Gilligan's Island's Alan Hale Jr. Appeared In This Forgotten '70s Disney Crime Comedy

CBS

For a couple of decades, roughly between 1959 and 1983, Walt Disney Productions was a reliable producer of family-friendly entertainment. They made zany comedies like "The Shaggy Dog," "The Absent-Minded Professor," and "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes." These weren't classics, but they generally appealed to all family members and were refreshingly wholesome at a time when filmmakers were reflecting an increasingly violent era. This might sound like coddling, but sometimes parents just want to whisk their kids away from the world's troubles for two hours.

Given the modest ambitions of these movies, they didn't attract the biggest stars in the industry. You might occasionally get, say, Elliott Gould in "The Last Flight of Noah's Ark," but more often the lead would be someone on par with Edward Herrmann in "The North Avenue Irregulars." Herrmann was a tremendously talented actor, but the Disney brand was the main selling point.

Unless you're a moviegoer of a certain age, this is probably the first time you're hearing of "The North Avenue Irregulars." Directed by Bruce Bilson, the film centers on the new minister (Herrmann) of the North Avenue Presbyterian Church, and his efforts to combat local organized crime with the help of his congregation. It's pedestrian stuff that's enlivened by a colorful supporting cast that includes Cloris Leachman, Barbara Harris, Patsy Kelly, and, in a very small role, Alan Hale, Jr. The Skipper may appear briefly, but he does play a pivotal part in the plot.

Walt Disney Productions

The trouble in "The North Avenue Irregulars" begins when the degenerate gambler husband of a church member bets the house of worship's entire sinking fund on a horse race. The bookie with whom the hubby has placed the bet is named Harry the Hat, and he's played with all due shadiness by Hale. Harry convinces the pastor to stick with the bet, which, of course, is a loser. After this, Herrmann goes on a crusade against the local gangsters, which turns into a war between churchgoers and mafiosi.

"The North Avenue Irregulars" was based on a true story, but I have a feeling that, in reality, the conflict was not resolved by a demolition derby in a parking lot. Unfortunately, the film received mostly negative reviews (Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert called it "mediocre"), and performed poorly at the box office. I wouldn't say it's worth watching, unless you're a "Gilligan's Island" completist. If so, you should also check out Bilson's "The Wackiest Wagon Trail in the West," which is four episodes of Bob Denver's short-lived Western sitcom "Dusty's Trail" artlessly stapled together (Bilson shares directing credits with Jack Arnold, Earl Bellamy, and Oscar Rudolph). I can imagine worse double features, but not many.