Alan Hale

Alan Hale, Sr. was an American movie actor and director, most widely remembered for his many supporting character roles, in particular as frequent sidekick of Errol Flynn. His wife of over thirty years was Gretchen Hartman, a child actress and silent film player and mother of their three children. He was the father of actor Alan Hale, Jr., best known as "the Skipper" on television's Gilligan's Island.

Hale was born Rufus Edward Mackahan in Washington, D.C. His first film role was in the 1911 silent movie The Cowboy and the Lady. He played "Little John" in the 1922 film Robin Hood, with Douglas Fairbanks and Wallace Beery, reprised the role sixteen years later in The Adventures of Robin Hood with Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone, then played him yet again in Rogues of Sherwood Forest in 1950 with Bo Derek's future husband John Derek as Robin Hood, 28 years after his initial performance.

His other films include Fog Over Frisco, The Little Minister, and It Happened One Night with Clark Gable, all released in 1934; the 1937 remake of Stella Dallas; High, Wide, and Handsome; The Fighting 69th with James Cagney; They Drive By Night with George Raft, Ann Sheridan, Ida Lupino, and Humphrey Bogart; Manpower with Edward G. Robinson, Marlene Dietrich, and George Raft; and as the cantankerous Sgt. McGee in the 1943 movie This Is the Army with George Murphy and Ronald Reagan.

Hale directed eight movies during the 1920s and 1930s and acted in 235 theatrical films.