Schafer had said she initially did the pilot to
Gilligan's Island (1964), for the free trip to Hawaii. Afterwards, Schafer was in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on holiday when she got a telegram from the States. She read it and burst into tears. Everyone had thought Schafer's mother (who was ill at the time) had died, and offered their condolences, but Schafer had said no she didn't die, the reason she was crying was because the pilot for
"Gilligan's Island" sold, and she had to stay in Los Angeles, and could not move back to New York City.