It was interesting seeing Alan Hale on The Andy Griffith Show on TV Land tonight. I'm borrowing TV Land's episode summary, which explains it as well as I could and gives the original airdate too:

Show: Andy Griffith Show
Episode: 45.: The Farmer Takes a Wife

Air Date: 01-01-62. A gregarious farmer comes to town to choose a wife. Unfortunately for Barney, he chooses Thelma Lou. *Guest Star: Alan Hale Jr. plays farmer, Jeff Pruitt, but he is better known as the Skipper on "Gilligan's Island". Notice how Pruitt refers to Barney as "little buddy" in this episode. TV-G

So Gilligan wasn't the first guy that he called "Little Buddy". :)

That was an interesting episode. I've also seen Alan's work on Green Acres, Gunsmoke, and The Wild Wild West recently.

I always liked him on Mister Ed. He plays a snobish rich type. Now where have I seen that before? ;)