Russell Johnson on the high price he paid for starring in Gilligan's Island

Johnson didn't have any idea what he was getting himself into.

Warner Brothers

Being labeled as one thing your whole life can get tiring. Yes, to be well-known can be an envied position to be in, but it can also be limiting for people to look at you and only see you as one thing.

This seemed to be the situation for a majority of the actors in the main cast of Gilligan's Island. Such was the double-edged sword of a popular television program; the cast enjoyed success, but they were only recognized and appreciated as their characters. This had to have gotten old fast, especially after 1967, when the show was unceremoniously canceled. But just because Gilligan's Island was over didn't mean that the cast members' careers had ended as well...or did it?

In a 1993 Seattle Post-Intelligencer interview, Russell Johnson doesn't quite express regret at being on Gilligan's Island, but he comes pretty darn close. Johnson played Roy Hinkley, more commonly known as The Professor, whose intelligence lent itself well to creating certain inventions on the island that have led to some of the most memorable moments on Gilligan's Island.

"Knowing what I know now, that it cost me roles long after the show went off the air, I think I would have gone in another direction," Johnson said. It wasn't that the Professor was a bad role; simply that it was a role that would follow Johnson around for the rest of his life, especially in a casting office.

"I was so connected with the character that they'd look at me, shake their heads and say, 'That's the Professor, the public won't believe him as anyone else,' and give the role to another guy," he said. "It was a difficult time, I was quite distressed at the way my career was — or wasn't — going."

Luckily, Johnson was able to find success in another sphere by leaning back into Gilligan's Island. He wrote a book about his time on the series, entitled Here on Gilligan's Isle: The Professor's Behind-the-Scenes Guide to Gilligan's Island. The book was a success, and luckily, Johnson did eventually persevere in his acting career.

"I didn't want to give up my hard-earned career, so I just kept on trying," he said. "It finally worked."

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16 Comments

MDCSWildcats1986 18 days ago
I know he did post-GI guest shots on THE FBI and CANNON, as well as a season 18 (I have that season on DVD) GUNSMOKE episode with Vic Tayback.

For those who are interested, RJ also appeared pre-GI with a pre-BEWITCHED Dick York on ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS (Season 2, episode 29, titled VICIOUS CIRCLE---very interesting seeing both RJ and DY in non-comedic roles).
Runeshaper 21 days ago
He was GREAT as The Professor! I'm glad that he kept trying and that he did eventually succeed in getting new roles.
MrsPhilHarris 22 days ago
Who knows how his career would have progressed if he had not taken the Professor role. It could have stalled regardless.
McGillahooala 22 days ago
You see a lot less complaints about type casting now. I wonder if the public was actually unable to accept actors in other roles or the Hollywood types just thought we were that stupid.
Badge714 22 days ago
I got his book a long time ago and its pretty good. Out of all the Gilligan characters I'd choose to be the Professor. Smartest, best of health, and best shot with Mary Ann...
Coldnorth Badge714 13 days ago
I always wanted Gilligan to end up with Mary Ann
AltBill 23 days ago
The tragedy for all of them is there were no kickbacks from syndication for any of them. They would have been richer than the Howells! Actors now days get that, mainly because of what happened to the 7 castaways!
Typecasting is a thing, but we could present just as many or more examples of actors that were in defining roles yet went on to do many things. Same with age, a lot say they weren't wanted as they get older, yet we can name hundreds of older actors.
There are 3 stages to all the G. Island cast;
1. We loved them when on the show.
2. It's over they wish they could've moved on.
3. They are now icons again and we love them even more, nostalgia.
Russel's book is a good read, fun.
3DPrinterJam AltBill 23 days ago
Actually, there is an amazing story tied to "kickbacks. Of all the people on that show (and Jim Backus was already a well-known actor then, both in films, on shows such as the Jack Benny show, and as the voice of Mr. Magoo, so he had NO excuse), including the brainy Professor, there was ONE actor who had the prescience to insist on receiving royalties in perpetuity for her work on Gilligan's Island: Dawn Wells. Everyone else thought the show would come to nothing, but Miss Nevada had a different thought, and received many MILLIONS in royalties up to her death. And she was always my favorite.
Badge714 3DPrinterJam 22 days ago
Not to argue but I recall Dawn Wells being penniless late in life and fans formed an early version of a Go Fund Me to help her out. She stated she never got Gilligan royalties.
Badge714 23 days ago
Russell was in 'It Came From Outer Space' too.
Ready2go Badge714 23 days ago
He was in Attack of the Crab Monsters, a Roger Corman epic, also.
Badge714 Ready2go 22 days ago
That's right! I forgot that one.
CaptainDunsel 24 days ago
This is just a "feeling" sort of thing, but it seems to me the typecasting problem may happen more to actors in comedic roles than in drama. Obviously typecasting happens to dramatic performers as well. But comedic roles tend to be more exaggerated and thus immediately more "recognizable".
I think you are correct. It seems the best chance they have is to depart from any kind of comedy and go into more dramatic work. For years, Dick Van Dyke and Andy Griffith tried different comedy TV shows after their popular series ended and struggled. Then years later Andy Griffith found success with Matlock and then Van Dyke a few years later on Diagnosis Murder.
AnnieM CaptainDunsel 23 days ago
I agree, too. And so many of the successful comedic roles also come with their own catchphrases which were near impossible for the actors to shake. Can you imagine having people come up to you and constantly repeating the same phrase over and over? Yikes.
Coldnorth CaptainDunsel 13 days ago
Could never picture Colombo as anyone but that character and role
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