{"id":32105,"date":"2014-01-16T23:06:30","date_gmt":"2014-01-17T04:06:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.filmbuffonline.com\/FBOLNewsreel\/wordpress\/?p=32105"},"modified":"2014-01-16T23:06:30","modified_gmt":"2014-01-17T04:06:30","slug":"russell-johnson-89","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.filmbuffonline.com\/FBOLNewsreel\/wordpress\/2014\/01\/16\/russell-johnson-89\/","title":{"rendered":"Russell Johnson, 89"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"RussellJohnson\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Russell Johnson, the film and television actor best known for playing “The Professor” on the classic 1960s TV series Gilligan’s Island<\/em>, has died earlier today of natural causes at his home in Washington state. He was 89.<\/p>\n

Born in the Wilkes-Barre, PA suburb of Ashley, Johnson fought in World War Two as a member of the Army Air Corps, flying 44 combat missions as a bombardier in B-24 Liberator bombers. Following the end of the war, he used hi GI Bill to finance his acting studies at the Actors Lab in Hollywood.<\/p>\n

Johnson’s film career started in 1952 and appeared in a number of supporting roles through a number of genre films throughout the decade. Perhaps his most visible roles were in a number of science-fiction films that were the rage, including It Came from Outer Space<\/strong> (1953), This Island Earth<\/strong> (1955), Attack of the Crab Monsters<\/strong> (1956), and The Space Children<\/strong> (1958). <\/p>\n

As television rose in popularity, Johnson found his career gravitating towards the new medium. He appeared on a number of series including two episodes of The Twilight Zone<\/em> and had a supporting role on the western series Black Saddle<\/em>. In 1964, he was cast as Professor Roy Hinkley, one of the seven castaways who found themselves shipwrecked on Gilligan’s Island<\/em>. Johnson stated that he never expected it to last past its initial 13 episodes. Instead, the series ran for three full seasons. <\/p>\n

Johnson probably had the strongest post-Gilligan’s Island<\/em> career, and was able to get work guest starring on numerous television series in roles that did not trade on his connection to the classic series. Additionally, he appeared in a few feature films including the Robert Redford thriller Three Days of the Condor<\/strong> (1975) and the 1977 biopic MacArthur<\/strong>, in which he played United States Navy Admiral Ernest J. King. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Although best known for GILLIGAN’S ISLAND, the actor appeared in a number of film roles.<\/div>\n

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