Russell Johnson

Acting • Born 1924-11-10 – Died 2014-01-16

Acting1Ashley, Pennsylvania, USA

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 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

Filmography

141 credits

Rancho Notorious

Movie • 1952

Chuck-A-Luck Wheel Spinner (uncredited)

This Island Earth

Movie • 1955

Steve Carlson

The Greatest Story Ever Told

Movie • 1965

Scribe

Attack of the Crab Monsters

Movie • 1957

Hank Chapman

Black Tuesday

Movie • 1954

Howard Sloane

Rescue from Gilligan's Island

Movie • 1978

Professor Roy Hinkley, Jr.

Hitch Hike to Hell

Movie • 1977

Captain J.W. Shaw

The Horror at 37,000 Feet

Movie • 1973

Jim Hawley

The Turning Point

Movie • 1952

Herman (uncredited)

Seminole

Movie • 1953

Lt. Hamilton

Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki

Movie • 1955

Eddie Nelson

It Came from Outer Space

Movie • 1953

George

Many Rivers to Cross

Movie • 1955

Banks

The Ghost of Flight 401

Movie • 1978

Loft

Loan Shark

Movie • 1952

Charlie Thompson

Surviving Gilligan's Island: The Incredibly True Story of the Longest Three Hour Tour in History

Movie • 2001

Himself

The Man from Independence

Movie • 1974

Linaver

Rock All Night

Movie • 1957

Jigger

The Castaways on Gilligan's Island

Movie • 1979

Professor

Adventures of the Queen

Movie • 1975

Forbes

Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur

Movie • 1976

Gen. George Stratemeyer

Column South

Movie • 1953

Biddle

MacArthur

Movie • 1977

Admiral King

The Saga of Hemp Brown

Movie • 1958

Hook

You Lie So Deep, My Love

Movie • 1975

The Foreman

Courage of Black Beauty

Movie • 1957

Ben Farraday

For Men Only

Movie • 1952

Ky Walker

Police Story: No Margin for Error

Movie • 1978

Captain

Back at the Front

Movie • 1952

Johnny Redondo - Smuggler

Tumbleweed

Movie • 1953

Lam Blandon

Law and Order

Movie • 1953

Jimmy Johnson

The Great Skycopter Rescue

Movie • 1980

Professor Benson

The Movie Murderer

Movie • 1970

Cliff Thomas

Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists!

Movie • 2021

Self (archive footage)

The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island

Movie • 1981

Professor

A Distant Trumpet

Movie • 1964

Captain Brinker

The Stand at Apache River

Movie • 1953

Greiner

Strange Lady in Town

Movie • 1955

Shadduck

Johnny Dark

Movie • 1954

Emory

Off the Wall

Movie • 1983

Mr. Whitby

Ride Clear of Diablo

Movie • 1954

Jed Ringer

Badman's Country

Movie • 1958

Sundance

Beg, Borrow...or Steal

Movie • 1973

Alex Langley

Cry for Poor Wally

Movie • 1969

Blue Movies

Movie • 1988

Mr. Martin

The Gilligan Manifesto

Movie • 2018

Himself

Three Days of the Condor

Movie • 1975

Intelligence Officer at Briefing (uncredited)

The Space Children

Movie • 1958

Joe Gamble

Nowhere to Hide

Movie • 1977

Charles Montague

Aloha Means Goodbye

Movie • 1974

Dr. Frank Franklin

Lou Grant

TV • 1977

The Great Adventure

TV • 1963

Narrator (voice)

77 Sunset Strip

TV • 1958

Gilligan's Planet

TV • 1982

Roy "The Professor" Hinkley (voice)

Fame

TV • 1982

The F.B.I.

TV • 1965

Phillip Graham

Gilligan's Island

TV • 1964

Roy "The Professor" Hinkley

That Girl

TV • 1966

The Jeffersons

TV • 1975

Roseanne

TV • 1988

E! True Hollywood Story

TV • 1996

Hawkins

TV • 1973

District Attorney

Dynasty

TV • 1981

Space Ghost Coast to Coast

TV • 1994

Self

Bosom Buddies

TV • 1980

Mannix

TV • 1967

MacGyver

TV • 1985

Oslow

Knots Landing

TV • 1979

Tim Murphy

The New Adventures of Gilligan

TV • 1974

Professor Roy Hinkley (voice)

Newhart

TV • 1982

Gunsmoke

TV • 1955

Stanger

Wonder Woman

TV • 1975

Colonel

Hawaiian Eye

TV • 1959

Lassie

TV • 1954

Cannon

TV • 1971

ALF

TV • 1986

Professor Roy Hinkley

Hallmark Hall of Fame

TV • 1951

Lefty

Monsters

TV • 1988

The Twilight Zone

TV • 1959

Prof. Manion

Ripcord

TV • 1961

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

TV • 1955

Turk

Rawhide

TV • 1959

Burt Harvey

Police Story

TV • 1973

Thriller

TV • 1960

Adam Talmadge

Lux Video Theatre

TV • 1950

Carter

Adventures of Superman

TV • 1952

Adventures in Paradise

TV • 1959

Bowman

You Are There

TV • 1953

Black Saddle

TV • 1959

Marshal Gib Scott

The Dakotas

TV • 1963

Lawman

TV • 1958

Ben Casey

TV • 1961

Riverboat

TV • 1959

Darius

Vanished

TV • 1971

Clyde Morehouse

Code R

TV • 1977

Ike

Cavalcade of America

TV • 1952

Karl Nader

General Electric True

TV • 1962

City Detective

TV • 1953

Wagon Train

TV • 1957

Craig Manson

The DuPont Show with June Allyson

TV • 1959

Hugh

ABC Afterschool Special

TV • 1972

Mr. Calder

Kings Row

TV • 1955

The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin

TV • 1954

Sgt. Stan Powers

Tales of Wells Fargo

TV • 1957

William Dodd

The Deputy

TV • 1959

Albee Beckett

The Twilight Zone

TV • 1959

Pete Corrigan

Adventures of Superman

TV • 1952

Man on Phone in Montage (archive footage)