Gilligan's Island Star Russell Johnson Appeared In A Classic 1950s Sci-Fi Movie Based On A Ray Bradbury Story

Three years prior to the most famous alien invasion movie with a twist, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," "Gilligan's Island" star Russell Johnson appeared in a film exploring similar themes. 1953's "It Came from Outer Space" was based on a film treatment written by the great Ray Bradbury and saw the future Professor actor play a telephone linemen who becomes possessed by the extraterrestrials. In this case, however, the aliens prove to be much more benign than in other sci-fi horror movies from the era.

Alien invasion narratives were at the height of their popularity in the 1950s, with studios churning out B-movie after B-movie capitalizing on widespread fears of invasion propelled by the rise of communism. The Red Scare also imbued the decade with an ambient level of paranoia, one that all of these now beloved sci-fi horror movies capitalized. Nevertheless, "It Came from Outer Space" stands out for several reasons.

For one thing, it was based on Bradbury's story treatment "The Meteor," making it the first major film to use Bradbury's work as its source material. The author's short stories had been adapted for several anthology TV shows at the time, but "It Came from Outer Space" was a significant development in the author's relationship with Hollywood, and it may just be one of the best Ray Bradbury movies. What's more, the film represents the first collaboration between producer William Alland and director Jack Arnold, pre-dating their work on 1954's "The Creature from the Black Lagoon." "It Came from Outer Space" was even the first sci-fi movie to be shown in 3D. Story aside, then, Arnold's 1953 effort represents a seminal moment in sci-fi horror movie history. Johnson, who was just starting out, was no doubt thrilled to be a part of it.

Long before Ray Bradbury helped bring "Blade Runner" to the big screen, he wrote "The Meteor." Universal Pictures liked it enough to ask the author to expand his story treatment, which he dutifully did, delivering a finished screenplay. The studio then promptly dismissed Bradbury and brought in writer Harry Essex to produce a final draft. But to quote Bradbury (via Turner Classic Movies), Essex admitted to merely "putting frosting on the cake."

Regardless, the resulting film became one of the most significant sci-fi horror movies of the era. Set in the fictional town of Sand Rock, Arizona, "It Came from Outer Space" follows amateur astronomer John Putnam (Richard Carlson) and his schoolteacher fiancée Ellen Fields (Barbara Rush) as they witness an object crash land in the desert during a stargazing session. Upon inspecting the crash site, John finds an alien craft, which is quickly buried by a landslide. Needless to say, nobody believes the astronomer when he starts raving about the arrival of extra-terrestrials, including his own fiancée and Charles Drake's Sheriff Matt Warren.

But when townspeople start to disappear only to return as vacant shells of their former selves, the Sand Rock community's incredulity turns to hostility. Putnam remains determined to make contact with the aliens, but he ends up realizing they are not quite as hostile as the townspeople assume. He then acts as a mediator between the two groups. Meanwhile, Russell Johnson has some important scenes as George, a telephone linesman who's taken by the aliens only to return as a dazed husk of a man. He is, for example, the one responsible for informing Putnam and Fields that the aliens are capable of transforming themselves to look like humans.

In the early 1950s, Russell Johnson's acting career had just begun. 1953 was a particularly notable year for the actor, with Johnson appearing in the beloved live-action DC superhero show "Adventures of Superman" as a crime boss whose schemes are quickly thwarted by George Reeves' Man of Steel. That itself was a decent enough gig for a young actor only getting started. But "It Came from Outer Space" was even more significant.

It would be 10 years before Johnson made his debut as Professor Roy Hinkley on "Gilligan's Island." As such, the chance to work with Jack Arnold on the first 3D sci-fi horror flick was a big deal for the actor, even if Arnold had yet to produce his best-known work. Per AFI, "It Came from Outer Space" was the first time a 3D presentation was projected onto "giant" screens with stereoscopic sound, giving audiences a 90-degree view of the action. Regardless of the film's quality, then, seeing himself up there with Richard Carlson and Barbara Rush was surely a rush of its own.

Fortunately, the film was received well enough upon its release and has since undergone a critical re-evaluation to become known as one of the great sci-fi movies of the era. It's just as well, seeing how much trouble went into making the film. According to AFI, Arnold ran a tight ship on-set, making his actors sign secrecy pledges and creating, filming, and destroying the alien in one day. Today, "It Came from Outer Space" remains a celebrated entry in the sci-fi horror canon that's long overdue for a remake. If you're yet to see it, you can watch a colorized version for free on Tubi.