Anecdotes

On an episode of Les joyeux naufragés (1964), his character said the ring belonged to his "pop" and was over 200 years old, which was exactly the ring he wore in real-life, which belonged to his father.

During his final days of life in the hospital while very sick from cancer, he still took time to visit the children in the cancer ward.

Resided not too far from his former Les joyeux naufragés (1964) co-star Dawn Wells. He also played golf and went out to lunch with her.

While battling cancer, he lost a great deal of weight. When a child inquired about his weight loss, Hale simply told him that he was going to be playing Gilligan in a new Gilligan's Island show.

According to former Les joyeux naufragés (1964) co-star Bob Denver, he said that Hale broke his wrist and did not tell anyone on the set until the following year, because he did not want to shut down production.

In the 1970s, he suffered a blood clot in his leg. He survived this, but his doctors ordered him to quit smoking and lose weight.

Served the United States Coast Guard during World War II.

He and his father, Alan Hale, were both scheduled to do a movie together for RKO Radio Pictures called At Sword's Point (1952), but his father suddenly passed away just before production began in 1950. He did the movie without his father.

Over his five decades as an actor, he appeared in more than 200 television and film roles.

Began his television series Les joyeux naufragés (1964) at age 43.

During an episode of Les joyeux naufragés (1964), he accidentally ripped his pants straight down the seat - into the camera. Co-star Bob Denver wanted the shot to be used, but Hale nixed this, since he wasn't wearing the Skipper's trademark boxer shorts with the hearts on them.

Unlike other cast members of Les joyeux naufragés (1964), he enjoyed the image that his role on the show gave him. This included usually wearing a skipper's cap at most times, donating his used ones for charity purposes.

His former Les joyeux naufragés (1964) co-star Dawn Wells was the only surviving cast member to attend his funeral.

Owned and operated a popular restaurant, "Alan Hale's Lobster Barrel", on La Cienega Boulevard's "Restaurant Row" in Los Angeles, California. He would often greet guests dressed as "The Skipper".

Had played the same character (Skipper Jonas Grumby) on four different series: Les joyeux naufragés (1964), The New Adventures of Gilligan (1974), Gilligan's Planet (1982) and ALF (1986).

The United States Coast Guard offered to give him a funeral with full military honors but his second wife politely declined.

He contributed a family recipe ("Kansas Chicken and Dumplings") to former Les joyeux naufragés (1964) co-star Dawn Wells' cookbook "Mary Ann's Gilligan's Island Cookbook" (1993). Hale, whose character was the inspiration behind such concoctions as, "Skipper's Coconut Pie", "Skipper's Navy Bean Soup" and "Skipper's Goodbye Ribeye", can be seen depicted as Skipper Jonas Grumby, in numerous photographs through the cookbook.

Was reunited with former Les joyeux naufragés (1964) co-star Bob Denver for three episodes of The Good Guys (1968), in which Hale played a truck driver.

Son of Alan Hale and Gretchen Hartman.

Had played a character called "Gilligan" on an episode of Batman (1966).

The house in which he grew up was also directly in back of what was Schwab's Drugstore, a famous Hollywood landmark.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6653 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on 2/8/60.

Frequently visited children in the hospital dressed as "The Skipper".

He addressed Barney Fife as "Little Buddy" in The Farmer Takes a Wife (1962). He used the same nickname for Gilligan two years later.

It was while filming Bullet for a Badman (1964) that he got his casting call for Les joyeux naufragés (1964). He had to ride out of Zion National Park in St. George, Utah, on horseback to the highway and hitchhike to Las Vegas, Nevada to fly out to the interview.

Used to own a travel agency after he closed his restaurant.

As a youngster, he spent many hours on Hollywood studio backlots watching his father work. He also saw other stars of that era at work, one of whom was Oliver Hardy, who was famous for "breaking the fourth wall" - looking in exasperation directly at the camera whenever his partner Stan Laurel would say or do something particularly dimwitted. Later on in Les joyeux naufragés (1964), Hale would do the exact same thing whenever Gilligan would do similar things.

Passed away on 1/2/90, six months after his Les joyeux naufragés (1964) co-star Jim Backus' death.

Attended high school with Mickey Rooney, Nanette Fabray, Joseph Wapner, Alexis Smith and William Schallert.

Had known Bettina Reed Doerr, his first wife, since childhood. They were married for 20 years until their divorce in 1963.

According to Les joyeux naufragés (1964) creator Sherwood Schwartz, he was having trouble casting the right actor for the role of the Skipper. Several had auditioned (including Carroll O'Connor) but Schwartz could not find the right guy. While he was having dinner in a Hollywood restaurant, he noticed Hale dressed in a Civil War uniform, having dinner. Schwartz liked what he saw in Hale and began planning on casting him for the Skipper.

Had been battling thymus cancer for a year before his death.

Before he was a successful actor and a restaurant owner, he was a vacuum cleaner salesman.

The catchphrase "Little Buddy," was taken from one of his real-life father's school friends.

His sister Karen Hale Wookey resided in a Spanish-style mansion behind the Grauman's Chinese Theater, until her passing on September 9, 1998. That house was originally his father's, and was actually the main family's house.

He never retired from acting until his death.

His hobbies are golfing, fishing, cooking, eating out, philanthropy, traveling, spending time with his family, storytelling, and of course, sailing.

His widow, Naomi Hale, passed away on 4/5/08 at age 85.

Through one of Allen Funt's sons, his granddaughter Samantha Hale met his former Les joyeux naufragés (1964) co-star Dawn Wells, and they became friends.

Sometime after his father's death, he dropped the "Jr." and became professionally known as 'Alan Hale'.

Attended and graduated from Hollywood High School, in Hollywood, California (1938).

His father Alan Hale married Gretchen Hartman, in 1914, at the beginning of World War I. The couple had Alan Jr. seven years later.

While playing Ned Brown in The Night of the Sabatini Death (1969), he told a cast member he was going to "relax on my own private desert island", which was followed by a snippet of the Gilligan's Island theme song. His Les joyeux naufragés (1964) co-star Jim Backus was also in this episode and played the character Fabian Swanson.

Had not minded being closely identified with his role on Les joyeux naufragés (1964).

One of a handful of actors to work on two series at the same time (Casey Jones (1957) and The Texan (1958)).

He was never intimidated by his father, or his father's reputation, nor the fact that he resembled him.

Was reunited with classmate William Schallert on an episode of The New Gidget (1986), where he reprised his role as "The Skipper".

Made his Broadway debut in "Caught Wet" and had appeared in seven plays.

Survived by his sister, his wife, four children and three grandchildren.

Had never worked with his father in any of the films.