Before Gilligan's Island, Alan Hale Jr. Played A Bizarro Skipper In An Adventure Series
by Joe Roberts · /FilmAdd SlashFilm on Google:
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If you're a "Gilligan's Island" fan who's ever delved into the filmography of Skipper actor Alan Hale Jr., you'll know it to be a treasure trove of mid-20th Century film and TV both beloved and forgotten. Not only did Hale Jr. appear in classics such as Gregory Peck's best Western "The Gunfighter," he had roles in all sorts of forgotten curios. Take, for example, the time he played a bizarre inversion of the Skipper on the adventure series "Adventures in Paradise," which was popular enough at the time but is tough to track down in its entirety today.
The Skipper actor began his career in the 1940s but started to find significant success in the '50s. Not only did Hale Jr. front his own TV shows in "Biff Baker, U.S.A." and "Casey Jones," he appeared opposite such stars as John Wayne and Kirk Douglas. By the end of the decade he was working consistently on both the small and silver screen, and by 1964 would find widespread fame as Captain Jonas Grumby on "Gilligan's Island."
Before making his debut as the lovable Skipper forced to put up with Bob Denver's antics, however, he appeared in "Adventures in Paradise." Those unfamiliar with his portrayal of Captain Butcher in two episodes of the ABC adventure series might initially be under the impression that his appearances were some sort of lost "Gilligan's Island" episodes. After all, not only did he play a skipper in the South Pacific — the same place where Gilligan's Isle was said to be located — he wore almost the exact same wardrobe he later donned as Captain Grumby.
Alan Hale Jr.'s first guest spot on Adventures in Paradise has been lost
"Adventures in Paradise" ran for 91 hour-long episodes on ABC from 1959 to 1962 and starred Gardner McKay as Adam Troy, a Korean War veteran who captains the 85-foot schooner the Tiki. The series sees Troy sail the South Pacific Ocean from his base in Papeete, Tahiti, in search of adventure — which he frequently finds in the form of run-ins with smugglers and romantic conquests. Like Alan Hale Jr.'s Skipper after him, Troy also has a first-mate. Several, in fact. During the series' three-season run he's accompanied on his seafaring exploits by Clay Baker (James Holden), Chris Parker (Guy Stockwell) and Oliver Wendell Kee (Weaver Levy).
It was during the Holden era that Hale Jr. first appeared on the show. Season 2, Episode 19, "Captain Butcher," saw the actor portray the eponymous skipper in an episode that's unfortunately been lost until ABC gives the series an official re-release. "Adventures in Paradise" is available in parts, scattered across the internet and on dodgy DVD sets. Hale Jr.'s debut on the show, however, is very hard to come by (a fan website lists it as missing and "eagerly hoped to find"). Happily, his second appearance on the show can be seen for those willing to look.
Hale Jr. had three different "Gunsmoke" guest roles and played a different character each time. With "Adventures in Paradise," however, he reprised the role of Captain Butcher in Season 2, Episode 26, "The Serpent in the Garden." Despite being dressed almost exactly like Captain Jonas Grumby he's not the lovable figure audiences remember from "Gilligan's Island."
Alan Hale Jr. faced off against Gardner McKay in a Season 2 episode of Adventures in Paradise
"The Serpent in the Garden" begins with Adam Troy and his passenger, Virgie Shackleford (Marilyn Maxwell) getting caught in a storm which sends them overboard, along with their cargo. Captain Butcher, who's partial to the odd drink, learns that their cargo was made up of 63 cases of alcohol and sets off on a "rescue mission" with his eye on the booze. After Butcher tries to take ownership of half the jettisoned cargo, Troy confronts him and the pair have it out. It's sort of strange to see the Skipper being manhandled in what is a surprisingly intense fight scene for a show of this kind. What's more, even after his beating, Captain Butcher doesn't back down, forcing Troy to carry out a more ingenious scheme that eventually sees the Captain get what's coming to him.
Captain Butcher certainly wasn't the jovial figure Hale Jr. ended up portraying on "Gilligan's Island." But he was jolly in his own way — partly because Hale Jr. couldn't help but radiate a warm charm and partly because he was sozzled for most of the episode. Still, he was a bad guy, and it's interesting to see Hale Jr. play what is essentially a villainous twist on Captain Jonas Grumby.
Also interesting is the fact the production of "Adventures in Paradise" shared much in common with "Gilligan's Island." Gardner McKay's series was shot on the 20th Century Fox backlot where large portions of the space were transformed into island sets. "Gilligan's Island" was filmed at the CBS Studio Center and also saw the backlot transformed into an island oasis that stood until the mid-1990s. "Adventures in Paradise," however, lasted three seasons before being canceled.