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Russell Johnson as The Professor on Gilligan's Island

Roy Hinkley^{[citation needed]}, usually referred to as The Professor, B.A., B.S., M.A., Ph.D. (born in Cleveland, Ohio [1]) is one of the seven castaways from the television series Gilligan's Island. He was played by Russell Johnson.

The Professor was a high school science teacher, and he devised many ways for the castaways to live more comfortably on the island. Many of his inventions (including a method for recharging the batteries in an ever-present radio) utilized coconuts and bamboo, both of which were in plentiful supply. Aside from his proficiency in science, he was also adept and well-versed in literature, social sciences, and the arts. Besides a list of degrees from various schools he provides in one episode, little was ever learned about his past and nothing was ever learned about his family. In several episodes there are brief remarks on his past: in the pilot he is described as a "scoutmaster" in another when a Big-Game hunter comes to the Island and asks the Professor what sports he took-the answer is "chess club"; another time when the castaways are filming a silent movie and the Professor is in a long kiss with Ginger, he is asked how he can hold his breath-the answer is he was a "scuba diver"; in another when the Castaways try to recreate who killed "Randolph Blake" the Professor threatens to expose the cheating Blake to a science council.

The Professor was portrayed as the most neutral character. He usually displayed more patience with Gilligan than the other castaways, and was often called upon to settle disputes. As a result, he often serves as the leader of the castaways.

A running joke about the Professor was his ability to build anything from coconuts and bamboo, like a working radio, but he was somehow unable to create a way to leave the island. This was parodied in sitcom Roseanne, when one of the characters playing The Professor stated after they crashed, "This hole on the boat defies all of my advanced knowledge. To fix it would be impossible...now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go create explosive fillings out of sand."

• The Professor's Place (Russell Johnson's official website)