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Russell Johnson on the heyday of television: ''If you are an actor today and you are not in a TV series, you are in trouble.''
Like peanut butter and jelly, actors and television simply go together.
In previous decades, when film reigned supreme, television was often thought of as a fool's medium. Sure, there were some good shows out there, but if an actor joined a television series, it was assumed that they were kissing any hopes of a serious acting career goodbye.
But by 1964, we were able to see some light at the end of the tunnel. With television series like The Dick Van Dyke Show and Bonanza made a compelling case for television. Once called the boob tube, audiences could turn to their television for some entertaining and downright investing content.
One of the stars of Gilligan's Island, Russell Johnson, understood television's powerful position in the 1960s.
"If you are an actor today and you are not in a TV series, you are in trouble," said Johnson during an interview with the Philadelphia Daily News. "Unless you have a big name, there is no chance of depending on movies and TV guest appearances for a good living. Only a TV series can give an actor security today."
Johnson had made a name for himself as The Professor on Gilligan's Island, another series that became a hit with audiences everywhere.
Although Gilligan's Island was a fairly outlandish and goofy show, Johnson took pride in the fact that his character served as the often underutilized voice of reason.
"I'm the guy in the show who brings the characters back to sanity," said Johnson. "I'm the link between the audience and reality."
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