Ben Johnson Bio (Biography)
Real name:
Ben Johnson
Date of birth:
June 13. 1918
Place of birth:
Foraker, Shidler, Oklahoma, USA
Astrology Sign:
Gemini
Height:
6' 2" (1.88 m)
Tags:
Biography
Ben Johnson was a film actor popular in America during the fifties and sixties. He is best known for his numerous appearances in Westerns, and started his career by becoming a stuntman in such movies after growing up as a rancher.
Ben Johnson was born in Pawhuska, Oklahoma on June 13th, 1918. During his childhood, he traveled with his father who was a rodeo champion and rancher. Ben Johnson showed great promise on the rodeo circuit, becoming well known as a rodeo star even before his film career.
The first Hollywood movie Ben Johnson was involved in was "The Fighting Gringo" in 1939, for which he did stunt work. He continued doing stunt work involving horses for the Hollywood studios that were producing Westerns during the forties. Among his jobs during this period of stunt work were "The Outlaw", Howard Hughes' controversial Western, and the Abbott and Costello movie "Naughty Nineties". He was hired for several movies by director John Ford, including "Fort Apache", "3 Godfathers", "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon", "Wagon Master" and "Rio Grande". His roles gradually grew from stunt work to increasingly larger parts, in movies where he played alongside Western film superstar John Wayne. These roles brought him increasingly recognition throughout the early fifties.
During the fifties he would work with stars like Marlon Brando and Steve McQueen in more and more Westerns including "Shane", "One Eyed Jacks", "Cheyenne Autumn", "Major Dundee", "The Wild Bunch", "The Getaway" and "Junior Bonner". In additional to more films directed by John Ford, he appeared in a number of Sam Peckinpah directed movies.
Ben Johnson died suddenly of an apparent heart attack in 1996, having continued to work in the movie industry and as a rancher for his entire life. In 1982, Ben Johnson had been inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Ben Johnson was born in Pawhuska, Oklahoma on June 13th, 1918. During his childhood, he traveled with his father who was a rodeo champion and rancher. Ben Johnson showed great promise on the rodeo circuit, becoming well known as a rodeo star even before his film career.
The first Hollywood movie Ben Johnson was involved in was "The Fighting Gringo" in 1939, for which he did stunt work. He continued doing stunt work involving horses for the Hollywood studios that were producing Westerns during the forties. Among his jobs during this period of stunt work were "The Outlaw", Howard Hughes' controversial Western, and the Abbott and Costello movie "Naughty Nineties". He was hired for several movies by director John Ford, including "Fort Apache", "3 Godfathers", "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon", "Wagon Master" and "Rio Grande". His roles gradually grew from stunt work to increasingly larger parts, in movies where he played alongside Western film superstar John Wayne. These roles brought him increasingly recognition throughout the early fifties.
During the fifties he would work with stars like Marlon Brando and Steve McQueen in more and more Westerns including "Shane", "One Eyed Jacks", "Cheyenne Autumn", "Major Dundee", "The Wild Bunch", "The Getaway" and "Junior Bonner". In additional to more films directed by John Ford, he appeared in a number of Sam Peckinpah directed movies.
Ben Johnson died suddenly of an apparent heart attack in 1996, having continued to work in the movie industry and as a rancher for his entire life. In 1982, Ben Johnson had been inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.