Alan Hale Jr. Biography

Fast Facts

• Was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to television in 1960
• While receiving care for his thymus cancer in the 1980s, he would frequently don his Skipper's cap and visit children who were staying in the same hospital
• Enlisted in the U․S․ Coast Guard during World War II
• First appeared as an infant in the silent period of films and made his official acting debut at the age of 10 in the Broadway play "Caught Wet․"
• Was always willing to reprise his role as the Skipper, and did so in three television films, two animated series, two other unrelated sitcoms, and in promotions for reruns of the show on TBS
• Best known for his role as Jonas "The Skipper" Grumby on "Gilligan's Island" and as the title character of "Biff Baker, U․S․A․"
• Was often cast as physical men like soldiers, cowboys, and football players and subsequently became a staple of Westerns and military dramas
• Opened a seafood restaurant called the Lobster Barrel in Los Angeles, where he would often dress as the Skipper and serve as a host