The perfect pal
There are many reasons why I like to watch movies that date before the 1960s, not the least of which are the great character actors. One of the greats had to be Alan Hale. For the most part, he played just one character -- a jovial, dependable buddy with a lust for all that is good and entertaining. If he wasn't the first in a long line of side-kicks, then he was certainly an archetype. He was so good at it he "played either a supporting role or a cameo in 12 of his friend and fellow actor Errol Flynn's films" (IMDb). Who can forget seeing him as Little John next to Flynn as Robin Hood in 1938s The Adventures of Robin Hood? Hale was no mere stock player, but a true delight in every role he took.