Talk:Russell Johnson

Quote regarding his role of "The Professor"
About 3 years ago, I heard him comment on his role on an NPR radio interview. Perhaps slightly paraphrased, "If you were stranded on an island with Ginger and Mary Ann, would you fix the boat?". Sorry, but I don't remember which program it was. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.104.200.131 (talk) 22:29, 3 March 2010 (UTC)

Excellent job with the bio, not over-emphasizing his role on Gilligan's Island. I remember a comment of his, once, in a televised interview, in which he looked back with a little chagrin on the series [its frivolity, and that to a degree later he was typecast]: "Well... it made a lot of people happy." I really believe he was a fine actor, having enjoyed seeing him in "The Twilight Zone", and a number of other Science Fiction films. Perhaps he did let himself get mired down to an extent. (John G. Lewis (talk) 01:47, 16 May 2014 (UTC))

Out-of-Character Role
I remember seeing an episode of Ironside, circa 1970, where RJ played a man who was being investigated (wiretaps and other surveillance) for killing his wife. An interesting change-of-pace role!CFLeon 20:38, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Not really, though perhaps after GI. Before then Johnson played heavies almost exclusively, virtually type-cast, except for a few sci-fi bit-parts JohndanR (talk) 00:05, 1 February 2018 (UTC)

Diarrhea commercial?
I remember an episode of TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes where they showed an old black and white clip of a guy I swear was Russell Johnson trying to talk about a product for treatment of diarrhea and not being able to say it without laughing. My dad insisted it wasn't Russell Johnson, but I'm convinced that it was. Does anyone else remember this clip? --Scottandrewhutchins 20:13, 15 May 2007 (UTC)

Military Service
The section on Johnson's military service says "He had a very distinguished record and was highly decorated for his service." I am sure Johnson served honorably and ably, but this statement overstates his service. Except for his Purple Heart and Air Medal, all the medals which he is said to have earned are medals which everyone who served in the Theaters of Operation to which he was assigned got just for being there, without having to do anything extraordinary. For the Good Conduct Medal, all he had to do was spend three years in the military without getting into any trouble for breaking military rules. The Purple Heart is awarded for injury as a result of enemy action, and the injury doesn't have to be severe or as a result of heroic actions. The Air Medal is not necessarily awarded for heroism or extraordinary service above and beyond the call of duty, it can be awarded for cumulative exemplary service, one would have to read the specific citation that came with the medal to be sure. It is possible that Johnson did something extraordinary to qualify for it, but more likely that he was good at his job of getting the bombs to the targets and always had good fitreps. Also, the fact that he was honorably discharged does not mean he had a "very" distinguished record or was "highly" decorated - it just means that he served out his full term of service without any major misconduct, had a rating of "good" meaning he met the standards expected of any other personnel in a similar rank and capacity. The fact that he was discharged at the rank of first lieutenant is not remarkable; A graduate of OCS comes out automatically with a rank of second lieutenant (O-1), and even in time of peace promotion to first lieutenant (O-2) occurs pretty much automatically two years later unless the officer has poor fitreps (doesn't do his job very well) or is guilty of misconduct.Mmyers1976 (talk) 20:31, 17 March 2008 (UTC) ! According to the palm springs air museum Mr. Johnson was a crewmember on a B-24. Anytime your flying behind enemy lines and being shot at is an act of heroism.

Good Conduct
To my knowledge, Good Conduct Medals are only awarded to enlisted. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.50.232.117 (talk) 00:20, 7 November 2009 (UTC)

Yes, however in WWII only the army's Good Conduct Medal was awarded for one year, and I believe just for the first award. At any rate, he could have received one. Also, do we really need to know his service number? That's just minutiae. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.110.138.188 (talk) 13:00, 18 January 2010 (UTC)

Possible error on type of aircraft crewed
This article lists Johnson as a B-25 Mitchell crewman. However the Wiki for the Consolidated B-24 Liberator claims he served in B-24's at the time of his shoot-down in the Philippines. Someone needs to double-check to see which is correct and reconcile the two. Sector001 (talk) 20:17, 14 October 2011 (UTC)

(MM commment 2/3/14-update interview link): B-25 "Mitchell" service is more likely than B-24 "Liberator". In this 2004 Russell Johnson interview (listed as an external link in this article) he talks briefly about his WWII March 4, 1945 experience and explicitly states that he flew 44 mission in a B-25 (not B-24) in part 4 of the interview at 23:09:

http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/russell-johnson#

The 42nd Bomb Group was equipped with B-25s according to

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/42d_Air_Base_Wing#World_War_II

The rescue on March 4, 1945 of a "2Lt R.D. Johnson" (Russell David Johnson?) and 2 other downed B-25 crews by PBY Catalina pilot Frank "Raunchy" Rauschkolb is discussed at

http://forum.armyairforces.com/Actor-Russell-Johnson-The-Professor-on-the-old-Gilligan39s-Island-TV-show-m189320.aspx ;

A more complete description of this crew rescue at

http://www.pbyrescue.com/Rescues/04mar45.htm

Crew #1: 2LT W.H. Clampit, 2Lt Russel M. Brown, 2Lt R.D. Johnson, Sgt R.E. Fain, and Sgt J. Busalacclai "

Purported picture of Russell Johnson (2nd from right?) & crew in front of what clearly is a B-25 at:

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x77/jeptoncook/42ndBGgearingupforamission.jpg — Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.252.76.204 (talk) 17:09, 29 January 2014 (UTC)

Last Major Cast Member
Since the passing of co-star Bob Denver in 2005, he is the last surviving major male cast member from that show.

So Dawn Wells does not count? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Jokem (talk • contribs) 14:06, 5 September 2012 (UTC)


 * Dawn Wells is many things, but a male she is not. - Dravecky (talk) 20:04, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

Inaccuracy In Twilight Zone Section
The content in the Twilight Zone section that indicates both episodes in which Johnson appeared involve time travel from the 20th to the 19th century is in accurate. In the Execution the time travel is in reverse; from the 19th to the 20th century.


 * Nope. In Execution, time-travel went both ways. The 20th century thug/murderer inadvertently got sent back and replaced the desperado-murderer in the noose. That's why the people at the hanging were so flabbergasted. And that was the entire moral-justice component of that TZ episode. And the preacher (accurately) closed the scene with the asseveration that justice had indeed been done. JohndanR (talk) 23:58, 31 January 2018 (UTC)

Good Conduct Medal
I was it mentioned that he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal (GCM). The GCM is for enlisted personnel only, officers are expected to have good conduct and are not rewarded for it. Since his military service isn't referenced, it is difficult to verify, but it mentions that he went in as an aviation cadet, so he had no enlisted time and wouldn't have had the opportunity to earn the GCM. If an officer who was prior enlisted earned the GCM during his enlisted time, he would wear the GCM, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. --rogerd (talk) 22:21, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

the professor
One little known announced job in the intro to Gilligan's Island was that the professor was a "famous scoutmaster." — Preceding unsigned comment added by 108.206.18.197 (talk) 06:13, 17 January 2014 (UTC)
 * That was in the pilot and 1st episode, perhaps, not as Johnson's Professor role. Russell Johnson was not the original cast member science-guy. JohndanR (talk) 00:02, 1 February 2018 (UTC)

Johnson's most recent work
The article fails to mention that Johnson has done a substantial amount of voice work in the Seattle area since the late 1990's 2601:7:1C80:28:288A:F0CA:75AE:9C71 (talk) 17:40, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

Ronald Reagan
From his autobiography, Johnson had several encounters with Reagan during his early acting career, and really didn't like him, considering him to be an over-eager blacklister and jingoist... AnonMoos (talk) 11:29, 11 February 2014 (UTC)

Zodiac Killer?
The article had noted in the, "Later life and death" Section that Russell Johnson was discovered to be the Zodiac Killer. This appears to be an online hoax that was propagated through Social Media, so I deleted that part of this Section.

Family Feud
There's a YouTube video that shows Russel Johnson playing for the big money and winning. The casts of Glligan's Island and Batman competed. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.114.251.147 (talk) 22:57, 30 April 2015 (UTC)

Footnote 5
Footnote 5 references the wrong Russell Johnson. Am somewhat surprised that it was used and has not been noticed. Isoruku (talk) 03:08, 11 March 2020 (UTC)

Additional TV appearance
Russell also appeared in Season 1 Episode 4 of 'Steve Canyon' airing in 1958. He played Major Hammer, who experienced an in-flight medical emergency while piloting a jet fighter. 2600:8805:C517:9900:693C:D721:FE20:2A61 (talk) 02:23, 8 December 2023 (UTC)

New Monkees
He also appeared on the New monkees tv show. I believe it was the first episode 2601:404:CD00:C3C0:C0C1:CA48:3FD1:42D0 (talk) 16:01, 23 December 2023 (UTC)