Alan Hale's Lobster Barrel Restaurant

"The first thing I'll do when I get back is sink my teeth into a nice juicy steak." Skipper - 1965

After Gilligan's Island was canceled in 1966, Alan Hale Jr. ( "Skipper" ) continued guest starring on numerous television series ( he even starred with Bob Denver in the short-lived series "The Good Guys" in 1969  ), but he ventured into other fields as well.....including opening his own restaurant. This venue was entitled Skipper Alan Hale's Lobster Barrel, and it became a very popular seafood restaurant along N. La Cienega, Hollywood's restaurant row, throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

For fifteen years the Skipper bade welcome to guests eager to sink their teeth in a nice juicy lobster ( steaks were always available too ). Hale loved being associated with his character "The Skipper" from Gilligan's Island and till his death in 1990 he wore the famous seaman's hat and blue-topped deck shoes. New visitors to the Lobster Barrel were often given a hearty table-side greeting by Hale, who always made time to chat with his guests or sign autographs. 

Inside, the restaurant was decked out in wood with palms for decor, resembling a typical seafood house. There was even a tropical bar....Mr. Howell would have appreciated that. 

The Lobster Barrel menu was quite large and offered a wonderful selection of fresh seafood, as well as some rarer specialties such as Bouillabaisse Marseillaise, Paella Valenciana, and Escargot. Soups and salads included the Mariner Salad with Bay Shrimp, French Onion, Lobster Bisque, and Boston Clam Chowder soups. The Skippers Galley featured all the surf-and-turf selections that the Skipper himself would devour : King Crablegs and Steak, Stuffed Shrimp and Steak, Salmon Alfredo, and even Lobster Tail with Steak priced at $17.95. Yes, this was no roadside diner establishment. The menu prices of the 1970s match most major franchise restaurant prices of today, so one can imagine what a high-end restaurant this was. Take the Shrimp and Lobster Newburg, for example, at $15.95, it is the equivalent of $69 in today's money. That's quite a dish of fish! 

In 1982, Alan Hale no longer participated in active ownership of the restaurant, but it continued on as Alan Hale's Lobster Barrel until it closed its doors in 1990. Hale tried his hand at other ventures then, including owning a travel agency ( Anyone want to take a three-hour boat tour? ). He also appeared in several commercials, such as this Ensign Chrysler Plymouth ad in 1986. 

This post is a part of our latest series entitled "Did You Know?".....sometimes we just feel like sharing interesting fragments of television and movie history and now we have a place to do just that. If you have a hot tip that you would like us to share on Silver Scenes, drop us a line!

The Iron Maiden ( 1962 )

Meet The Iron Maiden....vital statistics 28ft - 8ft - 12ft, weight 16 tons....and he loved every inch of her! 

This clever tag line from the poster of The Iron Maiden perfectly captures the true passions of British men. They love cheeky humor and a shapely bird, but when it comes to a finely crafted machinery, women will always take a back seat. In this case, the machinery referred to is a 1914 iron engine, lovingly known by its owner Jack Hopkins ( Michael Craig ) as "The Iron Maiden". 

Hopkins is a passenger airplane designer whose most recent design, a futuristic supersonic airliner, has caught the attention of two rival airline firms. Hopkins has no interest in striking a deal with either firm, because his primary passion is his beloved steam engine, The Iron Maiden. In just a few days the Annual Steam Rally will be taking place, and Hopkins wants to get his engine cleaned and ready for the long journey to Woburn Abbey.

Paul Fisher ( Alan Hale Jr. ), the American owner of TransGlobal Airlines, is especially keen on purchasing the plane but first wants to meet its designer, for he always makes a deal based on the man behind it, not the product itself. 

Unfortunately, upon his arrival in England with his wife and daughter, his first encounter with Mr. Fisher turns out to be a literal smash, when Hopkins crashes his Iron Maiden into Mr. Fisher's new Cadillac. Mr. Fisher is adamant in his dislike for Hopkins, until he steps behind the Iron Maiden himself and helps her win the annual race. 

The Iron Maiden is a genteel British comedy along the lines of Genevieve ( 1953 ) and The Titfield Thunderbolt ( 1953 ), all of them showcasing some great machines and their passionate owners. Unlike these films, The Iron Maiden fails to rally up the audience to root for its main character. This is largely due to miscasting ( where is John Gregson when he is needed? ) and a poor script. The character of Hopkins is thoroughly dogged about letting nothing and no one stop him from winning the traction engine race, to the point where we are anxious to see him fail. 

All British comedies from this era are great fun to watch, so even these down points don't dampen the entertainment very much, especially since there are some great location shots of England's countryside, the Henley regatta.....and, of course, traction engines. Network's DVD release of The Iron Maiden is beautifully transferred and in vibrant color, and it is always great to see Alan Hale Jr., who was making one of his few film appearances of the 1960s. Also in the cast are Noel Purcell, Ann Helm, Jeff Donnell, Cecil Parker, Roland Culver, and Joan Sims. 

Check out the Bedford Steam Engine Preservation Society's website which features photos from the 2011 show with a rally theme saluting the film "The Iron Maiden".