Russell Johnson
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- November 10, 1924
- Died
- January 16, 2014 (aged 89)
- Birthplace
- Ashley, 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
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Stevie and Zoya
TV · as Narrator
The Unknown Story
TV · as Self - archive footage · 1 ep
Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists!
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Gilligan Manifesto
Movie · as Himself
Surviving Gilligan's Island: The Incredibly True Story of the Longest Three Hour Tour in History
Movie · as Himself
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie
Movie · as Steve Carlson (archive footage)
E! True Hollywood Story
TV · 1 ep
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Blue Movies
Movie · as Mr. Martin
Robotech II: The Sentinels
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Roseanne
TV · 1 ep
Monsters
TV · as Jeffrey · 1 ep
ALF
TV · as Roy Hinkley · 1 ep
MacGyver
TV · as Oslow · 1 ep
Off the Wall
Movie · as Mr. Whitby
Buffalo Bill
TV · as Dr. Murphy · 1 ep
Gilligan's Planet
TV · as Roy "The Professor" Hinkley (voice) · 13 eps
Fame
TV · 1 ep
Newhart
TV · as Beaver Lodge Member
The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island
Movie · as Professor
Dynasty
TV · 3 eps
The Great Skycopter Rescue
Movie · as Professor Benson
Bosom Buddies
TV · 1 ep
Beyond Westworld
TV · as Patrick · 2 eps
The Castaways on Gilligan's Island
Movie · as Professor
Knots Landing
TV · as Tim Murphy · 1 ep
Rescue from Gilligan's Island
Movie · as Professor Roy Hinkley, Jr.
The Ghost of Flight 401
Movie · as Loft
Police Story: No Margin for Error
Movie · as Captain
The Bastard
TV · as Col. James Barrett · 1 ep
Hitch Hike to Hell
Movie · as Captain J.W. Shaw
MacArthur
Movie · as Admiral King
Nowhere to Hide
Movie · as Charles Montague
Lou Grant
TV · 1 ep
Code R
TV · as Ike · 1 ep
Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur
Movie · as Gen. George Stratemeyer
Rich Man, Poor Man - Book II
TV · as Detective · 2 eps
Adventures of the Queen
Movie · as Forbes
You Lie So Deep, My Love
Movie · as The Foreman
Three Days of the Condor
Movie · as Intelligence Officer at Briefing (uncredited)
The Jeffersons
TV · 2 eps
Wonder Woman
TV · as Colonel · 1 ep
The Man from Independence
Movie · as Linaver
Aloha Means Goodbye
Movie · as Dr. Frank Franklin
The New Adventures of Gilligan
TV · as Professor Roy Hinkley (voice) · 32 eps
The Horror at 37,000 Feet
Movie · as Jim Hawley
Beg, Borrow...or Steal
Movie · as Alex Langley
Hawkins
TV · as District Attorney · 1 ep
Police Story
TV · 1 ep
ABC Afterschool Special
TV · as Mr. Calder · 1 ep
Cannon
TV · 2 eps
Vanished
TV · as Clyde Morehouse · 2 eps
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
TV · as Asst D.A. Grant, Asst. D.A. Grant, Brenton Grant, Asst. D.A. Brenton Grant, Prosecutor, DA Grant · 23 eps
McMillan & Wife
TV · as Carl Jensen · 1 ep
The Movie Murderer
Movie · as Cliff Thomas
Cry for Poor Wally
Movie
Mannix
TV · 1 ep
The Invaders
TV · as James Bernard · 1 ep
Ironside
TV · as Martin Lucas · 1 ep
That Girl
TV · 2 eps
Felony Squad
TV · as Tye Laughlin · 1 ep
Hollywood Squares
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Greatest Story Ever Told
Movie · as Scribe
The F.B.I.
TV · as Phillip Graham, Jim Kellogg, Dr. McGregor · 1 ep
A Distant Trumpet
Movie · as Captain Brinker
Gilligan's Island
TV · as Professor · 98 eps
The Great Adventure
TV · as Narrator (voice), Self - Narrator · 1 ep
The Dakotas
TV · 1 ep
The Outer Limits
TV · as Major Benedict · 1 ep
Temple Houston
TV · 1 ep
The Greatest Show on Earth
TV · as Dr. Arnold Andrews · 1 ep
General Electric True
TV · 1 ep
Ripcord
TV · 1 ep
Ben Casey
TV · 1 ep
Thriller
TV · as Adam Talmadge · 1 ep
Route 66
TV · as Bob Keel · 1 ep
Hawaiian Eye
TV · 1 ep
The Twilight Zone
TV · as Prof. Manion, Pete Corrigan · 1 ep
Rawhide
TV · as Burt Harvey · 1 ep
Adventures in Paradise
TV · as Bowman · 1 ep
Black Saddle
TV · as Marshal Gib Scott · 44 eps
Riverboat
TV · as Darius · 1 ep
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
TV · as Hugh, Tom Richards · 1 ep
The Deputy
TV · as Albee Beckett · 1 ep
The Detectives
TV · as Lee · 1 ep
Laramie
TV · as Bob Murkland · 1 ep
The Saga of Hemp Brown
Movie · as Hook
Badman's Country
Movie · as Sundance
The Space Children
Movie · as Joe Gamble
77 Sunset Strip
TV · 1 ep
Lawman
TV · 1 ep
Jefferson Drum
TV · as The Sundown Kid · 1 ep
Steve Canyon
TV · as Maj. Pitch Hammer · 1 ep
Attack of the Crab Monsters
Movie · as Hank Chapman
Rock All Night
Movie · as Jigger
Courage of Black Beauty
Movie · as Ben Farraday
Wagon Train
TV · as Craig Manson, Major Dan Marriott, Steve Marshall · 1 ep
Tales of Wells Fargo
TV · as William Dodd · 1 ep
This Island Earth
Movie · as Steve Carlson
Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki
Movie · as Eddie Nelson
Many Rivers to Cross
Movie · as Banks
Strange Lady in Town
Movie · as Shadduck
Gunsmoke
TV · as Stanger, Harry Webb, Diggs, Link Parrin · 1 ep
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
TV · as Turk · 1 ep
Kings Row
TV · 1 ep
Crossroads
TV · as Jack Fromer · 1 ep
Black Tuesday
Movie · as Howard Sloane
Johnny Dark
Movie · as Emory
Ride Clear of Diablo
Movie · as Jed Ringer
Lassie
TV · 4 eps
The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin
TV · as Sgt. Stan Powers · 1 ep
Seminole
Movie · as Lt. Hamilton
It Came from Outer Space
Movie · as George
Column South
Movie · as Biddle
Tumbleweed
Movie · as Lam Blandon
Law and Order
Movie · as Jimmy Johnson
The Stand at Apache River
Movie · as Greiner
You Are There
TV · 1 ep
City Detective
TV · 1 ep
Rancho Notorious
Movie · as Chuck-A-Luck Wheel Spinner (uncredited)
The Turning Point
Movie · as Herman (uncredited)
Loan Shark
Movie · as Charlie Thompson
For Men Only
Movie · as Ky Walker
Back at the Front
Movie · as Johnny Redondo - Smuggler
Adventures of Superman
TV · as Man on Phone in Montage (archive footage) · 1 ep
Cavalcade of America
TV · as Karl Nader, Dan Marshall · 1 ep
Hallmark Hall of Fame
TV · as Lefty · 1 ep
Lux Video Theatre
TV · as Carter, Lennigan · 1 ep
The Lone Ranger
TV · as Tom Levering · 1 ep