There are probably a number of people who carry this nickname - my favourite is Roy Bittan, keyboard player with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, so called because of his 'academic' personal appearance.
By traddition, every Punch and Judy man is known as Professor - it dates back to earlier times when theatre people used to elevate their professional status a little by adding a mythical academic title, and it has lasted through to the present day.