Surprising Stories from the Set of Gilligan’s Island

Alan Hale Jr. was in the middle of a Utah movie shoot when he got word to rush to Los Angeles for a screen test. Instead of waiting around, he hopped on a horse, rode to the nearest highway, and stuck out his thumb like a true adventurer.

He managed to hitchhike all the way to Las Vegas and then catch a flight to L.A., where he tested with Bob Denver. That wild, determined journey helped land him the iconic role of the Skipper—proving he was just as resourceful off-screen as he was on Gilligan’s Island.