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His first important roles were as a member of Gene Autry`s recurring cast of players. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, he frequently appeared in Autry movies and The Gene Autry Show on TV. He also starred in television series, such as 1952-53`s Biff Baker U.S.A.. He later played the lead role in classic western series Casey Jones (TV series) (32 B&W episodes of 25 mins from 1957-1958) and The Good Guys (1968-70). In 1962, Hale also appeared on The Andy Griffith Show as Jeff Pruitt, a rough, back-woods bachelor who comes to Mayberry to find a bride. In the episode, he refers to Barney Fife more than once as "little buddy," a nickname he would later use in his most famous and beloved role, that of the Skipper on Gilligan`s Island, which ran from 1964 to 1967.
During his very long and successful career, he was noted for his fine supporting character roles in such movies as Up Periscope,The fifth Musketeer, The Lady Takes a Flyer, The Giant Spider Invasion, Hang `Em High with Clint Eastwood and The West Point Story.
Hale died on January 2, 1990 from respiratory failure due to cancer of the thymus. A resident of Hollywood, California in his final years, Hale was at St. Vincent`s Medical Center in Los Angeles at the time of his death.
The popularity of Gilligan`s Island typecast its actors, making it difficult for them to successfully pursue diversified acting opportunites. However, Hale often said he did not mind being so closely identified with the Skipper. He owned a restaurant in the Beverly Hills area ("Alan Hale`s Lobster House") and would often greet customers in his "Skipper" hat.
Hale was known for his great love of children. When he was dying of cancer, he learned there was a sick child in the same hospital who loved the show. He went to see the boy and said "The Skipper`s here, son, everything is going to be all right."
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