Actor Alan Hale Jr., who appeared in 65 films but was best known for playing the jovial skipper who led a zany band of castaways on television's "Gilligan's Island," has died of cancer.
He died Tuesday at St. Vincent's Hospital, where he had been hospitalized for cancer, said Bonnie Churchill, a spokeswoman for Hale's family. She said he had been hospitalized about a month after being diagnosed with the disease a year ago.The family said Hale was 68, but reference books showed he was 71.
Bob Denver, who played Gilligan on the series, said Hale reveled in his worldwide fame as "the Skipper" and never tired of playing the role in public.
"He enjoyed every single minute of it," said Denver, who made personal appearances with Hale as recently as six months ago. "He wore his skipper's hat all the time."
The actor was to be cremated and his ashes scattered at sea by the Neptune Society on Saturday.
Hale appeared in 65 movies but became a fixture on afternoon television thanks to the widely successful syndication of "Gilligan's Island." The show ran in prime time from 1964 to 1967 before going into syndication.
Hale played a charter boat skipper whose craft, the Minnow, was lost at sea and wrecked on an uncharted South Pacific island. The show followed the misadventures of the passengers.
"He was a great guy and a great physical comic," Denver said. "He was so strong that I could run across the stage and he could catch me like a feather. That's what made our comedy so great."