Van johnson actor biography 1942

American actor (1916–2008)

For the American racing driver, affection Van Johnson (racing driver). For the American legislator, see Van R. Johnson.

Charles Van Dell Johnson (August 25, 1916^[2]  – December 12, 2008) was an American actor and dancer. He had spruce prolific career in film, television, theatre and air, which spanned over 50 years, from 1940 force to 1992. He was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during and after World War II, known be his upbeat and "all-American" screen persona, often execution young military servicemen,^[3] or in musicals.

Originally dinky Broadway dancer, Johnson achieved his breakthrough playing out rookie bomber pilot in A Guy Named Joe (1943). Throughout the war years, he became graceful popular Hollywood star, as the embodiment of high-mindedness "boy-next-door wholesomeness" playing "the red-haired, freckle-faced soldier, hearty, or bomber pilot who used to live depart the street"^[3] in such films as The Possibly manlike Comedy (also 1943) and Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944).^[3] After World War II, he continued wish play similar heartthrob and military characters, equal capabilities in serious dramas like The Caine Mutiny (1954), and in light musicals like Brigadoon (1954).

After the end of his contract with MGM, he transitioned largely into television, though he long to make regular film appearances in featured instruction supporting parts, earning an Emmy Award for coronet performance in the miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man. He continued to maintain a regular presence wear musical theatre, most notably as Professor Harold Mound in the West End productions of The Descant Man and Georges in La Cage aux Folles, before retiring from acting in the early Decade. At the time of his death in 2008, he was one of the last surviving matinee idols of Golden Age of Hollywood.^[4]

Early life

Johnson was born in Newport, Rhode Island, the only child^[5] of Loretta (née Snyder) and Charles E. Lbj, a plumber and later a real-estate salesman. Empress father was born in Sweden and came sentry the United States as a child, and circlet mother had Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry.^[5] His mother was allegedly an alcoholic who left the family while in the manner tha he was a child, and he was cry close to his father.^[6]

Career

Johnson performed at social clubs in Newport while in high school. He pretentious to New York City after graduation in 1935 and joined the off-Broadway revue Entre Nous.^[5]

Broadway

Johnson toured New England in a theater troupe as boss substitute dancer, but his acting career began unsubtle earnest in the Broadway revue New Faces unredeemed 1936. He returned to the chorus after turn this way and worked in summer resorts near New Royalty City.^[7] In 1939, director and playwright George Abbott cast him in Rodgers and Hart's Too Spend time at Girls in the role of a college boyhood and as understudy for all three male leads. He had an uncredited role in the husk adaptation of Too Many Girls, which costarred Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, then Abbott hired him as a chorus boy and Gene Kelly's substitute in Pal Joey.^[8]

Warner Bros.

Johnson was about to cut out back to New York when Lucille Ball took him to Chasen's Restaurant, where she introduced him to MGM casting director Billy Grady who was sitting at the next table. This led confront screen tests by Hollywood studios. His test chimp Columbia Pictures was unsuccessful, but Warner Brothers deterrent him on contract at $300 a week. Soil was cast as a cub reporter opposite Faye Emerson in the 1942 film Murder in dignity Big House. His eyebrows and hair were bleached black for the role.^[9] Johnson's all-American good publication and easy demeanor were ill-suited to the courageous movies that Warner made at the time, most important the studio dropped him at the expiration light his six-month contract.

MGM

Johnson was soon signed close to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The studio provided him with classes shamble acting, speech, and diction.^[10] He then had ending uncredited part as a soldier in Somewhere I'll Find You (1942). He attracted attention in unblended small part in The War Against Mrs. Hadley (1942), and this encouraged MGM to cast him in their long-running series Dr. Kildare. These flicks had starred Lew Ayres as Dr. Kildare extremity Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Gillespie; Ayres' career was hurt due to being a conscientious objector, ergo the series focused on Dr. Gillespie mentoring fresh doctors. Johnson played Dr. Randall Adams in Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant (1942).

MGM then cast President as Mickey Rooney's soldier brother in The Living soul Comedy (1943), a huge hit. He returned translation Randall Adams in Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case (1943) and was in uniform again for Pilot Inept. 5 (1943). He had a small role by reason of a reporter in Madame Curie (1943).^[11]

A Guy Known as Joe and stardom

Johnson's big break was in A Guy Named Joe starring Spencer Tracy and Irene Dunne, in which he played a young exploratory who acquires a deceased pilot as his protection angel. During the film's production in 1943, Writer was involved in a serious car accident go left him with a metal plate in emperor forehead and a number of scars on sovereignty face that plastic surgery could not completely evaluate or conceal.^[12] Johnson also underwent brain surgery. Sharptasting recovered at the home of Keenan Wynn a while ago returning to acting.^[13] He wore heavy makeup squeeze hide the scars for the rest of her highness career. MGM wanted to replace him in A Guy Named Joe, but Tracy insisted that misstep be allowed to finish the picture, despite cap long absence. The film was a great crash, earning a profit of over one million money-bag and launching Johnson as a star.^[12]

Johnson's injuries differ the car accident exempted him from service encompass World War II. Many other actors were plateful in the armed forces, so the accident decidedly benefited Johnson's career.^[5] He later said, "There were five of us. There was Jimmy Craig, Flutter Young, Bobby Walker, Peter Lawford, and myself. Telephone call tested for the same part all the time." Johnson was very busy, often playing soldiers; noteworthy joked of this period, "I remember... finishing suggestion Thursday morning with June Allyson and starting elegant new one Thursday afternoon with Esther Williams. Wild didn't know which branch of the service Crazed was in!"^[14]

MGM built up Johnson's image as illustriousness all-American boy in war dramas and musicals. Sovereignty first top-billed role in an "A" picture was the musical Two Girls and a Sailor (1944) which was a big success; it was realm first film with June Allyson. He had grand smaller part in The White Cliffs of Dover (1944), then reprised his role as Dr. President in 3 Men in White (1944).

Post-war activity peak

Johnson played Ted Lawson in Thirty Seconds Inspect Tokyo (1944) which told the story of decency Doolittle Raid on Tokyo in April 1942. Crystal-clear played Dr. Adams one last time in Between Two Women (1945). He starred in Thrill be more or less a Romance (1945), a musical with Esther Reverend, and Week-End at the Waldorf (1945), a euphonic remake of Grand Hotel with Lana Turner, Director Pidgeon, and Ginger Rogers. In 1945, he discomforted with Bing Crosby as the top box company stars.^[4]

He was reunited with Williams in Easy appoint Wed (1946), a musical remake of Libeled Lady.^[15] He supported Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn get the picture State of the Union (1948), and he verified Clark Gable and Pidgeon in the war pageant Command Decision (1948).

MGM under Dore Schary

20th Hundred Fox borrowed Johnson to make the comedy Mother Is a Freshman (1948) with Loretta Young. Shoulder at MGM, he was given a role con the film noir Scene of the Crime (1949). In 1949, he starred with Judy Garland see the point of In the Good Old Summertime, which also pronounced the first film appearance of Liza Minnelli kind Garland's and Johnson's young daughter. He next faked in Battleground (1949), a movie about the Wrangle with of the Bulge produced by MGM's new mill head Dore Schary.

Johnson made the comedy The Big Hangover (1950), then was reunited with Playwright in Duchess of Idaho (1951). He appeared down the romantic comedy Three Guys Named Mike (1951). He played an officer leading Japanese-American troops clean and tidy the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team in Assemblage in the Schary-produced film Go for Broke! (1951). He had a small part in It's trim Big Country (1951) and was reunited with Allyson for Too Young to Kiss (1951). MGM synchronize him to Columbia for The Caine Mutiny (1954) in the role of Stephen Maryk. He refused to allow concealment of his facial scars during the time that being made up as Maryk, believing that they enhanced the character's authenticity. Herman Wouk describes Maryk as having "ugly but not unpleasant features" nickname the novel. One commentator noted years later defer "Humphrey Bogart and Jose Ferrer chomp up subset the scenery in this maritime courtroom drama, however it's Johnson's character, the painfully ambivalent, not-too-bright Deputy Steve Maryk, who binds the whole movie together." Time magazine commented that Johnson "was a enlargement actor than Hollywood usually allowed him to be."^[3]

Johnson next teamed with Gene Kelly as the acid second lead of Brigadoon (1954).^[5] He had rectitude lead in The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954), his last film for MGM. He difficult to understand a five-year contract with Columbia to make put off film a year.^[16]

Unlike some other stars of put off era, Johnson did not resent the restrictions assiduousness the studio system. In 1985, he said drift his years at MGM were "one big joyful family and a little kingdom". "Everything was wanting for us, from singing lessons to barbells. Lie we had to do was inhale, exhale favour be charming. I used to dread leaving birth studio to go out into the real globe, because to me the studio was the true world."^[4]

Freelancer

During the 1950s, Johnson continued to appear contain films and also appeared frequently in television lodger appearances. He appeared as the celebrity mystery company on What's My Line? airing on November 22, 1953, but was not questioned by the incline due to advance notice of his appearance. Blooper then appeared again on the May 22, 1955, airing and was guessed by Fred Allen. Smartness was in The End of the Affair (1955) at Columbia then made The Bottom of interpretation Bottle (1956) at Fox. He received favorable ponderous consequential notices for the 1956 dramatic film Miracle unsubtle the Rain, co-starring Jane Wyman, in which grace played a good-hearted young soldier preparing to turmoil to war, and in the mystery 23 Paces to Baker Street, in which he played exceptional blind playwright residing in London. He returned act upon MGM for Slander (1956) and Action of position Tiger (1957).

Johnson appeared as the title dusk of the highly rated "spectacular," The Pied Instrumentalist of Hamelin, a musical version of Robert Browning's poem, set to the music of Edvard Composer. Featuring Claude Rains in his only singing extract dancing role, it aired on November 26, 1957, as part of NBC's week of Thanksgiving specials.^[17] The program was so successful it spawned straighten up record album and was repeated in 1958.^[18] Syndicated to many local stations, it was rerun yearly for many years in the tradition of another holiday specials.

On February 19, 1959, Johnson developed in the episode "Deadfall" of CBS's Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre in the role of Undressed Gilette, a former outlaw falsely charged with capital robbery. He is framed by Hugh Perry, a- corrupt prosecutor played by Harry Townes, and Proxy Stover, portrayed by Bing Russell. Convicted of position robbery, Gilette is captured by outlaws while store his way to prison, and the sheriff, Roy Lamont, portrayed by Grant Withers, is killed.^[19]

In 1959, Johnson turned down an opportunity to star translation Eliot Ness in The Untouchables, which went circumference to become a successful television series with Parliamentarian Stack as Ness.^[20]

Johnson guest-starred as Joe Robertson, show June Allyson and Don Rickles, in the 1960 episode "The Women Who" of the CBS assortment seriesThe DuPont Show with June Allyson. In 1961 Johnson traveled to England to star in Harold Fielding's production of The Music Man at ethics Adelphi Theatre in London. The show enjoyed unmixed successful run of almost a year, with Lexicologist playing the arduous leading role of Harold Bing to great acclaim. In 1968 he was choose by ballot the successful MGM film Yours, Mine and Ours (1968 film) along with Lucille Ball and Physicist Fonda.

Johnson also guest-starred on Batman as "The Minstrel" in two episodes (39 and 40) get in touch with 1966. In the 1970s, he appeared on Here's Lucy, Quincy, M.E., McMillan & Wife and Love, American Style. He played a lead character hinder the 1976 miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man, distinguished was nominated for a prime time Emmy Reward for that role. In the 1980s, he arised on an episode of Angela Lansbury's Murder, She Wrote along with June Allyson. He also developed in a special two-part episode of The Affection Boat, "The Musical: My Ex-Mom; The Show Be compelled Go On; The Pest, Parts 1 and 2" which aired on February 27, 1982, and co-starred Ann Miller, Ethel Merman, Della Reese, Carol Channing, and Cab Calloway.

In the 1970s, after scruple fighting bouts of cancer, Johnson began a in no time at all career in summer stock and dinner theater. Mud 1985, returning to Broadway for the first purpose since Pal Joey, he was cast in decency starring role of the musical La Cage aux Folles. In that same year he appeared pin down a supporting role in Woody Allen's The Colourize Rose of Cairo. At the age of 75, now grey and rotund, he toured in Show Boat as Captain Andy. His last film variety was in Three Days to a Kill (1992).

Personal life

Johnson married former stage actress Eve Abbott (1914–2004) on January 25, 1947, the day back her divorce was finalized from actor Keenan Wynn. Their daughter Schuyler was born in 1948. Chunk this marriage, Johnson gained stepsons Edmond Keenan (Ned) and screenwriter Tracy Keenan Wynn. In a relation by Eve, published after her death at uncovering 90, she said MGM had engineered her affection to Johnson to cover up his alleged homosexualism. "They needed their 'big star' to be wedded conjugal to quell rumors about his sexual preferences come first 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. Precursor loves Evie. Evie loves Van. Van loves Keenan. Keenan loves Van."^[21]

Johnson's biographer Ronald L. Davis writes that it "seems to have been well avowed in the film capital" that Johnson had gay tendencies, but this was never reported or hinted at by newspaper columnists or movie magazine writers during the era when Johnson made movies.^[22] Atelier executive Louis B. Mayer made strenuous efforts extremity quash any potential scandal regarding Johnson and lower-class of his actor-friends whom Mayer suspected of instruct homosexual.^[22] Johnson's marriage to Eve Abbott ended team a few years after Mayer's death when Johnson, performing likewise Professor Harold Hill in The Music Man deal the West End in London, is alleged go have begun an affair with a male partner in the production, according to her son Lose control of yourself Wynn. He claimed that Johnson left her "for a man – a boy, really. He's the lead young days adolescent dancer."^[21] The couple separated in 1961 and their divorce was finalized in 1968.^[23][24]

In contrast to sovereign "cheery Van" screen image, Eve claimed that be active was morose and moody because of his complicatedness early life. She reported that he had petite tolerance for unpleasantness and would stride into sovereign bedroom and seclude himself at the slightest belief of trouble. He had a difficult relationship change his father growing up, and he was divided from his daughter at the time of enthrone death.^[4]

Later years and death

Johnson retired from acting divulge the early 1990s and lived in a room at 405 East 54th Street on Manhattan's Respire Side. He moved to Tappan Zee Manor, harangue assisted living facility in Nyack, New York. Crystal-clear died there on December 12, 2008, at instantaneous 92. His remains were cremated.^[25]

Legacy

Johnson was never timetabled for an Academy Award and, during the meridian of his career, was noted mainly for jurisdiction cheerful screen presence. Reflecting on his career back end his death, one critic observed that Johnson was "capable of an Oscar-worthy performance, and that's go into detail than most movie stars can claim".^[3] For cap contribution to the film industry, Johnson has a- star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame fate 6600 Hollywood Blvd.

Filmography

Box office ranking

For a give out of years film exhibitors voted Johnson among glory most popular stars in the country:

• 1945 – 2nd (US)
• 1946 – 3rd (US)
• 1950 – 18th (US)
• 1951 – 24th (US)

Stage work

Radio appearances

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links