligan character, which was almost never mentioned on the show, was Willy. After surviving quadruple bypass surgery in early 2005, he was diagnosed with cancer only a few months before his death on September 2nd. Treated at Wake Forest University Baptist Hospital, he died in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Gilligan/Skipper slapstick exchange was modeled after the comedy icons Laurel and Hardy. Playing beatnik Maynard G. Krebs on the The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis comedy series, Denver's most enduring line from that show was his freaked-out exclamation "Work!?" whenever anyone mentioned the word within hearing distance. Replaced Woody Allen as the protagonist in Allen's play "Play It Again, Sam" on Broadway in 1970. While struggling to make it as an actor, he taught private school and worked at a post office. Discovered acting while studying law at Loyola University in Los Angeles in the 1950s. Denver's son, Patrick actually played Gilligan in one of the episodes of "Gilligan's Island" during a dream sequence.