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joeybee12

(56,177 posts) Thu Jan 16, 2014, 05:51 PM Jan 2014

Aw shit...The Professor has died...

Russell Johnson who played the professor on "Gilligan's Island," died Thursday morning, his agent confirmed to TheWrap. He was 89.

Johnson died at his home in Washington state of natural causes, his agent, Michael Eisenstadt said.

Born in rural northeastern Pennsylvania, Johnson graduated from a private boarding school for orphaned children before joining the Air Force, flying dozens of combat missions in World War II -- including one that turned him into a real-life castaway in the Philippines in 1945. Johnson's B-25 bomber was shot down by heavy flak; he broke both his ankles during the mission, and received the Purple Heart.

Johnson's acting career started nearly a decade later, with early roles in westerns and sci-fi movies and TV shows, including "It Came From Outer Space," "This Island Earth" and "Attack of the Crab Monsters." His TV career was robust through the late 1950s and early '60s, including as a regular on "Black Saddle" and two episodes of "The Twilight Zone."

http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=847737

I remmeber thinking how handsome he was when I watched Gilligan's Island...RIP

33 replies

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Aw shit...The Professor has died... (Original Post) joeybee12 Jan 2014 OP

I sincerely hope that onethatcares Jan 2014 #1

He was fairly regular on Newhart... Blanks Jan 2014 #2

I don't remember that...I recently watched MST3K do This Island Earth... joeybee12 Jan 2014 #3

Here, at about 17:50 : sl8 Jan 2014 #21

That's the one. I couldn't seem to find it. eom Blanks Jan 2014 #29

The Professor could fix anything, Jenoch Jan 2014 #4

He's stuck on an island with Ginger and Mary Ann. Would you fix the hole on the boat? Kaleva Jan 2014 #6

LOL davekriss Jan 2014 #13

As kids we would wonder what was going on with the three. texanwitch Jan 2014 #18

I was a bit too young to wonder about that kind of stuff back then! Kaleva Jan 2014 #19

We were about ten years old. texanwitch Jan 2014 #20

I was 8 when the show ended in 1967. Kaleva Jan 2014 #22

We will never know texanwitch Jan 2014 #23

You beg the immortal question. Mary Ann or Ginger? AngryAmish Jan 2014 #24

As those two Russian astronauts noted Art_from_Ark Jan 2014 #25

Yes, very handsome. WorseBeforeBetter Jan 2014 #5

A good friend to the LGBT community theHandpuppet Jan 2014 #7

Wow, didn't know that... awoke_in_2003 Jan 2014 #14

Also Reuben Kincaid (Dave Madden) of the Partridge Family onenote Jan 2014 #8

A favorite childhood show of mine IDemo Jan 2014 #9

That would be so damn cool. nt awoke_in_2003 Jan 2014 #15

Lucky him. Lived a long life. nt valerief Jan 2014 #10

R.I.P. Professor William769 Jan 2014 #11

My favorite castaway. RIP Professor. nt bklyncowgirl Jan 2014 #12

I was partial to Mary Ann. nt awoke_in_2003 Jan 2014 #16

rip. Liberal_in_LA Jan 2014 #17

DAMN there goes my dream of a coconut phone! VanillaRhapsody Jan 2014 #26

...and the rest... Blue Owl Jan 2014 #27

I always assumed that was the first season, but yeah I remember it. eom Blanks Jan 2014 #30

I too thought he was hadsome. And smart. What a combination. applegrove Jan 2014 #28

Did anyone know... 3catwoman3 Jan 2014 #31

That name sounds right...I think I recall one episode where they joeybee12 Jan 2014 #32

kick napkinz Jan 2014 #33

onethatcares

(16,192 posts)

1. I sincerely hope that