Russell Johnson
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Russell David Johnson (November 10, 1924 – January 16, 2014) was an American actor, best known for his role as Professor Roy Hinkley in Gilligan's Island. Military career
After graduating from high school, Johnson enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces as an aviation cadet. On completing his training, he was commissioned a second lieutenant. He flew 44 combat missions in the Pacific Theater during World War II as a bombardier in B-25 twin-engined medium bombers.
On March 4, 1945, while flying as a navigator in a B-25 with the 100th Bombardment Squadron, 42nd Bombardment Group, 13th Air Force, his B-25 and two others were shot down during a low-level bombing and strafing run against Japanese military targets in the Philippine Islands. The B-25s encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire, and all three had to ditch in the sea off Zamboanga. Johnson broke both ankles in the landing, and his bomber's co-pilot was killed. Johnson received a Purple Heart for his injuries. He was also awarded the Air Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three campaign stars, the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one campaign star, and the World War II Victory Medal.
After Japan's surrender, Johnson was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant on November 22, 1945. He joined the United States Air Force Reserve and used the G.I. Bill to pay for his acting studies at the Actors' Lab in Hollywood. While there, he met actress Kay Cousins (1923–1980), whom he married in 1949.
His early roles were primarily in Westerns such as Rancho Notorious (1952, starring Marlene Dietrich), Seminole (1953), Law and Order (1953, opposite Ronald Reagan), and Badman's Country (1958), and science fiction films such as It Came from Outer Space (1953), This Island Earth (1955), Attack of the Crab Monsters (1956), and The Space Children (1958). He also appeared in a Ma and Pa Kettle vehicle, Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki (1955), as well as in Roger Corman's rock-'n'-roll crime drama Rock All Night (1957). In 1955, he had a role in Many Rivers to Cross along with Alan Hale Jr., later as the Skipper from Gilligan's Island.
"The Professor" on Gilligan's Island
Johnson was best known for playing Professor Roy Hinkley (usually called the "Professor"), the very knowledgeable polymath who could build all sorts of inventions out of the most rudimentary materials available on the island. As Johnson himself pointed out, though, he could not fix the hole in the boat. In the first episode of the show, the radio announcer describes the Professor as a research scientist and well-known scoutmaster. Gilligan's Island aired from 1964-67, but has been shown in reruns continuously ever since. CLR
Acted in
Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists!
2021
as Self (archive footage)
The Gilligan Manifesto
2018
as Himself
Surviving Gilligan's Island: The Incredibly True Story of the Longest Three Hour Tour in History
2001
as Himself
E! True Hollywood Story
1996
Monsters
1988
Roseanne
1988
Blue Movies
1988
as Mr. Martin
ALF
1986
as Professor Roy Hinkley
MacGyver
1985
as Oslow
Off the Wall
1983
as Mr. Whitby
Newhart
1982
Gilligan's Planet
1982
as Roy "The Professor" Hinkley (voice)
Fame
1982
The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island
1981
as Professor
Dynasty
1981
The Great Skycopter Rescue
1980
as Professor Benson
Bosom Buddies
1980
Beyond Westworld
1980
as Patrick
Knots Landing
1979
as Tim Murphy
The Rebels
1979
The Castaways on Gilligan's Island
1979
as Professor
Rescue from Gilligan's Island
1978
as Professor Roy Hinkley, Jr.
The Bastard
1978
as Col. James Barrett
Police Story: No Margin for Error
1978
as Captain
The Ghost of Flight 401
1978
as Loft
Lou Grant
1977
MacArthur
1977
as Admiral King
Nowhere to Hide
1977
as Charles Montague
Code R
1977
as Ike
Hitch Hike to Hell
1977
as Captain J.W. Shaw
Rich Man, Poor Man - Book II
1976
as Detective
Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur
1976
as Gen. George Stratemeyer
Wonder Woman
1975
as Colonel
Three Days of the Condor
1975
as Intelligence Officer at Briefing (uncredited)
You Lie So Deep, My Love
1975
as The Foreman
Adventures of the Queen
1975
as Forbes
The Jeffersons
1975
Aloha Means Goodbye
1974
as Dr. Frank Franklin
The New Adventures of Gilligan
1974
as Professor Roy Hinkley (voice)
The Man from Independence
1974
as Linaver
Beg, Borrow...or Steal
1973
as Alex Langley
Police Story
1973
Hawkins
1973
as District Attorney
The Horror at 37,000 Feet
1973
as Jim Hawley
ABC Afterschool Special
1972
as Mr. Calder
McMillan & Wife
1971
as Carl Jensen
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
1971
as Asst D.A. Grant
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
1971
as Asst. D.A. Grant
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
1971
as Brenton Grant
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
1971
as Asst. D.A. Brenton Grant
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
1971
as Prosecutor
Cannon
1971
Vanished
1971
as Clyde Morehouse
The Movie Murderer
1970
as Cliff Thomas
Cry for Poor Wally
1969
Mannix
1967
Ironside
1967
as Martin Lucas
The Invaders
1967
as James Bernard
Felony Squad
1966
That Girl
1966
The F.B.I.
1965
as Phillip Graham
The F.B.I.
1965
as Jim Kellogg
The F.B.I.
1965
as Dr. McGregor
The Greatest Story Ever Told
1965
as Scribe
Gilligan's Island
1964
as Roy "The Professor" Hinkley
A Distant Trumpet
1964
as Captain Brinker
The Great Adventure
1963
as Narrator (voice)
The Great Adventure
1963
as Self - Narrator
Temple Houston
1963
The Greatest Show on Earth
1963
The Outer Limits
1963
as Major Benedict
The Dakotas
1963
General Electric True
1962
Ben Casey
1961
Ripcord
1961
Route 66
1960
as Bob Keel
Thriller
1960
as Adam Talmadge
The Detectives
1959
as Lee
Hawaiian Eye
1959
Adventures in Paradise
1959
as Bowman
The Twilight Zone
1959
as Prof. Manion
The Twilight Zone
1959
as Pete Corrigan
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
1959
as Hugh
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
1959
as Tom Richards
Riverboat
1959
as Darius
The Deputy
1959
as Albee Beckett
Black Saddle
1959
as Marshal Gib Scott
Rawhide
1959
as Burt Harvey
77 Sunset Strip
1958
Lawman
1958
The Saga of Hemp Brown
1958
as Hook
Steve Canyon
1958
as Maj. Pitch Hammer
Badman's Country
1958
as Sundance
The Space Children
1958
as Joe Gamble
Jefferson Drum
1958
as The Sundown Kid
Wagon Train
1957
as Craig Manson
Courage of Black Beauty
1957
as Ben Farraday
Rock All Night
1957
as Jigger
Tales of Wells Fargo
1957
as William Dodd
Attack of the Crab Monsters
1957
as Hank Chapman
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as Turk
Kings Row
1955
Gunsmoke
1955
as Stanger
Gunsmoke
1955
as Harry Webb
Gunsmoke
1955
as Diggs
Gunsmoke
1955
as Link Parrin
This Island Earth
1955
as Steve Carlson
Strange Lady in Town
1955
as Shadduck
Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki
1955
as Eddie Nelson
Many Rivers to Cross
1955
as Banks
Black Tuesday
1954
as Howard Sloane
The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin
1954
as Sgt. Stan Powers
Lassie
1954
Johnny Dark
1954
as Emory
Ride Clear of Diablo
1954
as Jed Ringer
Tumbleweed
1953
as Lam Blandon
City Detective
1953
The Stand at Apache River
1953
as Greiner
It Came from Outer Space
1953
as George
Column South
1953
as Biddle
Law and Order
1953
as Jimmy Johnson
Seminole
1953
as Lt. Hamilton
You Are There
1953
Back at the Front
1952
as Johnny Redondo - Smuggler
Cavalcade of America
1952
as Karl Nader
Cavalcade of America
1952
as Dan Marshall
Adventures of Superman
1952
Adventures of Superman
1952
as Man on Phone in Montage (archive footage)
The Turning Point
1952
as Herman (uncredited)
Loan Shark
1952
as Charlie Thompson
Rancho Notorious
1952
as Chuck-A-Luck Wheel Spinner (uncredited)
For Men Only
1952
as Ky Walker
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Lefty
Lux Video Theatre
1950
as Carter
Lux Video Theatre
1950
as Lennigan
The Lone Ranger
1949
as Tom Levering
Stevie and Zoya
as Narrator