The Professor wasn't always a man of science on a deserted island. In fact, years ago, he was a regular old cowboy with a fear of horses.

Before Russell Johnson played Professor Roy Hinkley on Gilligan's Island, he enjoyed a fairly successful film career. The actor appeared in movies like Loan Shark and Seminole. However, Gilligan's Island wasn't the actor's first foray into television. According to an interview with The Philadelphia Daily News, Johnson previously starred in the Western series, Black Saddle.

Originally, the series ran from 1959 to 1960 for about two seasons. Also starring in the series was Peter Breck, who later appeared as Nick Barkley in the ABC series, The Big Valley.

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In Black Saddle, Johnson starred as Marshal Gib Scott, a skeptical U.S. lawman who frequently found himself at odds with Breck's character, Clay Culhane.

Despite its short life, the series enjoyed moderate success. With one series, Johnson could have made a name for himself as a Western actor. There was just one small issue: He couldn't handle a cowboy's best pal!

"I've always hated horses," said Johnson. "I tried to convince the producer that I would be the only U.S. Marshal in a TV Western who didn't ride a horse - who always walked in pursuit of the bad guys. He wouldn't listen to me, however, and I was stuck on a horse."

While Johnson's hatred of horses didn't necessarily ruin his experience on Black Saddle, it certainly taught him to appreciate some of his later series that were thankfully horse-free.

"I think maybe that's why I'm so happy with Gilligan's Island," said the actor. "I hate Westerns because of the horses who hate me."