R.I.P. - Russell Johnson, the "Professor" from Gilligan's Island

Dawn Wells just posted this on Facebook.

 

Another childhood icon is gone, RIP Professor.

 

Professor Roy Hinkley ("The Professor") is hands-down my favorite character on the island. More likely than not, I'd've liked a different actor less.

MST3K fans may know that he's in This Island Earth, but unfortunately, IIRC, he doesn't have a very big part.

Rest In Peace, Professor.

 

RIP Mr. Johnson, you were my favorite character on the island.

 

He's also in They Came From Outer Space--in 3D.

 

Rest in peace Professor.

 

Ah, the Prof. He was MacGyver before MacGyver was MacGyver.

Still wondering why he couldn't fix the damn boat, though.

RIP Russell.

 

Oh, boo. Now only MaryAnn and Ginger are left.

 

Wikipedia's entry says that the Prof did actually try to fix the boat in an early episode but it was such a disaster that nearly the entire ship was destroyed. Also, they couldn't build a raft and sail for help because the nearby area was supposedly infested with sharks.

 

That's true enough -- it was in episode 8 that the Minnow fell apart after an attempt to repair it with a superglue that turned out to be impermanent. However, I'm pretty sure we saw the wreck of the Minnow again in later episodes. Continuity? Who needs it?

Of course, there's also a popular fan theory: If you were a smart guy, and you were stranded on a desert island with a gorgeous movie star and an even more gorgeous farm girl, would you be in a hurry to admit you could fix the boat...?

Really, though, the Professor never made a radio out of a coconut. The transistor radio continued to function throughout the series (though he did rig a battery recharger for it), and the revival movie Rescue from Gilligan's Island revealed that the radio had broken down years ago and the Professor had been unable to repair it. Although I believe the animated New Adventures of Gilligan showed a larger radio made at least partly of organic materials.

 

He was, in a way, my first science teacher.

The Professor has finally gotten off the Island. RIP

 

Because of Ginger and Maryann and what they never showed on TV!

But seriously, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, This Island Earth----WWII aviator, AIDS activist after his son came out, all around nice guy, lived to 89---

Well done and R.I.P.

 

RIP, Sir. Thanks for great afternoons after school. & the science. Thanks.

 

and another sad day for all of us, RIP Professor.

 

R.I.P. sir, thank you for the laughs.

 

Russell Johnson made his home on Bainbridge Island, WA.

 

This. I feel like I did when Captain Kangaroo died. A friend is gone.

 

Another childhood icon is gone.

The Professor was one of my earliest heroes back in the 60s. Like Reed Richards, he was a character I could really relate to and admire. Intelligent, diversified, and always focused on using his abilities to help others-- exactly what I wanted to grow up to be. He was not ambitious or vain, but he was the reason the castaways survived-- the Skipper was in charge, but he never did anything without checking with the Professor first. And in real life, Russell Johnson was a really nice guy, grateful to his fans, and always ready to use his fame for a good cause.

RIP, Professor. You were loved and you made a difference.