Alan Hale Jr. was a showbiz veteran before he could speak. The son of Alan Hale, a popular character actor best known for his portrayal of Little John in Michael Curtiz’ classic “The Adventures of Robin Hood,” Hale Jr. appeared in silent films as a baby and made a few war movies as a young man before serving in the United States Coast Guard during World War II. Once the war was over, Hale Jr. worked steadily in film and television, turning up on episodes of “Gunsmoke,” “Mister Ed,” and “Lassie” while landing supporting roles in movies starring John Wayne, Gregory Peck, and Randolph Scott.
Hale Jr. would be castigated as a nepobaby today, but while being literally born to the business didn’t hurt his cause, he was a natural in front of the camera and a welcome presence in just about everything. So, it’s no surprise that, after a difficult casting process, he was a perfect fit amongst the castaways on “Gilligan’s Island,” generating genial goofball chemistry with Bob Denver and effortlessly exchanging groan-inducing banter with the likes of Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Russell Johnson, Dawn Wells, and Tina Louise.
Like the rest of the “Gilligan’s Island” cast, Hale Jr. was typecast for the rest of his career (though he did land an uncharacteristically unlikable part as a lyncher in the 1968 Clint Eastwood Western “Hang ‘Em High”), but this didn’t seem to bother him much. And aside from the pay, he had a pretty good reason for not minding being primarily known as The Skipper until his death in 1990.
All Alan Hale Jr. wanted was to give hard-working folks a few well-earned laughs
Most actors get bit by the bug in childhood when they land their first big laugh in the school play. Hale Jr. was a little different in that acting was the family trade, but he also understood as well as anyone the escapist value of a solid comedy. As the actor told The Indianapolis News in 1965:
“My favorite has been that of The Skipper on ‘Gilligan’s Island.’ People need a laugh when they come home after a day’s work. That’s what I want to do — give them a laugh.”
This being 1965, he couldn’t have known that “Gilligan’s Island” would become one of the most popular sitcoms in syndication for decades to come. In time, those laughs weren’t just for working stiffs; they were for young couch potatoes looking for an excuse to not do chores or homework. It’s worth noting that Hale Jr. hadn’t yet appeared in “Hang ‘Em High,” but if co-starring in a movie with The Duke wasn’t a career peak, it’s hard to imagine a small-ish turn as a wound-up yokel would’ve unseated The Skipper as his favorite part.