(Whether she was attracted to these roles, or these roles sought her out, might be worth discussing in a much longer dissertation someday.) I think that the versatile range of her speaking voice remains one of her most unique qualities. Her roles are more interesting and nuanced than she is given credit for-she has often played sad beauties who are trapped in unhappy lives. She really does have a mysterious and intriguing screen presence that goes beyond just her looks. You learn how to effectively build a case to convince people on any issue when you learn at an early age to advocate for Tina Louise as a versatile and talented actress instead of someone like, say, Vanessa Redgrave because people will lazily accept that as a given.) I have always felt that there is a lot more to Tina Louise than 'Gilligan's Island,' even though I readily acknowledge that it remains her most famous acting credit from a visibility standpoint. (I think it has made me an effective oral advocate, though.
Whenever you do, you find yourself subjected to comments from people who say 'Mary Ann was always hotter' or something to that effect. I admit it: Tina Louise remains my all-time favorite actress.
