Citations

Of course, I never met a man who didn't like dad.

[Who said of his long career]: I was making a movie in India and they called me "Skipper Sahib".

I don't so much enter it, I put it on.

[As to how he got into show business]: Well, I've got to say, it was certainly, yesteryear, my parents (of course) ... my mother was on the boards, before any of us. She drives the boards, a long time ago; this was way out of yesterday. Henry Dicksey and all, if you recall, the early Motion Picture, and certainly, early stage and all that sort of thing. She was doing 10 shows, one-night stands, as long ago as that. She was probably like the Shirley Temple of her day, her name was: Gretchen Hartman, and (of course), segued a few years, dad (Alan Hale Sr.) came into the business (of course), and a picture, out of yesterday. D.W. Griffith and all that.

[Who said in 1988 about his best remembered role]: I must say, "The Skipper" has become my alter ego. I'm one and the same now.

I've got to say, my Goodness sakes.

[Who said in 1983]: I must say it has been a gratifying thing, and certainly, I'm in the West Coast now and I have a place that I call "Lobster Barrel", and I'm so delighted about it that again it's "The Skipper", every knock is a boost. And the more payroll read about the fact as to how bad it was, the more they liked it.

[When asked about his success of selling vacuum cleaners]: It's like feeling out an audience. You gotta make 'em feel it's their machine from the moment you walk in.

Reality is determined not by what scientists or anyone else says or believes, but by what the evidence reveals to us.

[In 1985]: I'm just delighted to say people all over the world, whether I have my cap or not, 'Hello, Skipper, Hello Skipper,' it's like standing in-front of the fireplace, it's a lot of warmth.

[About his character on Les joyeux naufragés (1964) and the relationship he shared with fellow cast member Bob Denver's character]: The Skipper lent himself to certainly being a nice fellow, a bumbling fellow, of course. He had a perfect foil in Gilligan, but dearly loved Gilligan. They were really good friends. Between the two of them, nothing ever seemed to dovetail. The only thing that did dovetail was their lasting friendship. They really were fond of each other.

Our reception has been overwhelming. The Iranian people have been extremely warm.

[Who revealed his injuries on the set of Les joyeux naufragés (1964)]: There was a branch that was supposed to kind of break a little and throw me in and so forth in song, well, it broke a little, but it broke at the wrong time. And so, I was 12 ft. up in the air and I fell down, fell out of the tree, backwards and of course, broke my right wrist, so to speak and if fractured my wrist ... I finished the season, then, I went to see the Churchill Downs; as it be the Kentucky Derby and I had this big cast on my arm and of course, my dear little lady had to wear a football helmet at night, because everytime it rolled over. So she was doing 'Gilligan,' all over again!

[Addressing the creator of Les joyeux naufragés (1964)]: Thank you, Sherwood Schwartz, for our great fun in doing the show, and for giving me the best friend I ever had, the Skipper.

[on his popularity while playing the forty-something "The Skipper" on Les joyeux naufragés (1964):] I don't think there was a message at all. I think it was just a misnomer, "deserted island." We were there; it wasn't deserted. And who deserted it? Nobody was there... The big thing about it was nonsense. Everybody has to have nonsense in their lives.

I love the irony - I've spent over 400 hours of my life looking for comets, and haven't found anything, and now, suddenly, when I'm not looking for one, I get one dumped in my lap.

[About the restaurant he once owned]: Through the years, it's been known as 'The Skipper's Restaurant,' so I've been 'The Skipper,' for these many years. All through the years, it [the series] has been my ticket to instant identification. It really pleases me.

[In 1979]: I've never enjoyed a picture I didn't enjoy doing. I've worked on big budget and small budget films, and I've liked them all.

[In 1952]: It's risky and difficulty to try and substitute for a legend, because any star who has passed on is glowingly remembered. If the studios want me for the same type of roles my father did, I'll give it a whirl.

[In 1978]: Everywhere, we were asked the same question - 'When are you going to get off the island?' It's nice to pick up right where we left off. It's as though we worked last week and not 14 years ago.

My father's real name was Rufus Edward MacKahan. He changed his name to Alan Hale on the advice of a numerologist.