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Rita Johnson
Actor

Rita Johnson

13 Aug 1913Born
31 Oct 1965Died
52Age at death
38Credits

Biography

Rita Ann Johnson (August 13, 1913 – October 31, 1965) was an American actress.

Early in her career, Johnson was busy in radio.

Johnson began acting on Broadway in 1935 and started her film career two years later. She played a murderer in Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) and a doomed wife in the RKO film noir They Won't Believe Me (1947).

In an incident that was never fully explained, Johnson suffered a head trauma on September 6, 1948 that required brain surgery.

Read the full biography

Unsubstantiated rumors promulgated by gossip columnists such as Walter Winchell suggested she might have been abused by a boyfriend, but the only explanation she offered was that a large, industrial-grade hair dryer at her apartment had fallen on her. She was in a coma for two weeks and it was reported it took her a year to recover. Her left side was paralyzed temporarily and for a while she couldn't walk. The injury put a virtual halt to her film career. Her screen time in movies after that was limited due to her reduced mobility and powers of concentration. Johnson suffered from alcoholism from the time of her injuries until her death of a brain hemorrhage at age 52.

From Wikipedia.

Known for

Filmography

  1. 1957All Mine to GiveFilm: Katie Tyler
  2. 1956Emergency HospitalFilm: Head Nurse Norma Mullen
  3. 1954Susan Slept HereFilm: Dr. Rawley
  4. 1952Mr. & Mrs. NorthSeries (1 episode)
  5. 1950The Second FaceFilm: Claire Elwood
  6. 1948Family HoneymoonFilm: Minna Fenster
  7. 1948An Innocent AffairFilm: Eve Lawrence
  8. 1948The Big ClockFilm: Pauline York
  9. 1948Sleep, My LoveFilm: Barby
  10. 1947Michigan KidFilm: Sue Dawson
  11. 1947They Won't Believe MeFilm: Greta Ballentine
  12. 1947The Perfect MarriageFilm: Mabel Manning
  13. 1945Pardon My PastFilm: Mary Pemberton
  14. 1945The Affairs of SusanFilm: Mona Kent
  15. 1945The Naughty NinetiesFilm: Bonita Farrow
  16. 1945Thunderhead: Son of FlickaFilm: Nelle McLaughlin
  17. 1943My Friend FlickaFilm: Nell McLaughlin
  18. 1942The Major and the MinorFilm: Pamela Hill
  19. 1941Appointment for LoveFilm: Nancy Benson
  20. 1941Here Comes Mr. JordanFilm: Julia Farnsworth
  21. 1940The Golden FleecingFilm: Mary Blake
  22. 1940Edison, the ManFilm: Mary Stilwell
  23. 1940Forty Little MothersFilm: Marian Edwards
  24. 1940Congo MaisieFilm: Kay McWade
  25. 1939Nick Carter, Master DetectiveFilm: Lou Farnsby
  26. 1939They All Come OutFilm: Kitty
  27. 1939Stronger Than DesireFilm: Barbara Winter
  28. 19396,000 EnemiesFilm: Anne Barry
  29. 1939Broadway SerenadeFilm: Judith 'Judy' Tyrrell
  30. 1939Within the LawFilm: Agnes Lynch
  31. 1939HonoluluFilm: Cecelia Grayson
  32. 1938The Girl DownstairsFilm: Rosalind Brown
  33. 1938Rich Man, Poor GirlFilm: Sally Harrison
  34. 1938Smashing the RacketsFilm: Leticia "Letty" Lane
  35. 1938Letter of IntroductionFilm: Honey
  36. 1938Man-ProofFilm: Florence (dialogue scenes deleted)
  37. 1937My Dear Miss AldrichFilm: Ellen Warfield
  38. 1937London by NightFilm: Patricia Herrick

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.