How many times have you watched Gilligan's Island and said, "Okay, they definitely should have gotten off the island by now." After three seasons and countless near misses and might-have-been, it almost seems like they wanted to stay on that island. We're looking at you, Professor Roy Hinkley! How can you call yourself an inventor if you can't even invent a device to successfully get off that island? That man-made nitroglycerine before he made a proper escape route. 

All of this to say that we'd like to nominate a new man to take the Professor's place, as well as the mantle of island inventor: Alan Hale Sr. 

While you may remember The Skipper's father as a man of his own acting merit, with films like the 1922 film Robin Hood and It Happened One Night (1934), you may not know that he was also apparently an inventor. According to a 1935 edition of Popular Mechanics Magazine, Hale was involved in the creation of a new kind of chair.

See More

Gilligan's IslandAlan Hale Jr.1960s

Alan Hale Jr. was constantly mistaken for his father in the '60s

The magazine stated, "Perfected by Alan Hale, veteran screen actor, a sliding theater chair allows spectators to push their seats backward instead of rising when latecomers arrive." According to Old Familiar Faces: The Great Character Actors and Actresses of Hollywood's Golden Era, written by Robert A. Juran, Hale was listed as a "successful inventor."

A 1950 Variety article also lists Hale's accomplishments after his death. It reads, "He [Hale] was also an inventor and promoter of inventions, in addition to acting chores. Among products he invented or financed were folding theatre seats, improved auto breaks [sic], hand fire extinguishers, and a formula for greaseless potato chips."

So step aside, Professor, our pal Alan Hale Sr. is here to save the day, and probably enjoy some greaseless potato chips while he does it! Now if only we could figure out a way to get him onto the island...