Rita Johnson
2.0Acting

Rita Johnson

Aug 13, 1913 - Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

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. 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.

Credits

Cast

Media
Movie1938Man-ProofFlorence (dialogue scenes deleted)
Movie1945The Naughty NinetiesBonita Farrow
Movie1947They Won't Believe MeGreta Ballentine
Movie1939Within the LawAgnes Lynch
Movie1940Edison, the ManMary Stilwell
Movie1939HonoluluCecelia Grayson
Movie1941Here Comes Mr. JordanJulia Farnsworth
Movie1939Nick Carter, Master DetectiveLou Farnsby
Movie1942The Major and the MinorPamela Hill
Movie1943My Friend FlickaNell McLaughlin
Movie1948The Big ClockPauline York
Movie1940Congo MaisieKay McWade
Movie1957All Mine to GiveKatie Tyler
Movie1954Susan Slept HereDr. Rawley
Movie1945Thunderhead: Son of FlickaNelle McLaughlin
Movie1948Sleep, My LoveBarby
Movie1948Family HoneymoonMinna Fenster
Movie1940Forty Little MothersMarian Edwards
Movie1950The Second FaceClaire Elwood
Movie1939Broadway SerenadeJudith 'Judy' Tyrrell
Movie1940The Golden FleecingMary Blake
Movie1937My Dear Miss AldrichEllen Warfield
Movie1945The Affairs of SusanMona Kent
Movie1939Stronger Than DesireBarbara Winter
Movie1938Smashing the RacketsLeticia "Letty" Lane
Movie1938The Girl DownstairsRosalind Brown
Movie1945Pardon My PastMary Pemberton
Movie1938Rich Man, Poor GirlSally Harrison
Movie1939They All Come OutKitty
Movie1937London by NightPatricia Herrick
Movie1948An Innocent AffairEve Lawrence
Movie1941Appointment for LoveNancy Benson
Movie1938Letter of IntroductionHoney
Movie19396,000 EnemiesAnne Barry
Movie1956Emergency HospitalHead Nurse Norma Mullen
Movie1947The Perfect MarriageMabel Manning
Movie1949The Art DirectorSelf - from 'The Big Clock' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Movie1947Michigan KidSue Dawson
TV Show1952Mr. & Mrs. North1

Crew

No crew credits available.