- Born
- Died
- Birth nameRussell David Johnson
- Nicknames
- The Professor
- Russ
- Height5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
- Long before he was known as "The Professor" in the cult comedy classic Gilligan's Island (1964), Russell Johnson was a well-known character actor, starring in several Westerns and Sci-Fi classics as This Island Earth (1955) and It Came from Outer Space (1953). Johnson grew up in Pennsylvania and was sent to a boarding school in Philadelphia with his brothers when his father died.
Johnson said that, unlike his Professor character, he was not a bright student early on and was, in fact, held back a grade. However, he did redeem himself later on by making the National Honor Society in high school. He joined the Army Air Corps in World War II. Both his ankles were broken when his B-24 Liberator was shot down over the Philippines during a bombing raid in March of 1945 and he was awarded the Purple Heart as he recovered in the hospital. After the war, he used the G.I. Bill to enroll in acting school to pursue his new trade.
Johnson lived in the state of Washington and did several guest appearances on television shows. He passed away peacefully on the morning of Thursday January 16, 2014 from kidney failure, with his wife, Constance Dane, and his two children by his side. Connie described her husband as a very brave man.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Ken Severson / Hans Delbruck
- SpousesConstance Dane(May 18, 1982 - January 16, 2014) (his death)Kay Cousins Johnson(July 23, 1949 - January 20, 1980) (her death, 2 children)Edith Cahoon(1943 - 1948) (divorced)
- Children
- During World War II, he enlisted to become an aviation cadet and rose to the officer's rank of First Lieutenant, under the service number 765 497. Flew as bombardier in B-25 aircraft on a total of 44 combat missions over the Netherlands East Indies, and the Philippines. World War II decorations include the Bronze Star, Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three service stars, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one service star, and the World War II Victory Medal with Honorable Service Lapel Button. Earned his Purple Heart (for injuries during battle) when the B-24 Liberator bomber he was a crewman on was shot down during a bombing run against Japanese targets in the Philippine Islands in March 1945.
- With the death of Bob Denver on September 2, 2005, he was the last surviving male cast member of Gilligan's Island (1964). This was up until his death in 2014.
- Son David died of AIDS at age 39 on October 27, 1994. Before, and especially since, David's death Johnson devotes a great deal his time to AIDS fund-raising.
- Served for over twelve years as an officer of the Air Force, first as an active duty World War II bombardier (1944-45) and then as an inactive member of the Officer Reserve Corps. Upon the creation of the U.S. Air Force, in the late 1940s, was augmented to the U.S. Air Force Reserve and briefly was a member of the 4th Air Reserve District in San Francisco. In 1953, became an inactive officer once again and received final discharge from the Air Force Reserve in August 1957.
- Johnson and actress Dawn Wells are best known for their roles on the comedy series Gilligan's Island (1964), but they are also known for their ambiguous infamous reference "and the rest" in the series' original theme song. The phrase was later rephrased by "The Professor and Mary Ann" after protests from the other actors and a threat by Bob Denver to quit the show if the lyrics weren't re-written and Johnson's and Wells' pictures weren't added to the opening credits.
- Old actors never die, they don't even fade away. They're always available.
- [about his role on Gilligan's Island (1964)] It used to make me upset to be typecast that way. But as the years have gone on, I have given in. I am the Professor, and that's the way it is. The show has brought a lot of joy to people, and that's not a bad legacy.
- Gunsmoke (1955), Wagon Train (1957), The Dakotas (1962) -- you name a Western, I did it. I was always the bad guy in Westerns. I played more bad guys than you can shake a stick at until I played the Professor. Then I couldn't get a job being a bad guy.
- if there was ever a group of actors who were typecast it was us.
- don't you realize the opening lyrics lie to you? the mate was mighty sailing man come on now, and the minnow would be lost? we were lost, and it wasn't a dessert island it was a jungle island
- Rock All Night (1957) - $1,200
- Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957) - $1,200
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