NATALIE SCHAFER

November 5, 1900

Natalie Schafer was born in 1900 in Red Bank, New Jersey, although some sources say New York City. She is best remembered as Lovey Howell, the millionaire’s wife, on “Gilligan’s Island.” 

Schafer began her career as an actress on Broadway appearing in 17 plays between 1927 and 1959 including runs in Lady in the Dark (1941–42, above), The Doughgirls (1942–44), and Romanoff and Juliet (1957–58).  

In 1941 she started doing films with The Body Disappears starring Jane Wyman and featuring “Lucy” players Edward Everett Horton and Dick Elliott. 

She re-teamed with Horton for her TV debut in 1948 with an episode of the anthology series “Chevrolet Tele-Theatre”. 

In 1954, Schafer made her only appearance on “I Love Lucy” in “The Charm School” (ILL S3;E15). Lucy and Ethel visit Phoebe Emerson Charm School for a free Beauty Analysis and CQ (Charm Quotient) check-up. Miss Emerson  grades on four points: skin & make-up, hair, voice, and posture.

Lucy and Ethel are then put through an exercise and posture regimen. Sadly, much of the scene was cut in the final edit. Only still photos remain. The week before this episode first aired, Schafer made an appearance on CBS TV’s “Topper” as a character named (coincidentally) Mrs. Vance. 

Two years later Schafer co-starred in Lucy and Desi’s film Forever, Darling (1956) as Millie Opdyke. The film also featured her ex-husband, Louis Calhern and another future sitcom star Nancy Kulp, who also played a maid on “I Love Lucy”. Kulp went on to create the role of bank secretary (like Lucille Ball herself) Jane Hathaway on “The Beverley Hillbillies” on CBS. 

In April 1964, Schafer re-teamed with Kulp as guest-starred on “The Beverly Hillbillies” playing dress shop owner Madame Renee. The episode also featured Tropicana maître ‘d Maurice Marsac. 

In 1960, she was back at Desilu Studios to film an episode of ABC’s  “Guestward Ho!”, a series that was originally supposed to star Vivian Vance.

On September 26, 1964, Schafer first played the role she would forever be identified with, Mrs. Howell on “Gilligan’s Island” appearing in all 99 episodes of the original series (including the un-aired pilot), which completed its run on Boxing Day 1966.  The character of Ginger, the movie star castaway, was described during casting as a combination of Lucille Ball and Marilyn Monroe. Series creator Sherwood Schwartz was a Lucy fan. His brother Elroy Schwartz actually wrote scripts for Lucille Ball.  

Lucille Ball also employed many of the denizens of “Gilligan’s Island”: Alan Hale Jr., Janos Prohaska, Mel Blank, June Foray, Vitto Scotti, Hans Conried, John McGiver, Phil Silvers, Don Rickles, Stanley Adams, Roy Calhoun, Strother Martin, Herb Vigran, John Gabriel, and Sandra Gould. 

Schafer returned to the character for each of its future iterations: 

• “The New Adventures of Gilligan” (1974)
• “Rescue from Gilligan’s Island” (1978) 
• “The Castaways on Gilligan’s Island” (1979)
• “The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island” (1981) 
• “Gilligan’s Planet” (1982)

In 1972 she did a guest shot on “Mannix”. The series was originally produced by Desilu. In 1971, “Here’s Lucy” featured Mannix (Mike Connors). 

Her final screen appearance was in the TV film I’m Dangerous Tonight, released just months before her death. 

Schafer was married to actor Louis Calhern from 1933 to 1942; they had no children. Calhern had worked with Lucille Ball in The Affairs of Cellini (1934) and Forever, Darling (1956). 

Although her contract included forbid close-ups, she insisted that her obituary disclose her real age. She said she wanted people to say "she was HOW old?!”

Natalie Schafer died in 2001. She was 90 years old.