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 Shafer's mother (who was ill at the time) had died, and offered their condolences, but Shafer 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 couldn't move back to New York.
Was engaged to comedic character actor Charles Butterworth in 1946 at the time of his tragic death in a single automobile crash.