Russell Johnson
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1924-11-10
Place of Birth
Ashley, Pennsylvania, USA
Russell Johnson
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
Also Known For
Rancho Notorious
Mar 06, 1952
This Island Earth
Jun 01, 1955
The Greatest Story Ever Told
Apr 09, 1965
The Bastard
May 22, 1978
Attack of the Crab Monsters
Feb 10, 1957
Black Tuesday
Dec 31, 1954
Rescue from Gilligan's Island
Oct 14, 1978
Hitch Hike to Hell
Jan 01, 1977
The Horror at 37,000 Feet
Feb 13, 1973
The Turning Point
Jul 12, 1952
Seminole
Mar 20, 1953
Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki
Apr 01, 1955
It Came from Outer Space
Jun 05, 1953
Many Rivers to Cross
Feb 04, 1955
The Ghost of Flight 401
Feb 18, 1978
Loan Shark
May 23, 1952
Surviving Gilligan's Island: The Incredibly True Story of the Longest Three Hour Tour in History
Oct 14, 2001
The Man from Independence
Mar 11, 1974
Rock All Night
Apr 01, 1957
The Castaways on Gilligan's Island
May 03, 1979
Adventures of the Queen
Feb 14, 1975
Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur
Jan 04, 1976
Column South
May 20, 1953
MacArthur
Jul 15, 1977
The Saga of Hemp Brown
Oct 01, 1958
You Lie So Deep, My Love
Feb 25, 1975
Courage of Black Beauty
Jul 01, 1957
For Men Only
Jan 11, 1952
Police Story: No Margin for Error
Apr 30, 1978
Back at the Front
Oct 01, 1952
Tumbleweed
Dec 01, 1953
Law and Order
May 13, 1953
The Great Skycopter Rescue
Dec 31, 1980
The Movie Murderer
Feb 02, 1970
The Rebels
May 14, 1979
Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists!
Feb 13, 2021
The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island
May 15, 1981
A Distant Trumpet
May 20, 1964
The Stand at Apache River
Sep 01, 1953
Strange Lady in Town
Apr 12, 1955
Johnny Dark
Jun 25, 1954
Off the Wall
Jul 01, 1983
Ride Clear of Diablo
Feb 10, 1954
Badman's Country
Aug 02, 1958
Beg, Borrow...or Steal
Mar 20, 1973
Cry for Poor Wally
Jul 24, 1969
Blue Movies
Feb 01, 1988
The Gilligan Manifesto
Nov 16, 2018
Three Days of the Condor
Sep 24, 1975
The Space Children
Jun 01, 1958
Nowhere to Hide
Jun 05, 1977
Aloha Means Goodbye
Oct 11, 1974
Lou Grant
Sep 20, 1977
The Great Adventure
Sep 27, 1963
77 Sunset Strip
Oct 10, 1958
Gilligan's Planet
Sep 18, 1982
Fame
Jan 07, 1982
The F.B.I.
Sep 19, 1965
Gilligan's Island
Sep 26, 1964
That Girl
Sep 08, 1966
The Jeffersons
Jan 18, 1975
Roseanne
Oct 18, 1988
E! True Hollywood Story
Aug 21, 1996
Hawkins
Mar 13, 1973
Dynasty
Jan 12, 1981
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
Apr 15, 1994
Bosom Buddies
Nov 27, 1980
Mannix
Sep 16, 1967
MacGyver
Sep 29, 1985
Knots Landing
Dec 27, 1979
The New Adventures of Gilligan
Sep 07, 1974
Newhart
Oct 02, 1982
Gunsmoke
Sep 10, 1955
Wonder Woman
Nov 07, 1975
Hawaiian Eye
Oct 07, 1959
Lassie
Sep 12, 1954
Cannon
Sep 14, 1971
ALF
Sep 22, 1986
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Dec 24, 1951
Monsters
Oct 22, 1988
The Twilight Zone
Oct 02, 1959
Ripcord
Sep 28, 1961
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Oct 02, 1955
Felony Squad
Sep 12, 1966
Rawhide
Jan 09, 1959
Police Story
Mar 20, 1973
Thriller
Sep 13, 1960
Lux Video Theatre
Oct 02, 1950
Adventures of Superman
Sep 19, 1952
Adventures in Paradise
Oct 05, 1959
You Are There
Feb 01, 1953
Black Saddle
Jan 10, 1959
The Dakotas
Jan 07, 1963
Lawman
Oct 05, 1958
Ben Casey
Oct 02, 1961
Riverboat
Sep 13, 1959
Vanished
Mar 08, 1971
Code R
Jan 21, 1977
Cavalcade of America
Oct 01, 1952
General Electric True
Sep 30, 1962
City Detective
Sep 07, 1953
Wagon Train
Sep 18, 1957
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
Sep 21, 1959
ABC Afterschool Special
Oct 04, 1972
Kings Row
Sep 13, 1955
The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin
Oct 15, 1954
Tales of Wells Fargo
Mar 18, 1957
The Deputy
Sep 12, 1959
The Twilight Zone
Oct 02, 1959
Adventures of Superman
Sep 19, 1952
Jefferson Drum
Apr 25, 1958
The F.B.I.
Sep 19, 1965
The F.B.I.
Sep 19, 1965
Gunsmoke
Sep 10, 1955
Gunsmoke
Sep 10, 1955
Gunsmoke
Sep 10, 1955
The Outer Limits
Sep 16, 1963
Cavalcade of America
Oct 01, 1952
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
Sep 16, 1971
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
Sep 21, 1959
Rich Man, Poor Man - Book II
Sep 21, 1976
The Great Adventure
Sep 27, 1963
Route 66
Oct 07, 1960
Steve Canyon
Sep 13, 1958
The Lone Ranger
Sep 15, 1949
McMillan & Wife
Sep 29, 1971
Lux Video Theatre
Oct 02, 1950
Stevie and Zoya
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
Sep 16, 1971
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
Sep 16, 1971
Beyond Westworld
Mar 05, 1980
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
Sep 16, 1971
The Invaders
Jan 10, 1967
Temple Houston
Sep 19, 1963
The Detectives
Oct 16, 1959
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
Sep 16, 1971
Ironside
Mar 28, 1967