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'Gilligan's' Professor, Russell Johnson, dies at 89
WCBV.com ^ | January 16, 2014 | Unattributed

Posted on 01/16/2014 4:00:22 PM PST by WXRGina

Edited on 01/16/2014 4:28:11 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]

Actor Russell Johnson, best known as "the professor" in the 1960s TV sitcom "Gilligan's Island," died Thursday, his agent said. Johnson was 89.

Johnson played the iconic role of Professor Roy Hinkley, whose scientific schemes to get the castaways rescued were always foiled by Gilligan's bumbling.


(Excerpt) Read more at wcvb.com ...


TOPICS: TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: andtherest; gilligan; gilligansisland; hollywood; obituary; royhinkley; russelljohnson
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To: skeeter
...not possible to run a radio on batteries made of coconut shells and seawater

Actually, I recall POWs in WWII used to make crude crystal radios with a tiny bit of wire and an old razor blade as a detector. I would assume as long as you could find a source for even a poor semiconductor or even a piece of crystal on the island (volcanic, no?) and enough dissimilar metals you could build a functional one. Not very efficient, but workable.

41 posted on 01/16/2014 6:22:28 PM PST by Utilizer (Bacon A'kbar! - In world today are only peaceful people, and the mooslimbs trying to kill them-)
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To: WXRGina
scientific schemes to get the castaways rescued were always foiled by Gilligan's bumbling

First order of business on day 2: "KILL GILLIGAN"!

42 posted on 01/16/2014 6:22:55 PM PST by jaz.357 (Contrary To Ordinary)
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To: Utilizer
I have a radio here on my 'love me' desk that uses a chunk of galena for the detector, fine wire wrapped around a toilet paper roll for a coil, and foil from a cigarette pack along with the cellophane for a capacitor. It works.

It was the first functioning receiver I ever built. Having 2 clear channel AM stations nearby helped reception. ;)

/johnny

43 posted on 01/16/2014 6:38:05 PM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: freedumb2003
100th Bombardment Squadron, 42nd Bombardment Group, 13th Air Force

Wow, same group my late Father was in. He was a bombardier in a B-24 in the Philippines too.

44 posted on 01/16/2014 6:49:04 PM PST by Inyo-Mono (NRA)
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To: freedumb2003

“After high school, in the midst of World War II, Johnson joined the United States Army Air Forces as an aviation cadet and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He flew 44 combat missions as a bombardier in B-24 Liberator bombers. While flying as a navigator in a B-24 with the 100th Bombardment Squadron, 42nd Bombardment Group, 13th Air Force, his plane and two other B-24s were shot down in the Philippines in March 1945 during a low level bombing and strafing run against Japanese targets. The planes were hit by intense flak and had to ditch in the waters off the port of Zamboanga. During the ditching, he broke both his ankles and the radioman next to him was killed. Johnson earned a Purple Heart for this mission. He was also awarded the Air Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three service stars, the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one service star, and the World War II Victory Medal. He was honorably discharged with the rank of first lieutenant on November 22, 1945. He then joined the Army Reserve and used the GI Bill to fund his acting studies at the Actors Lab in Hollywood.[1] At acting school, he met actress Kay Levey; they married on July 23, 1949.[2]”

Wow, thanks for posting that. RIP Lieutenant, thank you for your service!


45 posted on 01/16/2014 6:53:04 PM PST by Batman11 (Obama is not American.. he has no clue what it is to be American.)
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To: yarddog

Maybe not a geiger counter, but he could potentially make an ion chamber detector if he salvaged some transistors from the boat’s radio.


46 posted on 01/16/2014 6:57:57 PM PST by Kirkwood (Zombie Hunter)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Isle Thing

Weird Al Yankovic - Isle Thing

47 posted on 01/16/2014 7:23:01 PM PST by SunkenCiv (;http://www.freerepublic.com/~mestamachine/)
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To: freedumb2003
Wow, I had no idea. RIP, Professor.


48 posted on 01/16/2014 7:27:37 PM PST by Girlene (Hey, NSA!)
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To: WXRGina

Well looks like the “Professor’’ finally got off the island. RIP Russel Johnson.


49 posted on 01/16/2014 8:07:00 PM PST by jmacusa ("Chasing God out of the classroom didn't usher in The Age of Reason''.)
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To: skeeter
Yeah you're right. America in the heyday of “Gilligan's Island’’ was so different than now.More innocent, more optimistic. I miss those days as a kid watching shows like "Gilligan's Island'', miss them so much.
50 posted on 01/16/2014 8:09:38 PM PST by jmacusa ("Chasing God out of the classroom didn't usher in The Age of Reason''.)
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To: Interesting Times

Hahahahahahahaha! One of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movies!


51 posted on 01/16/2014 8:28:09 PM PST by rlmorel ("A nation, despicable by its weakness, forfeits even the privilege of being neutral." A. Hamilton)
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To: Inyo-Mono

Your Dad was a hero.


52 posted on 01/16/2014 8:31:38 PM PST by WXRGina (The Founding Fathers would be shooting by now.)
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To: jmacusa

Shows like “I Dream of Jeannie”, “Petticoat Junction”, “Green Acres”, “The Beverly Hillbillies”, “Lost in Space”, “Bewitched”, “Mr. Ed”, “My Mother The Car”, and of course, “Gilligan’s Island”. Completely, totally, unalterably corny, silly and stupid, but...oh, how we watched them and laughed at them. Different times, indeed.

RIP Professor.


53 posted on 01/16/2014 8:35:40 PM PST by rlmorel ("A nation, despicable by its weakness, forfeits even the privilege of being neutral." A. Hamilton)
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To: jmacusa
Well looks like the “Professor’’ finally got off the island. RIP Russel Johnson.

Best comment.

54 posted on 01/16/2014 8:38:12 PM PST by WXRGina (The Founding Fathers would be shooting by now.)
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To: pogo101; ButThreeLeftsDo

Fitting. And to this day, for red-blooded men, the debate continues:

“Ginger or Mary Ann?”

I was always a Mary Ann kind of guy. She seemed like she really LIKED men better. Lower maintenance, always upbeat and smiling...yep. Mary Ann. SHE is the kind of girl that men really like.

But...Ginger...well, those tight dresses...


55 posted on 01/16/2014 8:39:01 PM PST by rlmorel ("A nation, despicable by its weakness, forfeits even the privilege of being neutral." A. Hamilton)
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To: rlmorel

It’s funny. As a boy I always sort of looked up to the Professor. As for the Ginger versus Mary Ann debate, as a teenager and for many years (several decades) thereafter, it was no contest: Mary Ann. Now, it’s Ginger hands down, to the point that I can’t believe the matter is even open to legitimate debate.


56 posted on 01/16/2014 8:53:54 PM PST by Atticus
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To: Atticus

It was never Ginger. She was nothing but paint and props. Mary Ann was a real girl.


57 posted on 01/16/2014 8:55:41 PM PST by GeronL (Extra Large Cheesy Over-Stuffed Hobbit)
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To: Mikey_1962; Utilizer; JRandomFreeper

Hi Fi Gilligan (25 Nov. 1965)

An accidental blow to the head causes Gilligan’s tooth fillings to act as a radio receiver.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1230840/


58 posted on 01/17/2014 2:44:28 AM PST by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
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To: rlmorel

You know what I never understood about “I dream of Jeanie” was how come the feminists never wanted to ban and/or boycott the advertisers on the show.

I mean you have a dumb blond that dresses in a harem costume who lives in a bottle and comes out takes orders from her male master.


59 posted on 01/17/2014 2:52:38 AM PST by staytrue
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To: WXRGina

Johnson made no secret his dislike of Ronald Reagan.


60 posted on 01/17/2014 5:55:54 AM PST by YourAdHere (I flip off all Obama bumper stickers.)
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