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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
November 10, 1924
Died
January 16, 2014
Place of Birth
Ashley, Pennsylvania, USA
Also Known As
- Russell D. Johnson
- Russ Johnson
Russell Johnson
1.3 Popularity
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
4.0
Self (archive footage)
Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists!
2021
5.5
Himself
The Gilligan Manifesto
2018
7.2
Himself
Surviving Gilligan's Island: The Incredibly True Story of the Longest Three Hour Tour in History
2001
8.1
E! True Hollywood Story
1996
7.8
Self
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
1994
7.1
Monsters
1988
6.8
Roseanne
1988
4.6
Mr. Martin
Blue Movies
1988
7.7
Professor Roy Hinkley
ALF
1986
7.7
Oslow
MacGyver
1985
Credits
Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists!
as Self (archive footage)
2021
4.0
The Gilligan Manifesto
as Himself
2018
5.5
Surviving Gilligan's Island: The Incredibly True Story of the Longest Three Hour Tour in History
as Himself
2001
7.2
E! True Hollywood Story
1996
8.1
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
as Self
1994
7.8
Monsters
1988
7.1
Roseanne
1988
6.8
Blue Movies
as Mr. Martin
1988
4.6
ALF
as Professor Roy Hinkley
1986
7.7
MacGyver
as Oslow
1985
7.7
Off the Wall
as Mr. Whitby
1983
2.3
Newhart
1982
7.1
Gilligan's Planet
as Roy "The Professor" Hinkley (voice)
1982
5.7
Fame
1982
6.8
The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island
as Professor
1981
4.7
Dynasty
1981
6.5
The Great Skycopter Rescue
as Professor Benson
1980
5.0
Bosom Buddies
1980
6.4
Beyond Westworld
as Patrick
1980
5.4
Knots Landing
as Tim Murphy
1979
6.8
The Rebels
1979
0.0
The Castaways on Gilligan's Island
as Professor
1979
6.6
Rescue from Gilligan's Island
as Professor Roy Hinkley, Jr.
1978
4.7
The Bastard
as Col. James Barrett
1978
5.0
Police Story: No Margin for Error
as Captain
1978
0.0
The Ghost of Flight 401
as Loft
1978
5.3
Lou Grant
1977
7.3
MacArthur
as Admiral King
1977
6.3
Nowhere to Hide
as Charles Montague
1977
5.0
Code R
as Ike
1977
0.0
Hitch Hike to Hell
as Captain J.W. Shaw
1977
5.2
Rich Man, Poor Man - Book II
as Detective
1976
8.6
Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur
as Gen. George Stratemeyer
1976
0.0
Wonder Woman
as Colonel
1975
7.0
Three Days of the Condor
as Intelligence Officer at Briefing (uncredited)
1975
7.3
You Lie So Deep, My Love
as The Foreman
1975
1.0
Adventures of the Queen
as Forbes
1975
4.8
The Jeffersons
1975
7.3
Aloha Means Goodbye
as Dr. Frank Franklin
1974
0.0
The New Adventures of Gilligan
as Professor Roy Hinkley (voice)
1974
4.8
🎬
The Man from Independence
as Linaver
1974
0.0
Police Story
1973
6.9
Beg, Borrow...or Steal
as Alex Langley
1973
7.5
Hawkins
as District Attorney
1973
7.2
The Horror at 37,000 Feet
as Jim Hawley
1973
4.9
ABC Afterschool Special
as Mr. Calder
1972
6.4
McMillan & Wife
as Carl Jensen
1971
6.9
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
as Asst D.A. Grant
1971
6.3
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
as Asst. D.A. Grant
1971
6.3
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
as Brenton Grant
1971
6.3
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
as Asst. D.A. Brenton Grant
1971
6.3
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
as Prosecutor
1971
6.3
Cannon
1971
6.5
Vanished
as Clyde Morehouse
1971
5.0
The Movie Murderer
as Cliff Thomas
1970
6.5
Cry for Poor Wally
1969
0.0
Mannix
1967
6.7
Ironside
as Martin Lucas
1967
6.8
The Invaders
as James Bernard
1967
6.8
Felony Squad
1966
6.4
That Girl
1966
6.2
The F.B.I.
as Phillip Graham
1965
5.5
The F.B.I.
as Jim Kellogg
1965
5.5
The F.B.I.
as Dr. McGregor
1965
5.5
The Greatest Story Ever Told
as Scribe
1965
6.4
Gilligan's Island
as Roy "The Professor" Hinkley
1964
7.4
A Distant Trumpet
as Captain Brinker
1964
5.3
The Great Adventure
as Narrator (voice)
1963
0.0
The Great Adventure
as Self - Narrator
1963
0.0
Temple Houston
1963
5.7
🎬
The Greatest Show on Earth
as Dr. Arnold Andrews
1963
5.0
The Outer Limits
as Major Benedict
1963
7.8
The Dakotas
1963
5.7
🎬
General Electric True
1962
0.0
Ben Casey
1961
5.6
Ripcord
1961
6.5
Route 66
as Bob Keel
1960
6.3
Thriller
as Adam Talmadge
1960
6.4
The Detectives
as Lee
1959
5.6
Hawaiian Eye
1959
5.2
Adventures in Paradise
as Bowman
1959
5.7
The Twilight Zone
as Prof. Manion
1959
8.4
The Twilight Zone
as Pete Corrigan
1959
8.4
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
as Hugh
1959
6.3
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
as Tom Richards
1959
6.3
Riverboat
as Darius
1959
6.2
The Deputy
as Albee Beckett
1959
6.2
Black Saddle
as Marshal Gib Scott
1959
6.0
Rawhide
as Burt Harvey
1959
7.2
77 Sunset Strip
1958
6.7
Lawman
1958
5.6
The Saga of Hemp Brown
as Hook
1958
5.7
Steve Canyon
as Maj. Pitch Hammer
1958
6.0
Badman's Country
as Sundance
1958
5.4
The Space Children
as Joe Gamble
1958
4.0
🎬
Jefferson Drum
as The Sundown Kid
1958
4.5
Wagon Train
as Craig Manson
1957
6.3
Courage of Black Beauty
as Ben Farraday
1957
5.5
Rock All Night
as Jigger
1957
5.7
Tales of Wells Fargo
as William Dodd
1957
6.3
Attack of the Crab Monsters
as Hank Chapman
1957
5.1
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
as Turk
1955
7.7
🎬
Kings Row
1955
0.0
Gunsmoke
as Stanger
1955
6.6
Gunsmoke
as Harry Webb
1955
6.6
Gunsmoke
as Diggs
1955
6.6
Gunsmoke
as Link Parrin
1955
6.6
This Island Earth
as Steve Carlson
1955
6.0
Strange Lady in Town
as Shadduck
1955
4.5
Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki
as Eddie Nelson
1955
6.8
Many Rivers to Cross
as Banks
1955
6.2
Black Tuesday
as Howard Sloane
1954
6.0
The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin
as Sgt. Stan Powers
1954
6.9
Lassie
1954
6.1
Johnny Dark
as Emory
1954
5.0
Ride Clear of Diablo
as Jed Ringer
1954
5.8
Tumbleweed
as Lam Blandon
1953
6.1
City Detective
1953
7.0
The Stand at Apache River
as Greiner
1953
6.0
It Came from Outer Space
as George
1953
6.3
Column South
as Biddle
1953
6.0
Law and Order
as Jimmy Johnson
1953
4.9
Seminole
as Lt. Hamilton
1953
5.4
You Are There
1953
5.7
Cavalcade of America
as Karl Nader
1952
3.5
Cavalcade of America
as Dan Marshall
1952
3.5
Back at the Front
as Johnny Redondo - Smuggler
1952
0.0
Adventures of Superman
1952
6.7
Adventures of Superman
as Man on Phone in Montage (archive footage)
1952
6.7
The Turning Point
as Herman (uncredited)
1952
6.2
Loan Shark
as Charlie Thompson
1952
5.5
Rancho Notorious
as Chuck-A-Luck Wheel Spinner (uncredited)
1952
6.5
For Men Only
as Ky Walker
1952
5.6
Hallmark Hall of Fame
as Lefty
1951
8.6
🎬
Lux Video Theatre
as Carter
1950
6.3
🎬
Lux Video Theatre
as Lennigan
1950
6.3
The Lone Ranger
as Tom Levering
1949
6.7
🎬
Stevie and Zoya
as Narrator
N/A
0.0