The Actor Who Played The Gorilla On Gilligan's Island Had Multiple Star Trek Roles

Janos Prohaska, a Hungarian actor and stuntman born in 1919, left an indelible mark on American television in the 1960s despite appearing in costume for the majority of his performances. Prohaska's career spanned various genres, including science fiction and adventure, with roles in shows such as The Outer Limits, Perry Mason, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Star Trek, Land of Giants, Bewitched, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, Here's Lucy, and Dusty Trail.

Prohaska self-made his gorilla costume due to difficulty finding an appropriate ape suit. This ensemble, crafted from rubber, leather, and yak hair, earned him a spot in the CBS sitcom Gilligan's Island. Prohaska's character, a gorilla, appeared multiple times on the show, including in the Season 1 episode "Diamonds Are an Ape's Best Friend" where he was smitten with Mrs. Howell's perfume. His gorilla role also returned in later seasons, including Season 3 where he played an orangutan.

Prohaska's journey with Star Trek began in the pilot episode "The Cage," where he portrayed an apelike and birdlike alien. His role in Star Trek extended to the episode "The Devil in the Dark" as the Horta. Prohaska's ability to adapt to various roles and his resourcefulness in creating costumes contributed to his prolific career in the entertainment industry. Despite his successful career, Prohaska's life was tragically cut short when he died in a plane crash while working on a TV series called Primal Man.