Thursday, January 16, 2014

Passing of the Professor

Sadly, "The Professor", Russell Johnson, has passed away

I enjoyed Gilligan's Island as a kid.  I can't help but think that his portrayal deeply affected people's perception of scientists, subconsciously or consciously, for better or worse, for a generation. 

Some related links.
Improbable research
TV Tropes (the Professor).

Feel free to add more in comments.

3 comments:

Geoff Knauth said...

I too liked Gilligan's Island, and it must have had a subconscious effect on me in the 1960s, or maybe it dives deep in all of us. Since the 1960s, I've had my share of virtual shipwrecks, some of them mistakes I made at Harvard. I lived on a tropical island paradise and experienced hurricanes and their monstrous seas. I've met truly courageous people. I spent time with the beautiful people (the Gingers and the Mary Annes) and hung out briefly with the the Howells, though I've never been money-rich. I've been a skipper, I've certainly been a Gilligan. I even taught for four years, though I was never as smart as the Professor. I got off the island, though I often wish I was still on it. I miss the Professor, but I liked and was inspired by the whole crew, the teamwork, the camaraderie, the adventure.

Michael Mitzenmacher said...

Thanks for the comment Geoff. I was beginning to wonder if it was just me (that liked Gilligan's Island, or just in general watched WAY too much TV as a kid...)

Unknown said...

1) The only ones still alive are
Mary Ann and Ginger (the actresses who played them).

2) I watched it in prime time. I suspect you saw it in reruns.

3) Some shows are better remembered than rewatched. If you've seen it recently you may wonder `why did I ever like this' or you might still like it for the nostalgia value.

(This is Bill Gasarch, but it may identify me as REU-CAAR since that is the account I am logged onto now).