Retro RFH Staged Follies with a Lovey ‘Gilligan’s Island’ Gal

Actress Natalie Schafer, Lovey on Gilligan's Island, visits the RFH Freshman Follies circa 1975. Photo/George Day
Actress Natalie Schafer, Lovey on Gilligan’s Island, visits the RFH Freshman Follies circa 1975.
Photo/George Day

We’re feeling that kind of a springtime fever when a little boat ride and escape to a deserted island, or one in the Shrewsbury River, makes for the perfect getaway not so far away — as long as there’s some mosquito netting.

People in the Rumson-Fair Haven area do it all the time. Good times on Gunning Island, anyone?

The thing is that they usually don’t end up shipwrecked and stranded there, like, well, the kooky cast of characters on the classic sitcom Gilligan’s Island

But, just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale … of good ol’ RFH show times and a famous aunt from the island — the TV island. 

There was a time, back in 1975, when a bunch of RFH freshmen met up with a Gilligan’s character and it didn’t mean that the Gilligan’s crew ended up marooned on the Shrewsbury with a bunch of Rumson party people.

No, the real life little adventurers of the RFH Class of ’78 were freshmen performing in the Freshmen Follies in 1975 when they discovered that none other than Lovey Howell, the millionaire’s wife, the real life Natalie Schaefer, on the popular 1960s show, was in the audience.

OK, she was the aunt of one of the freshmen — Gigi Schafer. Still, that bunch of classmates got to hang out with her. If only we had thought to take her over to Gunning on a canoe.

It was a classic moment when Schafer joined some classmates on stage at the end of the show.

Thanks for the visit, Natalie Schafer. The Class of ’78 will always remember it!

Now, break a leg, cast of Spamalot! You never know who’s in the audience. 

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