bobola
12-15-2011, 05:31 PM
One thing I admire most about Alan Hale, Jr. (known best for his role as Skipper Jonas Grumby on the hit 1960s sitcom Gilligans Island) is the fact that in his final years, while battling Cancer, Alan, Jr. refused to prevent his Cancer from working whenever he could.
Among other roles, Alan Hale, Jr., in his final years, appeared alongside little buddy Bob Denver in the 1987 movie Back to the Beach, as well as appearing with Bob & fellow castaways Russell Johnson & Dawn Wells on a Gilligan crossover episode of ALF, also in 1987.
He also appeared, in one of his final TV appearances, months after being diagnosed with Cancer, on a 1987 episode of Growing Pains as Jonas Grumby, the same character he portrayed on Gilligans Island (in a dream sequence lasting most of the episode where Jeremy Miller, as youngest son Ben, has a tonsillectomy and while under, dreams a new Ben takes his place, with the implication that the Skipper became a cabbie after getting off the island).
The son of silent film actor Rufus Alan MacKahan (known professionally as Alan Hale, Sr., pictured in the attached photo with his famous son), Alan Hale MacKahan was born in Los Angeles, California on March 8, 1918.
Alan, Jr. spent years struggling to find fame on his own until after his father, Alan, Sr., died suddenly in 1950, aged 57, of liver failure.
In November 1963, Alan, Jr. was offered the role of Skipper Jonas Grumby on a sitcom pilot that future Brady Bunch creator Sherwood Schwartz conceived called Gilligans Island, the original pilot of which was filmed entirely on location in Hawaii, with the series moving to CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California after being picked up for the Fall 1964 schedule.
Though like Bob Denver he NEVER auditioned for the Skipper, Alan, Jr., per network, made 1 screen test with Bob after both men were cast.
The series was given a 3-year tour on CBS from September 26, 1964 - April 17, 1967. It was renewed for a 4th season in Summer 1967 until CBS President Fred Friendly ordered that Gunsmoke be moved from its traditional Saturday night 10 p.m. slot to Monday nights at 7:30 p.m.; as a result, the Castaways on Gilligans Island were sent home--permanently.
All was not lost, however, as children began watching Gilligan reruns on local syndication during the 1970s and 1980s, and between 1978 and 1981, there were no fewer than 3 reunion telefilms--including one starring the Harlem Globetrotters.
By his own admission in later years, Alan, Jr. relished his role as the Skipper.
At one point, while battling Cancer, Alan, Jr. met a kid who asked about his rapid weight loss, to which he jokingly answered, I will be playing Gilligan in a new Gilligans Island TV show, retaining his sense of humor until January 2, 1990, aged 71, when Alan, Jr. succumbed to Cancer.
After his death, Alan, Jr. was cremated, with his ashes scattered at sea; however, like fellow castaways Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, & Bob Denver, Alan, Jr. lives on thanks to the magic of wherever videos & DVDs are sold, along with reruns on such networks as TBS, TNT, TV Land & Nickelodeon.
Among other roles, Alan Hale, Jr., in his final years, appeared alongside little buddy Bob Denver in the 1987 movie Back to the Beach, as well as appearing with Bob & fellow castaways Russell Johnson & Dawn Wells on a Gilligan crossover episode of ALF, also in 1987.
He also appeared, in one of his final TV appearances, months after being diagnosed with Cancer, on a 1987 episode of Growing Pains as Jonas Grumby, the same character he portrayed on Gilligans Island (in a dream sequence lasting most of the episode where Jeremy Miller, as youngest son Ben, has a tonsillectomy and while under, dreams a new Ben takes his place, with the implication that the Skipper became a cabbie after getting off the island).
The son of silent film actor Rufus Alan MacKahan (known professionally as Alan Hale, Sr., pictured in the attached photo with his famous son), Alan Hale MacKahan was born in Los Angeles, California on March 8, 1918.
Alan, Jr. spent years struggling to find fame on his own until after his father, Alan, Sr., died suddenly in 1950, aged 57, of liver failure.
In November 1963, Alan, Jr. was offered the role of Skipper Jonas Grumby on a sitcom pilot that future Brady Bunch creator Sherwood Schwartz conceived called Gilligans Island, the original pilot of which was filmed entirely on location in Hawaii, with the series moving to CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California after being picked up for the Fall 1964 schedule.
Though like Bob Denver he NEVER auditioned for the Skipper, Alan, Jr., per network, made 1 screen test with Bob after both men were cast.
The series was given a 3-year tour on CBS from September 26, 1964 - April 17, 1967. It was renewed for a 4th season in Summer 1967 until CBS President Fred Friendly ordered that Gunsmoke be moved from its traditional Saturday night 10 p.m. slot to Monday nights at 7:30 p.m.; as a result, the Castaways on Gilligans Island were sent home--permanently.
All was not lost, however, as children began watching Gilligan reruns on local syndication during the 1970s and 1980s, and between 1978 and 1981, there were no fewer than 3 reunion telefilms--including one starring the Harlem Globetrotters.
By his own admission in later years, Alan, Jr. relished his role as the Skipper.
At one point, while battling Cancer, Alan, Jr. met a kid who asked about his rapid weight loss, to which he jokingly answered, I will be playing Gilligan in a new Gilligans Island TV show, retaining his sense of humor until January 2, 1990, aged 71, when Alan, Jr. succumbed to Cancer.
After his death, Alan, Jr. was cremated, with his ashes scattered at sea; however, like fellow castaways Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, & Bob Denver, Alan, Jr. lives on thanks to the magic of wherever videos & DVDs are sold, along with reruns on such networks as TBS, TNT, TV Land & Nickelodeon.