Russell Johnson, who played The Professor, Roy Hinkley, on the classic sitcom Gilligans Island, died on Thursday in Washington State. Johnsons wife confirmed the death to ABC News Radio. Johnsons Gilligans Island co-star Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann on the show, announced his death on her Facebook page, writing, My 2 favorite people are now gone, referring to Johnson and their late co-star, Bob Denver. The Professor past [sic] away this morning. My heart is broken, she added. Russell was a true gentleman, a good father, a great friend, and the rest, Wells wrote. I love him and shall miss him. My heart goes out to [his wife] Connie and his daughter Kim. I love you. A decorated World War II veteran, Johnson appeared in a string of movies and TV shows before he landed the Gilligans Island role, including The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. On Gilligans Island, which ran from 1964 to 1967, he played one of seven people who were stranded on an uncharted desert isle following a storm that wrecked their boat. On the island, Johnsons Professor character was always able to build remarkable contraptions for himself and the other castaways to make their lives easier, but strangely, as Johnson himself pointed out, he was never able to repair their boat, the S.S. Minnow, so they could escape. Following Gilligans Island, Johnson appeared in such series as Gunsmoke, Death Valley Days, Lassie, Ironside and The F.B.I. He also had roles in Dallas, the NBC soap opera Santa Barbara, and in the Robert Redford thriller Three Days of the Condor. In addition, he popped up on an episode of CBS Newhart -- as a guy watching Gilligans Island.
Posted on: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 20:21:15 +0000
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