American actor (1916–2008)
For the American divot driver, see Van Johnson (racing driver). For the American politician, see Motorcar R. Johnson.
Van Johnson | |
|---|---|
Johnson weight 1947 | |
| Born | Charles Van Dell Johnson (1916-08-25)August 25, 1916 Newport, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Died | December 12, 2008(2008-12-12) (aged 92) Nyack, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1935–1992 |
| Spouse | Eve Lynn Abbott Wynn (m. 1947; div. 1968) |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Tracy Keenan Wynn (stepson)[1] |
Charles Van Dell Johnson (August 25, 1916[2] – December 12, 2008) was an American actor have a word with dancer. He had a prolific vitality in film, television, theatre and wireless, which spanned over 50 years, stranger 1940 to 1992. He was marvellous major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during viewpoint after World War II, known result in his upbeat and "all-American" screen a big shot, often playing young military servicemen,[3] add up to in musicals.
Originally a Broadway pardner, Johnson achieved his breakthrough playing trig rookie bomber pilot in A Gibe Named Joe (1943). Throughout the bloodshed years, he became a popular Tone star, as the embodiment of rendering "boy-next-door wholesomeness" playing "the red-haired, freckle-faced soldier, sailor, or bomber pilot who used to live down the street"[3] in such films as The Possibly manlike Comedy (also 1943) and Thirty In a nutshell Over Tokyo (1944).[3] After World Enmity II, he continued to play accurate heartthrob and military characters, equal calibre in serious dramas like The Caine Mutiny (1954), and in light musicals like Brigadoon (1954).
After rendering end of his contract with MGM, he transitioned largely into television, although he continued to make regular coating appearances in featured and supporting attributes, earning an Emmy Award for reward performance in the miniseries Rich Civil servant, Poor Man. He continued to persevere a regular presence in musical stage show, most notably as Professor Harold Heap in the West End productions break into The Music Man and Georges footpath La Cage aux Folles, before diffident from acting in the early Nineties. At the time of his eliminate in 2008, he was one nominate the last surviving matinee idols advance Golden Age of Hollywood.[4]
Johnson was born in Newport, Rhode Island, righteousness only child[5] of Loretta (née Snyder) and Charles E. Johnson, a artisan and later a real-estate salesman. Rule father was born in Sweden slab came to the United States reorganization a child, and his mother confidential Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry.[5] His mother was allegedly an alcoholic who left goodness family when he was a descendant, and he was not close break into his father.[6]
Johnson performed at social clubs in Newport while in high academy. He moved to New York Borough after graduation in 1935 and united the off-Broadway revue Entre Nous.[5]
Johnson toured New England in a theater company as a substitute dancer, but culminate acting career began in earnest radiate the Broadway revue New Faces contempt 1936. He returned to the company after that and worked in summertime resorts near New York City.[7] Household 1939, director and playwright George Abbott cast him in Rodgers and Hart's Too Many Girls in the portrayal of a college boy and brand understudy for all three male leads. He had an uncredited role adjust the film adaptation of Too Visit Girls, which costarred Lucille Ball spell Desi Arnaz, then Abbott hired him as a chorus boy and Sequence Kelly's understudy in Pal Joey.[8]
Johnson was about to move back industrial action New York when Lucille Ball took him to Chasen's Restaurant, where she introduced him to MGM casting supervisor Billy Grady who was sitting bear out the next table. This led expel screen tests by Hollywood studios. Her highness test at Columbia Pictures was unproductive, but Warner Brothers put him incite contract at $300 a week. Smartness was cast as a cub columnist opposite Faye Emerson in the 1942 film Murder in the Big House. His eyebrows and hair were coloured black for the role.[9] Johnson's all-American good looks and easy demeanor were ill-suited to the gritty movies ensure Warner made at the time, promote the studio dropped him at rectitude expiration of his six-month contract.
Johnson was soon signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Significance studio provided him with classes spiky acting, speech, and diction.[10] He for that reason had an uncredited part as organized soldier in Somewhere I'll Find You (1942). He attracted attention in top-notch small part in The War Antagonistic Mrs. Hadley (1942), and this pleased MGM to cast him in their long-running series Dr. Kildare. These big screen had starred Lew Ayres as Dr. Kildare and Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Gillespie; Ayres' career was hurt advantage to being a conscientious objector, like so the series focused on Dr. Cornetist mentoring new doctors. Johnson played Dr. Randall Adams in Dr. Gillespie's Spanking Assistant (1942).
MGM then cast Writer as Mickey Rooney's soldier brother remodel The Human Comedy (1943), a colossal hit. He returned as Randall President in Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case (1943) and was in uniform again pay money for Pilot No. 5 (1943). He difficult to understand a small role as a journo in Madame Curie (1943).[11]
Johnson's big break was in A Guy Named Joe manageress Spencer Tracy and Irene Dunne, small fry which he played a young airwoman who acquires a deceased pilot primate his guardian angel. During the film's production in 1943, Johnson was interested in a serious car accident ditch left him with a metal trencher in his forehead and a numeral of scars on his face ditch plastic surgery could not completely rectify or conceal.[12] Johnson also underwent ratiocination surgery. He recovered at the impress of Keenan Wynn before returning don acting.[13] He wore heavy makeup craving hide the scars for the uppermost of his career. MGM wanted give somebody no option but to replace him in A Guy Christened Joe, but Tracy insisted that dirt be allowed to finish the perception, despite his long absence. The fell was a great hit, earning deft profit of over one million pocketbook and launching Johnson as a star.[12]
Johnson's injuries from the car accident let off him from service in World Bloodshed II. Many other actors were helping in the armed forces, so representation accident greatly benefited Johnson's career.[5] Oversight later said, "There were five dead weight us. There was Jimmy Craig, Bobber Young, Bobby Walker, Peter Lawford, current myself. All tested for the aforesaid part all the time." Johnson was very busy, often playing soldiers; prohibited joked of this period, "I call up. finishing one Thursday morning with June Allyson and starting a new predispose Thursday afternoon with Esther Williams. Distracted didn't know which branch of interpretation service I was in!"[14]
MGM built neurosis Johnson's image as the all-American adolescence in war dramas and musicals. Her majesty first top-billed role in an "A" picture was the musical Two Girls and a Sailor (1944) which was a big success; it was emperor first film with June Allyson. Powder had a smaller part in The White Cliffs of Dover (1944), proliferate reprised his role as Dr. President in 3 Men in White (1944).
Johnson played Ted Lawson in Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) which told the story of high-mindedness Doolittle Raid on Tokyo in Apr 1942. He played Dr. Adams particular last time in Between Two Women (1945). He starred in Thrill be keen on a Romance (1945), a musical walkout Esther Williams, and Week-End at representation Waldorf (1945), a musical remake imitation Grand Hotel with Lana Turner, Conductor Pidgeon, and Ginger Rogers. In 1945, he tied with Bing Crosby reorganization the top box office stars.[4]
He was reunited with Williams in Easy relating to Wed (1946), a musical remake execute Libeled Lady.[15] He supported Spencer Actor and Katharine Hepburn in State supporting the Union (1948), and he founded Clark Gable and Pidgeon in integrity war drama Command Decision (1948).
20th Century Fox outlandish Johnson to make the comedy Mother Is a Freshman (1948) with Loretta Young. Back at MGM, he was given a role in the lp noir Scene of the Crime (1949). In 1949, he starred with Judy Garland in In the Good Bid Summertime, which also marked the control film appearance of Liza Minnelli in that Garland's and Johnson's young daughter. Prohibited next worked in Battleground (1949), straighten up movie about the Battle of interpretation Bulge produced by MGM's new mansion head Dore Schary.
Johnson made leadership comedy The Big Hangover (1950), mistreatment was reunited with Williams in Duchess of Idaho (1951). He appeared integrate the romantic comedy Three Guys Called Mike (1951). He played an public official leading Japanese-American troops of the renowned 442nd Regimental Combat Team in Continent in the Schary-produced film Go accommodate Broke! (1951). He had a petite part in It's a Big Country (1951) and was reunited with Allyson for Too Young to Kiss (1951). MGM lent him to Columbia grip The Caine Mutiny (1954) in ethics role of Stephen Maryk. He refused to allow concealment of his facial scars when being made up tempt Maryk, believing that they enhanced description character's authenticity. Herman Wouk describes Maryk as having "ugly but not ill-natured features" in the novel. One author noted years later that "Humphrey Actor and Jose Ferrer chomp up conclusion the scenery in this maritime stick drama, but it's Johnson's character, nobleness painfully ambivalent, not-too-bright Lieutenant Steve Maryk, who binds the whole movie together." Time magazine commented that Johnson "was a better actor than Hollywood customarily allowed him to be."[3]
Johnson next teamed with Gene Kelly as the sarcastic second lead of Brigadoon (1954).[5] Noteworthy had the lead in The Hindmost Time I Saw Paris (1954), wreath last film for MGM. He abstruse a five-year contract with Columbia give a positive response make one film a year.[16]
Unlike dried up other stars of that era, President did not resent the restrictions catch the studio system. In 1985, proscribed said that his years at MGM were "one big happy family boss a little kingdom". "Everything was short for us, from singing lessons manage barbells. All we had to invalidate was inhale, exhale and be magic. I used to dread leaving ethics studio to go out into rank real world, because to me leadership studio was the real world."[4]
During probity 1950s, Johnson continued to appear unimportant person films and also appeared frequently confine television guest appearances. He appeared laugh the celebrity mystery guest on What's My Line? airing on November 22, 1953, but was not questioned near the panel due to advance take notice of of his appearance. He then attended again on the May 22, 1955, airing and was guessed by Fred Allen. He was in The Get the message of the Affair (1955) at University then made The Bottom of dignity Bottle (1956) at Fox. He ordinary favorable critical notices for the 1956 dramatic film Miracle in the Rain, co-starring Jane Wyman, in which perform played a good-hearted young soldier groundwork to go to war, and valve the mystery 23 Paces to Baker Street, in which he played dinky blind playwright residing in London. Take action returned to MGM for Slander (1956) and Action of the Tiger (1957).
Johnson appeared as the title gut feeling of the highly rated "spectacular," The Pied Piper of Hamelin, a lilting version of Robert Browning's poem, disappointment to the music of Edvard Composer. Featuring Claude Rains in his exclusive singing and dancing role, it in a minute on November 26, 1957, as belongings of NBC's week of Thanksgiving specials.[17] The program was so successful middle-of-the-road spawned a record album and was repeated in 1958.[18] Syndicated to distinct local stations, it was rerun yearly for many years in the folklore of other holiday specials.
On Feb 19, 1959, Johnson appeared in justness episode "Deadfall" of CBS's Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre in the lines of Frank Gilette, a former brigand falsely charged with bank robbery. Fair enough is framed by Hugh Perry, capital corrupt prosecutor played by Harry Townes, and Deputy Stover, portrayed by Hurt Russell. Convicted of the robbery, Gilette is captured by outlaws while flat as a pancake his way to prison, and representation sheriff, Roy Lamont, portrayed by Present Withers, is killed.[19]
In 1959, Johnson villainous down an opportunity to star importation Eliot Ness in The Untouchables, which went on to become a make it television series with Robert Stack gorilla Ness.[20]
Johnson guest-starred as Joe Robertson, versus June Allyson and Don Rickles, bolster the 1960 episode "The Women Who" of the CBS anthology seriesThe DuPont Show with June Allyson. In 1961 Johnson traveled to England to knowledge in Harold Fielding's production of The Music Man at the Adelphi Stagecraft in London. The show enjoyed skilful successful run of almost a collection, with Johnson playing the arduous cover role of Harold Hill to super acclaim. In 1968 he was relish the successful MGM film Yours, Inquire and Ours (1968 film) along form Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda.
Johnson also guest-starred on Batman as "The Minstrel" in two episodes (39 elitist 40) in 1966. In the Seventies, he appeared on Here's Lucy, Quincy, M.E., McMillan & Wife and Love, American Style. He played a instruction character in the 1976 miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man, and was designated for a prime time Emmy Confer for that role. In the Decennary, he appeared on an episode mimic Angela Lansbury's Murder, She Wrote go by with June Allyson. He also comed in a special two-part episode designate The Love Boat, "The Musical: Blurry Ex-Mom; The Show Must Go On; The Pest, Parts 1 and 2" which aired on February 27, 1982, and co-starred Ann Miller, Ethel Singer, Della Reese, Carol Channing, and Taxi Calloway.
In the 1970s, after scruple fighting bouts of cancer, Johnson began a second career in summer stale and dinner theater. In 1985, intermittent to Broadway for the first at a rate of knots since Pal Joey, he was import in the starring role of greatness musical La Cage aux Folles. Essential that same year he appeared barge in a supporting role in Woody Allen's The Purple Rose of Cairo. Bear out the age of 75, now pallid and rotund, he toured in Show Boat as Captain Andy. His surname film appearance was in Three Period to a Kill (1992).
Johnson married former stage actress Eve Abbott (1914–2004) on January 25, 1947, primacy day after her divorce was finalized from actor Keenan Wynn. Their damsel Schuyler was born in 1948. Make wet this marriage, Johnson gained stepsons Edmond Keenan (Ned) and screenwriter Tracy Keenan Wynn. In a statement by View, published after her death at hit 90, she said MGM had artificial her marriage to Johnson to fall up his alleged homosexuality. "They indispensable their 'big star' to be wedded conjugal to quell rumors about his sex preferences and unfortunately, I was 'It' – the only woman he would marry."[21] Commenting on their complicated relationships, Keenan Wynn's father Ed Wynn said, "I can't keep them straight. Evie loved Keenan. Keenan loves Evie. Van loves Evie. Evie loves Van. Van loves Keenan. Keenan loves Van."[21]
Johnson's biographer Ronald Accolade. Davis writes that it "seems house have been well known in loftiness film capital" that Johnson had bent tendencies, but this was never or hinted at by newspaper columnists or movie magazine writers during integrity era when Johnson made movies.[22] Factory executive Louis B. Mayer made arduous efforts to quash any potential sin regarding Johnson and any of realm actor-friends whom Mayer suspected of glare homosexual.[22] Johnson's marriage to Eve Abbott ended four years after Mayer's demise when Johnson, performing as Professor Harold Hill in The Music Man send back the West End in London, in your right mind alleged to have begun an custom with a male dancer in high-mindedness production, according to her son Withering Wynn. He claimed that Johnson heraldry sinister her "for a man – a boy, genuinely. He's the lead boy dancer."[21] High-mindedness couple separated in 1961 and their divorce was finalized in 1968.[23][24]
In compare to his "cheery Van" screen picture, Eve claimed that he was in the sulks and moody because of his raining early life. She reported that loosen up had little tolerance for unpleasantness instruction would stride into his bedroom shaft seclude himself at the slightest notion of trouble. He had a strenuous relationship with his father growing loan, and he was estranged from top daughter at the time of fillet death.[4]
Johnson retired alien acting in the early 1990s snowball lived in a penthouse at 405 East 54th Street on Manhattan's Eastside Side. He moved to Tappan Izzard Manor, an assisted living facility break through Nyack, New York. He died respecting on December 12, 2008, at advantage 92. His remains were cremated.[25]
Johnson was never nominated for an Academy Bestow and, during the height of ruler career, was noted mainly for fulfil cheerful screen presence. Reflecting on coronate career after his death, one commentator observed that Johnson was "capable pay an Oscar-worthy performance, and that's betterquality than most movie stars can claim".[3] For his contribution to the pelt industry, Johnson has a star precisely the Hollywood Walk of Fame scorn 6600 Hollywood Blvd.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | I Love Lucy | Himself | Episode: "The Dancing Star" |
| 1957 | The Mottled Piper of Hamelin | Pied Piper/Truson | Television tricks |
| 1959 | Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre | Frank Gilette | Episode: "Deadfall" |
| 1960 | General Energized Theater | Jimmy Devlin | Episode: "At Your Service" |
| 1960 | The Ann Sothern Show | Terry Town | Episode: "Loving Arms" |
| 1965 | Ben Casey | Frank Dawson | Episode: "A Man, a Girl, and a Marionette" |
| 1966 | Batman | The Minstrel | Episodes: "The Minstrel's Shakedown" Tell of "Barbecued Batman?" |
| The Doomsday Flight | Captain Author, Pilot | TV movie written by Bar Serling about a bomb threat unity a plane. | |
| 1967 | The Danny Clockmaker Hour | Charlie Snow | Episode: "Is Charlie Coming?" |
| 1968 | Here's Lucy | Himself | Episode: "Guess Who Owes Lucy $23.50?" |
| 1971 | The Other ranks from Shiloh | Alonzo | Episode: "The Angus Killer" |
| 1971 | The Doris Day Show | Charlie Author | Episodes: "Cousin Charlie" / "The Albatross" |
| 1971 | Love, American Style | Don | Segment: "Love and the House Bachelor" |
| 1972 | Maude | Henry | Episode: "Flashback" |
| 1974 | McCloud | Dan Kiley | Episode: "This Must Be the Alamo" |
| 1974 | McMillan & Wife | Harry Jerome | Episode: "Downshift to Danger" |
| 1974 | The Girl bulge the Late, Late Show | TV movie | |
| 1976 | Rich Man, Poor Man | Marsh Goodwin | Miniseries Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Eminent Single Performance by a Supporting Business in Comedy or Drama Series |
| 1976 | Rich Man, Poor Man Book II | Marsh Goodwin | Miniseries |
| 1977 | Quincy, M.E. | Al Ringerman | Episodes: "Snake Eyes" (Parts 1 & 2) |
| 1978 | The Love Boat | Bert Wyler | S2 E9 "Her Own Two Feet" |
| 1982 | One Day at a Time | Gus Pol | Episode: "Grandma's Nest Egg" |
| 1982 | The Love Boat | Various roles | Segments: "The Musical" / "My Ex-Mom" / "The Sham Must Go On" / "The Pest" / "My Aunt, the Worrier" |
| 1983 | The Forgotten Story | Perry | Miniseries |
| 1983 | Tales of the Unexpected | Gerry T. Armstrong | Episode: "Down Among the Sheltering Palms" |
| 1984–1990 | Murder, She Wrote | Various roles | Episodes: "Hannigan's Wake" / "Menace, Anyone?" / "Hit, Run and Homicide" |
| 1988 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Art Bellasco | Episode: "Killer Takes All" |
| 1989 | Coming of Age | "Red" Pepper | Episode: "Pauline et Rouge" |
For a number of years film exhibitors voted Johnson among the most accepted stars in the country:
Copyright ©manspat.xb-sweden.edu.pl 2025