Alan Hale, Jr.

Alan Hale Jr. (born Alan Hale MacKahan; March 8, 1921 – January 2, 1990) was an American actor and restaurateur. and his mother was silent film actress Gretchen Hartman (1897–1979). Hale Jr. was in the silent movies as a baby.

Hale served in the United States Coast Guard during World War II. He dropped the "Junior" from his name after his father died in 1950.

Career

In 1931, Hale made his Broadway stage debut in Caught Wet. The play opened on November 4 and closed later that month. He made his screen debut in Wild Boys of the Road which was released in 1933. Although his role was deleted from that film's final release, he still received screen credit for his performance. He later appeared in roles in To the Shores of Tripoli (1942), Yanks Ahoy (1943), Sweetheart of Sigma Chi (1946), and When Willie Comes Marching Home (1950). During the late 1940s and early 1950s, he frequently appeared in Gene Autry films and also had a recurring role from 1950 to 1952 on The Gene Autry Show.

By the early 1950s, Hale began to work in television. In 1952, he landed the starring role in CBS's Biff Baker, U.S.A. The series was canceled in 1954. He continued his career on the small screen by appearing in guest spots on a variety of other series, such as The Range Rider (five times), Annie Oakley, Fireside Theater, Frontier, Matinee Theater, Fury, Northwest Passage, and The Man from Blackhawk.

The year 1957 proved to be an especially busy one for Hale on television series. In addition to performing the role of Shawnee Bill on the Western Wanted Dead or Alive, he played a folksy rancher, Les Bridgeman, in "Hired Gun", an episode of the ABC/Warner Brothers series Cheyenne. Later that year Hale landed another starring role in the syndicated television series Casey Jones, which lasted for thirty-two half-hour episodes before its cancellation in 1958. Then, from 1958 to 1960, he was cast in a recurring role on Rory Calhoun's CBS Western The Texan. Hale also returned to the series Cheyenne in 1960 to portray the character Tuk in the episode "Road to Three Graves".

Throughout the early 1960s, Hale continued in guest-starring roles on episodes of Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Rawhide, The Real McCoys, Mister Ed, Green Acres, Assignment: Underwater, Hawaiian Eye, Adventures in Paradise, Lock Up, The Andy Griffith Show, Lassie, Tales of Wells Fargo, Route 66 and two episodes of Hazel. He was featured in two episodes of Perry Mason, first as murderer Lon Snyder in the 1961 episode "The Case of the Unwelcome Bride", and then in 1963 as Nelson Barclift in "The Case of the Bouncing Boomerang".

Despite his growing commitment to roles on television, Hale throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s continued his work in supporting roles in feature films. Some of those include The Gunfighter (1950) with Gregory Peck, At Sword's Point (1952) with Cornel Wilde and Maureen O'Hara, The Man Behind the Gun (1953) with Randolph Scott, Silver Lode (1954) with John Payne and Dan Duryea, The Sea Chase (1955) with John Wayne and Lana Turner, The Three Outlaws (1956) with Neville Brand as Butch Cassidy and Hale as the Sundance Kid, The True Story of Jesse James (1957) with Robert Wagner as Jesse James and Jeffrey Hunter as Frank James, Up Periscope (1959) with James Garner and Edmond O'Brien, Thunder in Carolina with Rory Calhoun (1960), The Long Rope with Hugh Marlowe (1961), Bullet for a Badman (1964) with Audie Murphy and Darren McGavin, Advance to the Rear (1964) with Glenn Ford and Stella Stevens, and Hang 'Em High (1968) with Clint Eastwood. According to series creator Sherwood Schwartz, he often visited children in hospitals dressed as the Skipper.

Hale reprised the role of the Skipper in three television films, Rescue from Gilligan's Island (1978), The Castaways on Gilligan's Island (1979) and The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island (1981). He also voiced the Skipper in two cartoon versions of the series, The New Adventures of Gilligan from 1974 to 1977 and Gilligan's Planet from 1982 to 1983. In 1987, Hale appeared as the Skipper in two unrelated sitcoms The New Gidget with his childhood friend and classmate William Schallert and former co-star Bob Denver and an episode of ALF with several former cast members. Also in 1987, Hale played a Skipper look-a-like taxi cab driver named J. Grumby on Growing Pains. He also promoted Gilligan's Island reruns on TBS alongside Bob Denver. Denver and Hale also appeared as their characters at various promotional events.

Later years After the end of Gilligan's Island, Hale continued his career in television. He guest-starred on several more series, including The Wild Wild West, Here Come the Brides, Batman, Land of the Giants, The Virginian, Here's Lucy, Marcus Welby, M.D., The Paul Lynde Show, The Love Boat, Crazy Like a Fox and Murder, She Wrote.

Hale performed in additional feature films during the 1970s and the 1980s. He starred in The Giant Spider Invasion (1975) and Angels Revenge (1978). In 1983, Hale co-starred in comedy-drama film Hambone and Hillie, starring Lillian Gish. The following year, he had a role in the comedy Johnny Dangerously and became a spokesman for a car dealership in Victoria, British Columbia. In 1987, Hale starred in the horror film Terror Night. Later that same year, he made his final film appearance in a cameo role with Bob Denver in Back to the Beach.

Other ventures In addition to acting, Hale co-owned Alan Hale's Lobster Barrel, a restaurant he opened in the mid-1970s. The Lobster Barrel was located on La Cienega Boulevard along Los Angeles’ Restaurant Row. According to Hale's agent, he was "phased out" of the business in 1982 and later opened Alan Hale's Quality and Leisure Travel office. in Hollywood to Bettina Reed Doerr, with whom he had four children: Alan Brian, Chris, Lana, and Dorian. The couple later divorced. In 1964, Hale married former singer Naomi Grace Ingram, to whom he remained married until his death.

Death Hale died on January 2, 1990 of thymus cancer at St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles at age 68. His body was cremated and his ashes were sprinkled into the Pacific Ocean. His Gilligan's Island co-star Dawn Wells was in attendance, representing the surviving members of the cast.

For his contribution to the television industry, Alan Hale Jr. has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6653 Hollywood Boulevard.

Stage career Date Production Role 1931 Caught Wet Brewster 1934–1935 Small Miracle George Nelson 1935 Ceiling Zero Tay Lawson 1937 Red Harvest Private Breen 1940 The Scene of the Crime Bob Hanley 1952 Hook n' Ladder Mr. Gilkens

Selected filmography Year Title Role Notes 1933 Wild Boys of the Road One of the Boys Uncredited 1941 I Wanted Wings Cadet Uncredited Dive Bomber Pilot Trainee Uncredited All-American Co-Ed Tiny 1942 To the Shores of Tripoli Tom Hall Eagle Squadron Olsen Rubber Racketeers Red 1943 No Time for Love Union Checker Uncredited Watch on the Rhine Boy Uncredited 1946 Monsieur Beaucaire Courtier Uncredited Sweetheart of Sigma Chi Mike Mitchell 1947 It Happened on Fifth Avenue Whitey Temple The Spirit of West Point Oklahoma Cutter 1948 Homecoming Military Policeman Uncredited One Sunday Afternoon Marty 1949 It Happens Every Spring Schmidt Rim of the Canyon Matt Kimbrough 1950 The Blazing Sun Ben Luber The Gunfighter Eddie's Brother Uncredited Kill the Umpire Harry Shea Uncredited The Underworld Story Shaeffer, Durham Warehouse Thug The West Point Story Bull Gilbert 1951 Home Town Story Slim Haskins Honeychile Joe Boyd 1952 Arctic Flight John W. Wetherby The Big Trees Tiny Springfield Rifle Mizzell At Sword's Point Porthos Jr. Wait till the Sun Shines, Nellie George Oliphant 1953 The Man Behind the Gun Cpl. Olaf Swenson Trail Blazers Roger Stone Captain John Smith and Pocahontas Fleming 1954 Captain Kidd and the Slave Girl Jay Simpson Rogue Cop Johnny Stark Destry Jack Larson Young at Heart Robert Neary 1955 The Sea Chase Wentz A Man Alone Acting Sheriff Jim Anderson The Indian Fighter Will Crabtree 1956 The Killer Is Loose Denny The Cruel Tower Rocky Milliken The Three Outlaws Sundance Kid 1957 Battle Hymn Mess Sergeant The True Story of Jesse James Cole Younger All Mine to Give Tom Cullen 1958 The Lady Takes a Flyer Frank Henshaw 1959 Up Periscope Lt. Pat Malone 1960 Thunder in Carolina Buddy Schaeffer 1962 The Iron Maiden Paul Fisher 1963 The Crawling Hand Sheriff Townsend 1964 Advance to the Rear Sgt. Beauregard Davis Bullet for a Badman Leach Alternative title: Renegade Posse 1968 Hang 'Em High Matt Stone, Cooper Hanging Party 1970 Tiger by the Tail Billy Jack Whitehorn There Was a Crooked Man... Tobaccy 1975 The Giant Spider Invasion Sheriff Jones 1979 The North Avenue Irregulars Harry, the Hat Angels Brigade Manny Alternative titles: Angels RevengeSeven from Heaven The Fifth Musketeer Porthos 1983 Hambone and Hillie McVickers 1984 The Red Fury Doc Kaminsky Johnny Dangerously Desk Sergeant 1987 Terror Night Jake Nelson Alternative title: Bloody Movie Back to the Beach Bartender's Buddy

+ Television Year Title Role Notes 1950–1952 The Gene Autry Show Tiny – Sidekick 9 episodes 1953 Man Against Crime Lt. Olmstead Episode: "Hide and Seek" 1952–1954 Biff Baker, U.S.A. Biff Baker 26 episodes 1955 The Public Defender Sparky Albright Segment: "The Hitchhiker" Stage 7 Herb 'Bad News' Loftus Episode: "The Traveling Salesman" Navy Log Beartracks Episode: "The Pollywog of Yosu" 1956 The Red Skelton Show Muldoon Episode: "Cookie Returns" Screen Directors Playhouse Bowen Episode: "A Ticket for Thaddeus" 1957 The Millionaire Bill "Buffalo" Walker Episode: "The Professor Amberson Adams Story" The Alcoa Hour Red Regan Episode: "The Animal Kingdom" Cheyenne Les Bridgeman Episode: "Hired Gun" 1957–1958 Casey Jones Casey Jones 32 episodes 1958 Northwest Passage Sam Beal Episode: "The Red Coat" Wanted: Dead or Alive Bill Poe Episode: "Passing of Shawnee Bill" 1958–1960 The Texan Sculley 6 episodes 1959 Bat Masterson Bailey Harper Episode: "A Personal Matter" Colt 45 Sam Bass Episode: "The Saga of Sam Bass" Bonanza Swede Lundberg Episode: "The Saga of Annie O'Toole" The Restless Gun Sheriff Clarke Episode "Incident at Bluefield" The Untouchables Big Bill Phillips Episode: "Tri-State Gang" 1960 The Alaskans Hap Johnson Episode: "Partners" Shotgun Slade Sheriff Sloan Episode: "Lost Gold" Maverick Captain Jim (US Marshal) Episode: "Arizona Black Maria" Cheyenne Tuk Episode: "Road to Three Graves" 1961 The Jack Benny Program McGuire Episode: "Jack Goes to Gym" The Real McCoys Harry Keller Episode: "Season 5 Ep 2: The Trailer Camp" Hawaiian Eye Big Mac McConnel Episode: "Dragon Road" Adventures in Paradise Captain Arthur Butcher 2 episodes, "Captain Butcher" and "The Serpent in the Garden" Gunsmoke Jake Higgins Episode: "Minnie" RawhideLucas Episode: "The Woman Trap" Perry Mason Lon Snyder Episode: "The Case of the Unwelcome Bride" 1962 The Andy Griffith Show Jeff Pruitt Episode: "The Farmer Takes a Wife" Wagon Train Kirby Episode: "The Lonnie Fallon Story" Follow the Sun Charlie Episode: "The Irresistible Miss Bullfinch" Maverick Big Jim Watson (as Alan Hale) Episode: "The Troubled Heir" 1963 77 Sunset Strip Baxter Episode: "Tarnished Idol" Laramie Roger Canby Episode: "Edge of Evil" Empire Fletcher Episode: "The Convention" Hazel Coach Murphy Episode: "Hazel Scores a Touchdown" (credited as Alan Hale) The Lucy Show Fire Academy instructor Episode: "Lucy Puts Out a Fire at the Bank" Perry Mason Nelson Barclift Episode: "The Case of the Bouncing Boomerang" 1964 The New Phil Silvers Show Charlie Episode: "Pay the Two Dollars" My Favorite Martian Omar M. Keck Episode: "The Disastro-Nauts" 1964–1967 Gilligan's Island Jonas Grumby (The Skipper) 98 episodes 1966 Gunsmoke Bull Bannock Episode: "Champion of the World" 1967 Batman Gilligan Episode: "The Ogg and I"Uncredited Hondo Ben Cobb Episode: "Hondo and the Death Drive" 1968 The Wild Wild West Ned Brown Episode: "The Night of The Sabatini Death" Daktari Big Joe Wonder Episode: "African Showdown" 1969 Green Acres Sheriff Episode: "A Prize in Every Package" The Flying Nun Uncle Reggie Overton Perkins 2 episodes The Good Guys Big Tom 3 episodes 1970 The Andersonville Trial The Board of Military Judges Television movie Here's Lucy Moose Manley Episode: "Lucy and Wally Cox" Ironside Laurence Drescher Episode: "The People Against Judge McIntire" 1971 Alias Smith and Jones Andrew J. Greer Episode: "The Girl in Boxcar #3" The Doris Day Show Charlie Dinser Episode: "Have I Got a Fellow for You!" O'Hara, U.S. Treasury Episode: "Operation: Moonshine" 1972 Gunsmoke Dave Chaney Episode: "Jubilee" 1973 McMillan & Wife Port Captain Episode: "The Fine Art of Staying Alive" 1974–1975 The New Adventures of Gilligan The Skipper (Voice) 24 episodes 1975 The Wonderful World of Disney Cholly 2-part episode: The Sky's the Limit 1978 Rescue from Gilligan's Island The Skipper Television movie 1979 $weepstake$ Episode: "Vince, Pete and Patsy, Jessica and Rodney" The Castaways on Gilligan's Island The Skipper Television movie ABC Weekend Special Mayor Episode: "The Revenge of Red Chief" The Littlest Hobo Harry Episode: "Stand-in" The Love Boat Jack Tigue Episode: "The Harder They Fall" 1980 Fantasy Island Judge Winston Episode: "Rogues to Riches/Stark Terror" 1981 The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island The Skipper Television movie 1982 The Love Boat Gus Dolan Episode: "Meet the Author" 1982–1983 Gilligan's Planet The Skipper (Voice) 13 episodes 1983 Matt Houston Rawson Harmon IV Episode: "The Yacht Club Murders" 1986 Murder, She Wrote Fenton Harris Episode: "Trial by Error" Magnum, P.I. Russell Tate Episode: "All Thieves on Deck" 1987 Simon & Simon Silk McNabb Episode: "For Old Crime's Sake" ALF Skipper Jonas Grumby Episode: "Somewhere Over the Rerun" Growing Pains The Cabbie Episode: "This Is Your Life" 1988 The Law & Harry McGraw Herb Loftus Episode: "Gilhooey's Is History"