What color was Gilligans hat?

Gilligans hat was tan, not white.

This is what the recordings of the episodes of Gilligans Island show today - and it's freaking many people out. That's because they swear they remember it being white, and when a false memory affects many people this way, it's classed as an MMDE, or Mandela Effect.

Even weirder: this isn't the only hat related alternate memory - there's one about the Skipper's hat being black, too.

When the series what first transmitted in 1964, most people would have seen it in black and white, which could have formed the dominant memory to be drawn out years later. However, even some of those who did pay attention, and are sure it was white, are now saying it has changed.

Early memories

It ran for 98 episodes which aired in the 60's, 70's and 80's, with those after 1967 being colorized made-for-television films. So the "shock" of seeing it in color fir the first time - especially as these would have been the same episodes previously transmitted in black and white, no matter what the capability of the receiving TV set were, might well have has an influence on this.

It's one of those shows that only gained in popularity after it's initial run ended, like Colombo, due to it being extensively shown via syndication. In Gilligans Island's  case, this went on for at least 20 years after the last official episode was made. The last original broadcast was on April 17, 1967. The cancellation of the third series was controversial, because the cast were only told at the last moment.

Many people watch the show when it first came out and never again. That's a long time to hold "irrelevant" details such as a characters hat color. Yet the fact so many remember the same, wrong way, is what's getting people excited.