Russell Johnson Nearly Walked Away From Gilligan's Island After Hollywood Warnings

Thanks to its beloved opening jingle, many know the cast of characters from "Gilligan's Island." But believe it or not, "The Professor" is not only absent from the original opening, but may have almost been written out of the show entirely following its pilot premiere, as Russell Johnson — who played Roy Hinkley aka "The Professor" — was told that "Gilligan's Island" was going to be a massive flop. For the sake of his career, he was told to quit the show before its first episode even aired.

Speaking to the Oroville Mercury Register (via MeTv), Johnson remembered being warned by others in Hollywood to steer clear of the series, recalling, "'I hear you're thinking about going into 'Gilligan's Island,'" they said, 'Forget it— that bomb will never last 13 weeks.'" Well, so much for those doubts, as "Gilligan's Island" became a hit with audiences. And though it only received three seasons, everyone in its cast became household names. The show was a pop culture phenomenon that, long after its few years on the air, became a staple of American television in reruns.

Unsurprisingly, that popularity changed Johnson's life forever. "People know me wherever I go," he said. "No, they don't say 'There's Russell Johnson.' But they do say: 'Hey, there's that guy from the 'Gilligan' show!'"

Though it's easy to look back and laugh at someone believing "Gilligan's Island" would be a bomb, those Hollywood skeptics weren't entirely wrong. When the series first debuted, it was trashed by critics, and Russell Johnson remembers it vividly. "They hated us, we were the bottom of the barrel," he told Foundation Interviews in 2004. "As far as a lot of people are concerned, that's still true, in terms of the people who are very serious about things."

Despite the unfavorable reviews, Johnson soldiered on and stuck with the show — after all, it was good work, and he didn't care what the critics were saying. "I mean, [a bad review] doesn't make you feel good. But we're working, you do the best you can, you're not trying to make a bad show." Ultimately, in spite of the bad write-ups in the press, the show did well, earning legions of fans and making Russell a recognizable face on television. 

While Johnson sadly passed away in 2014, the actor nevertheless predicted that the series and its timeless humor would live on, saying, "It'll be on for another 40 years, and certain people will still think it's the worst thing, but most people love it."