Why Russell Johnson Replaced John Gabriel As The Professor On Gilligan’s Island

Deep-cut fans of Sherwood Schwartz’s 1964 sitcom “Gilligan’s Island” will likely be able to tell you all about the show’s original pilot episode, “Marooned.” Considered a “dry run” of the series, “Marooned” featured the same premise — seven whimsically mismatched castaways are trapped together on an uncharted desert isle — but the characters were reshuffled a little bit. Gilligan (Bob Denver), the Skipper (Alan Hale), and the Howells (Jim Backus and Natalie Schafer) were present, but the Professor (Russell Johnson), Ginger (Tina Louise), and Mary Ann (Dawn Wells) hadn’t been invented yet. 

In their places were completely different characters played by different actors. The original Ginger was played by Kit Smythe and was a sardonic secretary. Mary Ann was originally a character named Bunny, Ginger’s ditzy best friend, played by Nancy McCarthy. The Professor, meanwhile, was originally a high school teacher played by actor John Gabriel, probably best known for appearing in 726 episodes of the soap opera “Ryan’s Hope.” The original theme song to “Gilligan’s Island” also wasn’t yet the amazing sea shanty we all know and love, but an upbeat calypso number written by John Williams. 

Schwartz felt the series needed some fine-tuning, and he made the appropriate alterations, re-forming certain characters and using the (quite frankly better) new theme song. The new Professor (real name: Roy Hinkley) was played by Johnson, and he provided the show with a straight man, providing clear-thinking and good judgement among other characters that were frequently buffoonish. It was important for the dynamic of “Gilligan’s Island” that an “adult” be included. 

Which may be a large reason why Gabriel was replaced. It seems that the young actor was far too energetic and youthful for his own good.

Keep in mind that Russell Johnson was notably older than John Gabriel. In 1964, Johnson had just turned 40, while Gabriel was a wee bairn of only 33. One can become a professor at a much younger age than that, but Gabriel was probably best known at the time for his multiple roles on “77 Sunset Strip,” and exuded a kind of “romantic lead” energy, more than a professorial vibe. Gabriel was hardly boyish — he was tall and strong and striking — but he wasn’t exactly “professorial” either. He was more like the gruff jock in your science class you not-so-secretly have a crush on, or a T.A. you’re distracted by. One cannot fault Gabriel for sex appeal, but … well, he was just wrong for the part. 

You can find the original “Gilligan’s Island” pilot easily enough online, and Gabriel’s presence is indeed a little off. And that’s not just because we have spent decades watching Johnson as the Professor in reruns. Gabriel’s character didn’t enhance the comedy of the series. 

Johnson, while serving as a straight man on the show, clearly had better comedic chops than Gabriel, coming across as a more affable, wiser, and approachable character. Johnson also had a more prolific film career than Gabriel, making him a more pliable actor. The replacement was the right choice.

These days, it’s hard to picture anyone other than the core seven cast members in any of the roles, proving that Sherwood Schwartz knew what he was doing. “Gilligan’s Island” had branded itself onto the pop consciousness more so than any other sitcom of its era. Johnson can be credited for helping.