Russell Johnson, 'Gilligan's Island' professor, dead at 89

RIP

I didn't realize that Gilligan's Island was only 3 seasons. I watched so many reruns growing up in the 80s so it seemed like a 10 or more season show. The question is who did you like better Ginger or Mary-Anne? Mary-Anne gets my vote.

I agree, but yeah, I too, didn't realize it was only 3 seasons. Could have sworn it was more, but with the constant reruns... Who cares, it was a funny show and every American growing up in the 70's and 80's can relate that it was just good fun, you knew what was coming, you memorized all the lines, but it was still fun to watch before cable, before there were a zillion channels. TV was simple, basic, but so much fun. Great memories, Loved the show. RIP Mr. Johnson, you made me laugh a whole lot!

And yes, DD without a doubt, Mary-Anne all the way!!

Neither did I realize it was only three seasons -- seemed like it went on for much, much longer. It was a fun show, and I can still hear the theme song in my head and see certain episodes. RIP, professor. 89 is not a bad go, but still sad to see it come.

I believe Johnson was already fairly well-known for the television work before starting Gilligan's Island. He more television work after this series, but will always be associated with Gilligan's Island. Gawd, I now feel old, because I clearly remember those reruns of this show all over TV during the 1970's and 1980's up to 1984, when reruns and movies were the primary ways local TV stations filled their air time.

"He played high school science teacher Roy Hinkley, known to his fellow castaways as The Professor."

Well I'll be! I never knew the Professor had another name, ha ha!

"There was seemingly nothing he couldn’t do when it came to building generators, short-wave radios and other contraptions from scraps of flotsam and jetsam he found on the island. But, as Russell would joke years later, the one thing The Professor never accomplished was figuring out how to patch the hole in the bottom of the S.S. Minnow so the group could get back to civilization."

Well of course he never patched the hole in the boat, if he did, that would have been the end of Gilligan's Island!

"critics repeatedly lambasted the show as insipid"

Cripes, what would these critics say about Get Smart? ha ha

Of course you like Mary Ann more than Ginger, in polls, she wins 3 to 1. And it was Gunsmoke that done the show wrong with a little help from the Monkeys. Good night Professor.

RIP, , thanks for entertaining me during my childhood :-)