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Russell Johnson
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
Known For
Credits
- 2001 · Surviving Gilligan's Island: The Incredibly True Story of the Longest Three Hour Tour in History as Himself
- 1982 · Gilligan's Planet as
- 1979 · The Rebels as
- 1978 · Rescue from Gilligan's Island as Professor Roy Hinkley, Jr.
- 1978 · The Ghost of Flight 401 as Loft
- 1977 · MacArthur as Admiral King
- 1975 · Three Days of the Condor as Intelligence Officer at Briefing (uncredited)
- 1974 · The New Adventures of Gilligan as
- 1973 · Hawkins as District Attorney
- 1971 · Vanished as Clyde Morehouse
- 1970 · The Movie Murderer as Cliff Thomas
- 1965 · The Greatest Story Ever Told as Scribe
- 1964 · A Distant Trumpet as Captain Brinker
- 1963 · The Greatest Show on Earth as
- 1963 · The Dakotas as
- 1959 · Riverboat as Darius
- 1959 · The Deputy as Albee Beckett
- 1959 · Black Saddle as Marshal Gib Scott
- 1958 · Jefferson Drum as The Sundown Kid
- 1957 · Attack of the Crab Monsters as Hank Chapman
- 1955 · Kings Row as
- 1955 · This Island Earth as Steve Carlson
- 1955 · Many Rivers to Cross as Banks
- 1954 · Black Tuesday as Howard Sloane
- 1954 · Ride Clear of Diablo as Jed Ringer
- 1953 · It Came from Outer Space as George
- 1953 · Law and Order as Jimmy Johnson
- 1953 · Seminole as Lt. Hamilton
- 1952 · Cavalcade of America as Karl Nader
- 1952 · Cavalcade of America as Dan Marshall
- 1952 · The Turning Point as Herman (uncredited)
- 1952 · Loan Shark as Charlie Thompson
- 1952 · Rancho Notorious as Chuck-A-Luck Wheel Spinner (uncredited)
- 1951 · Hallmark Hall of Fame as Lefty
- Future · Stevie and Zoya as Narrator
- 2021 · Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists! as Self (archive footage)
- 2018 · The Gilligan Manifesto as Himself
- 1996 · E! True Hollywood Story as
- 1994 · Space Ghost Coast to Coast as Self
- 1988 · Monsters as
- 1988 · Roseanne as
- 1988 · Blue Movies as Mr. Martin
- 1986 · ALF as Professor Roy Hinkley
- 1985 · MacGyver as Oslow
- 1983 · Off the Wall as Mr. Whitby
- 1982 · Newhart as
- 1982 · Fame as
- 1981 · The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island as Professor
- 1981 · Dynasty as
- 1980 · The Great Skycopter Rescue as Professor Benson
- 1980 · Bosom Buddies as
- 1980 · Beyond Westworld as Patrick
- 1979 · Knots Landing as
- 1979 · The Castaways on Gilligan's Island as Professor
- 1978 · The Bastard as Col. James Barrett
- 1978 · Police Story: No Margin for Error as Captain
- 1977 · Lou Grant as
- 1977 · Nowhere to Hide as Charles Montague
- 1977 · Code R as Ike
- 1977 · Hitch Hike to Hell as Captain J.W. Shaw
- 1976 · Rich Man, Poor Man - Book II as Detective
- 1976 · Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur as Gen. George Stratemeyer
- 1975 · Wonder Woman as Colonel
- 1975 · You Lie So Deep, My Love as The Foreman
- 1975 · Adventures of the Queen as Forbes
- 1975 · The Jeffersons as
- 1974 · Aloha Means Goodbye as Dr. Frank Franklin
- 1974 · The Man from Independence as Linaver
- 1973 · Police Story as
- 1973 · Beg, Borrow...or Steal as Alex Langley
- 1973 · The Horror at 37,000 Feet as Jim Hawley
- 1972 · ABC Afterschool Special as Mr. Calder
- 1971 · McMillan and Wife as Carl Jensen
- 1971 · Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law as Asst D.A. Grant
- 1971 · Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law as Brenton Grant
- 1971 · Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law as Asst. D.A. Grant
- 1971 · Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law as Asst. D.A. Brenton Grant
- 1971 · Cannon as
- 1969 · Cry for Poor Wally as
- 1967 · Mannix as
- 1967 · Ironside as
- 1967 · The Invaders as James Bernard
- 1966 · Felony Squad as
- 1966 · That Girl as
- 1965 · The F.B.I. as Phillip Graham
- 1965 · The F.B.I. as Jim Kellogg
- 1965 · The F.B.I. as Dr. McGregor
- 1964 · Gilligan's Island as Roy "The Professor" Hinkley
- 1963 · The Great Adventure as Narrator (voice)
- 1963 · The Great Adventure as Self - Narrator
- 1963 · Temple Houston as
- 1963 · The Outer Limits as Major Benedict
- 1962 · General Electric True as
- 1961 · Ben Casey as
- 1961 · Ripcord as
- 1960 · Route 66 as Bob Keel
- 1960 · Thriller as Adam Talmadge
- 1959 · The Detectives as
- 1959 · Hawaiian Eye as
- 1959 · Adventures in Paradise as Bowman
- 1959 · The Twilight Zone as Prof. Manion
- 1959 · The Twilight Zone as Pete Corrigan
- 1959 · The DuPont Show with June Allyson as Hugh
- 1959 · The DuPont Show with June Allyson as Tom Richards
- 1959 · Rawhide as Burt Harvey
- 1958 · 77 Sunset Strip as
- 1958 · Lawman as
- 1958 · The Saga of Hemp Brown as Hook
- 1958 · Steve Canyon as Maj. Pitch Hammer
- 1958 · Badman's Country as Sundance
- 1958 · The Space Children as Joe Gamble
- 1957 · Wagon Train as Craig Manson
- 1957 · Courage of Black Beauty as Ben Farraday
- 1957 · Rock All Night as Jigger
- 1957 · Wells Fargo as William Dodd
- 1955 · Alfred Hitchcock Presents as Turk
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Stanger
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Harry Webb
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Diggs
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Link Parrin
- 1955 · Strange Lady in Town as Shadduck
- 1955 · Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki as Eddie Nelson
- 1954 · The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin as Sgt. Stan Powers
- 1954 · Lassie as
- 1954 · Johnny Dark as Emory
- 1953 · Tumbleweed as Lam Blandon
- 1953 · City Detective as
- 1953 · The Stand at Apache River as Greiner
- 1953 · Column South as Biddle
- 1953 · You Are There as
- 1952 · Back at the Front as Johnny Redondo - Smuggler
- 1952 · Adventures of Superman as
- 1952 · Adventures of Superman as Man on Phone in Montage (archive footage)
- 1952 · For Men Only as Ky Walker
- 1950 · Lux Video Theatre as Carter
- 1950 · Lux Video Theatre as Lennigan
- 1949 · The Lone Ranger as Tom Levering