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Arch Johnson

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Arch Johnson
Johnson in 1961
Born
Archibald Winchester Johnson

(1922-03-14)March 14, 1922
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedOctober 9, 1997(1997-10-09) (aged 75)
Occupation(s)Stage, film and television actor
Years active1953–1990
Spouse(s)Yvonne Saccard (1957–1966; divorced; two children)
Eleanor M. Willey (1969–1971; divorced)
Joyce Johnson (unknown–1981; divorced; three children)
Jean D. Heibeck (1994–1997, his death)[citation needed]

Archibald Winchester "Arch" Johnson (March 14, 1922 – October 9, 1997) was an American actor who appeared on Broadway and in more than 100 television programs.

Early years

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Archibald Winchester Johnson was born in Minnesota in 1922.[1] He served in the United States Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater of World War II.[1] Johnson attended the University of Pennsylvania.[2]

Career

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Starting out in Philadelphia in the 1940s through 1950s, Johnson worked in community theater both as an actor and director. He began acting with the Plays and Players Theatre in Philadelphia and was part of the world premiere of Stalag 17 while there. After he left Philadelphia, he studied for two years at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York.[2]

A stage actor as well and a prolific television character actor, he was in the original production of West Side Story (1957) on Broadway and the revival of that show in 1980, again on Broadway.[3] He was the only actor from the original stage version who returned for the revival,[4] and he toured Europe with the show. He was in the original version of Other People's Money on Broadway and originated the Role of "Jorge" that Gregory Peck played in the film version.

Johnson had a prolific television career. Among his numerous roles, he was a regular on the 1961 series The Asphalt Jungle as police Captain Gus Honochek,[5] on the 1955-1956 comedy series It's Always Jan,[5]: 516  on the 1960-1961 comedy series Peter Loves Mary,[5]: 827  and on the 1965–1966 series Camp Runamuck as Commander Wivenhoe.[5]: 155-156 

In 1963, he portrayed the role of Harry Johanson in the episode "Incident at Paradise" on CBS's Rawhide. He made five appearances on Perry Mason, including the role of murder victim Karl Magovern in the 1961 episode "The Case of the Travelling Treasure", as murder victim Gerald Thornton in the 1963 episode, "The Case of the Golden Oranges", and as Marvin Fremont in the 1964 episode, "The Case of the Ice-Cold Hands". He played John Ruskin in the 1960 episode "The Case of the Singular Double". He made four appearances on Daniel Boone and Gunsmoke, five on Bewitched, four on The F.B.I., and scores of others on many other television offerings, including The Twilight Zone, Decoy, Johnny Ringo, Hennesey, Gunsmoke, Bat Masterson, The Roaring 20s, Lawman, Going My Way, Mr. Novak, and Empire and its successor series, Redigo, both with Richard Egan.[citation needed]

In 1963, Johnson appeared on NBC's Western series Laramie as the outlaw Sam Wellman in the episode "No Place to Run". In the story line, Wellman forces a likeable safecracker who is trying to go straight, Gandy Ross, portrayed by Don Durant, formerly Johnny Ringo, to open the safe in the bank at fictitious Granite City. Ellen Burstyn and Tom Skerritt play the roles of Amy and Price in the episode, as Jess Harper rescues his friend Ross from the clutches of Wellman.

In 1961, Johnson appeared as his Gus Honochek character from The Asphalt Jungle in the theatrical film The Lawbreakers. In 1973, Johnson played the part of Combs in the movie The Sting.

Later in life, Johnson tutored literacy programs in Westover, Maryland. He also worked with an Alternatives to Violence program with the Religious Society of Friends.[1]

Personal life

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Johnson married Jean. They had five children.[1] After retiring, Johnson moved to the Eastern Shore of Maryland.[1]

Johnson died of cancer on October 9, 1997, at Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin, Maryland.[1][citation needed]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1953 Niagara Taxi Driver Uncredited
1954 Garden of Eden
1956 Somebody Up There Likes Me Heldon
1957 Gun Glory Gunn
1960 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Jaime McMahon Season 5 Episode 25: "The Little Man Who Was There"
1960 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Heywood Miller Season 5 Episode 33: "Party Line"
1960 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Bart McCormick Season 6 Episode 7: "Outlaw in Town"
1960 G.I. Blues Sergeant McGraw
1960 Bat Masterson Mr. Smith "The Big Gamble" S2E35
1961 The Explosive Generation Mr. George Sommers
1961 The Lawbreakers Chief Inspector Gus Honochek
1961 Rawhide James Cronin S3:E16, "Incident on the Road Back"
1962 Gunsmoke Feester "Wagon Girls" (S7E27)
1962 The Twilight Zone Jesse James Episode "Showdown with Rance McGrew"
1962-1967 Bonanza Gavin / E.J. Butler / A.Z. Wheelock 3 episodes
1963 The Virginian as Dr. Ashley Episode "A Killer in Town"
1963 The Lieutenant as Commander Harry Engstrom Episode "Interlude"
1963 Twilight of Honor Mac McWade
1964 The Munsters Mr. Taggert Episode "Tin-Can Man" (Nov 1964)
1966 The Monkees as General Harley Vandenberg S1:E9, "The Chaperone"
1966 The Fugitive Sheriff Prycer Episode "The Last Oasis"
1968-1971 Bewitched Bo Callahan / Harlan Mossler / Bo Braddock / John Harrison / Rudolph Kosko 5 episodes
1970 The Liberation of L.B. Jones Stanley Bumpas
1970 The Cheyenne Social Club Marshal Anderson
1972 Napoleon and Samantha Chief of Police
1973 Walking Tall Buel Jaggers
1973 Gentle Savage Beaumont
1973 The Sting Vince Combs
1975 Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins Smitty
1975 The Hindenburg Captain B.F. Farley, N.Y.P.D. Uncredited
1977 Wonder Woman / The New Adventures of Wonder Woman General Zachary Kane / John Kelly 2 Episodes: "Judgment from Outer Space" (credited as Archie Johnson) & "Knockout"
1978 The Buddy Holly Story Mr. Lawrence Holly
1983 Easy Money Vendor at Armory
1985 Death Mask Dr. Robert Riordan

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Archibald Winchester Johnson". The Daily Times. Salisbury, Maryland. 1997-10-11. p. 10. Retrieved 2022-12-27 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  2. ^ a b Lawler, Sylvia (February 15, 1983). "Arch Johnson's enduring career is reflected in his familiar face". The Morning Call. Pennsylvania, Allentown. p. D - 1. Retrieved May 15, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ "Arch Johnson". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on 16 May 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Johnson". The Morning Call. Pennsylvania, Allentown. February 15, 1983. p. D 2. Retrieved May 16, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ a b c d Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 60. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
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