Ben Johnson

AKA:
Francis Benjamin Johnson
Nationality:
American
Birthdate:
06/13/1918
Birthplace:
Foreacre, Oklahoma
Death Date:
04/08/1996
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biography
"Having Ben Johnson was having the real thing," Peter Bogdanovich once said of the actor who won a Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as Sam 'the Lion' in the director's memorable "The Last Picture Show" (1971). Indeed, for half a century Johnson was the "real thing" as far as Hollywood was concerned, a rancher and rodeo cowboy who accidentally drifted into acting and proved himself a highly capable actor of warmth and grit, believably embodying a vision of the American West.

In 1941, Johnson was hired to take a herd of horses on location to where Howard Hawks was shooting "The Outlaw" for Continued

Credits
Burley Cocks
2005
Arthur Cotton
1996
Sergeant Chillum
1965
Actor
1950
Kimani
Jeff Harter
Hollis
Tector Gorch
Mr Burck Sr
Chris
Boland
Felix
Geronimo Bill
August Klein
Alex
Cole Collins
Bob Amory
George Bradley
Six Finger Jake
Sheriff Strong
James Pepper
Buck Roan
Sheriff "Mean John" Simpson
Actor
Sam the Lion
1971
Jack Benyon
Actor
Marty Hollinger
Melvin Purvis
Captain J D Morales
Captain Tanner
Nathan Pearce
Carne
John Colter
milestones
Year
Milestone
 
Went to schools in Ramona and Bartlesville, OK
 
Worked as a rancher and performed in rodeos
1941 
Was hired to deliver a herd of horses to the location shooting of the Western feature, "The Outlaw" (released 1943), at the time being directed by Howard Hawks but later taken over by producer Howard Hughes; ended up working as a stuntman and a wrangler
 
Occasionally did other work as a stuntman, wrangler and riding double for actors including James Stewart and Joel McCrea during the 1940s
1945 
Made film debut in a bit part in the Abbott and Costello comedy, "The Naughty Nineties"
Continued