This story I took from Mike Rowe’s book based on his podcast series, though I edited it a bit to make it shorter and added the moral and, obviously, the prayer. I like the story a lot and it lends itself to a good lesson, but I was afraid that the reveal wouldn’t be very meaningful since the main character is from another era of TV and movies. There were a surprising number of Sailors who knew the guy, however, making it worth the effort. I hope that most of you reading this now will know him too, and appreciate the story.
A promise made is a debt unpaid.
Al was in a hurry and on a tight deadline. He had to be in Los Angeles by 9am and it was 630pm where he was in St. George, Utah. So he spurred his horse from the set of “Bullet for a Badman” and rode to the nearest highway, and there hitched a ride. The truck driver who picked him up thought he recognized Al, but hadn’t seen any of the movies he’d had a role in—even the ones with Errol Flynn, James Garner, John Wayne, and James Cagney.
It didn’t really bother Al that the driver didn’t recognize who he was, he only wanted to work so he could provide for his wife and four children. That was the only reason he was making this crazy trip to LA in the first place. He was going to audition for a steady job playing the role of Jonas Grumby on a new show for CBS. His agent said that he looked like a Jonas Grumby.
The truck took Al as far as Las Vegas, where he spent the night in the airport and caught the first flight to Burbank, CA, landing a half hour before his audition time. The cabbie who drove him to the studio thought he recognized Al, but he hadn’t seen “Home Town Story” with Marilyn Monroe or “Battle Hymn” with Rock Hudson.
Al arrived at the studio just in time to glance at the lines he’d already memorized and meet the man he’d be reading them with, a skinny kid with a funny hat. Someone yelled “action!” and the rest is history.
No one would ever again wonder where they’d seen Al’s face. Thanks to his audition and five decades of syndication his face would be seared into every American’s memory. Jonas Grumby would accumulate more screen time than all of Al’s movie costars combined.
His character’s name was changed after the show’s pilot episode to the title by which he was called for the rest of his life. Alan Hale Jr.’s 12-hour odyssey from St. George, Utah to LA, California had earned him a 3-hour tour to a deserted island where he was known as “the skipper.” Even though the real boss was the skinny kid with a funny hat named “Gilligan.”
Alan Hale Jr. made such a risky trip from a paying gig to an unlikely audition because he knew that a “promise made is a debt unpaid,” and he’d promised to take care of his family. We should take a moment from time to time to think about the promises that we’ve made to family, to friends, to shipmates, and to ourselves. How well are we keeping those promises? Are we leaving any debts unpaid?
LET US PRAY
Lord, remind us tonight of our debts, and help us to keep and fulfill our promises. Most of the time it takes far less effort than a 12-hour trip by horse, truck, plane, and taxicab, and yet we fail nevertheless to be faithful to our promises. Forgive us our failures, Lord, and give us the strength and courage to honor our commitments each and every day. For You, our God, are faithful always, now and forever and to the ages of ages.
AMEN
An Orthodox Priest Abroad 