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Chubby Johnson

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Chubby Johnson
Stepin Fetchit and Chubby Johnson (right)
Born
Charles Randolph Johnson

(1903-08-13)August 13, 1903
Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S.
DiedOctober 31, 1974(1974-10-31) (aged 71)
Hollywood, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actor, journalist
Years active1946-1972

Charles Randolph "Chubby" Johnson[1] (August 13, 1903 – October 31, 1974) was an American film and television supporting character actor with a genial demeanor and warm, country-accented voice.

Early years

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Johnson was the son of entertainers. His father was a comedian in vaudeville, and his mother was a concert pianist.[2] As a child, Johnson performed with his father in vaudeville.[3]

Career

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Before he became an actor, Johnson was a journalist whose employers included the Las Vegas Sun.[2] He also acted on stage, including a five-year span during which he appeared in a new play each week at the Warner Egyptian Theater in Pasadena.[2]

Beginning with the Randolph Scott Western Abilene Town, in which he had an uncredited part as a homesteader, Johnson made more than 80 screen appearances between 1946 and 1972.

Johnson appeared in eight roles between 1957 and 1961 in the ABC/Warner Bros. television series Maverick, usually playing a stagecoach driver or deputy. His Maverick episodes were Louis L'Amour's "Stage West" (with James Garner) as a stagecoach depot manager, "The Strange Journey of Jenny Hill" (with Garner) as a drunken messenger in an alley, "Pappy" (with Garner and Jack Kelly) as a whiskey-serving storekeeper, "The Sheriff of Duck 'n' Shoot" (with Garner and Kelly) as a comically loquacious deputy, "The Misfortune Teller" (with Garner) as a different deputy, "The Maverick Line" (with Garner and Kelly) as an obstreperous stagecoach driver, "Destination Devil's Flat" (with Kelly) as another deputy, and "The Cactus Switch" (with Kelly and Roger Moore) as another stagecoach driver.

In 1959, Johnson was cast as Sheriff Ed Wilson in the episode "The Twisted Road" of the syndicated Western series, Frontier Doctor. That same year, he played the stagecoach driver first suspected as a fraud in the episode "The Avengers" (May 12, 1959) of the ABC/Warner Bros. Western series Sugarfoot starring Will Hutchins.

In 1960, Johnson portrayed Jessie Turnbull in the episode "The Last Days of Jessie Turnbull" in the ABC Western/Detective drama titled The Man from Blackhawk starring Robert Rockwell. Johnson appeared that same year as Charlie Pringle in an episode of Boris Karloff's anthology television series Thriller titled "The Big Blackout". He performed in 1960 as well on The Andy Griffith Show in the episode "A Feud is a Feud". As he sometimes did, especially in some of his roles in Westerns, Johnson portrayed his character in this episode with his lower dental bridge removed, giving him a snaggletoothed appearance and enhancing the authenticity of his persona as a mountain man.

From 1962 to 1972, he appeared eight times on NBC's Bonanza. In the 1960s, Johnson appeared four times on CBS's Gunsmoke, three times on ABC's The Guns of Will Sonnett starring Walter Brennan, and three times on ABC's The Rifleman, first in 1960 as Kansas Sawyer in the episode "The Horse Trader", then in 1960 as Mr. Avery in "The Spoiler", and again in 1962 in "Guilty Conscience" as the old man.

Johnson guest-starred three times as Buzz, the salvage man, on the CBS children's sitcom, Dennis the Menace. Johnson's episodes are "The School Play" and "Dennis and the Pee Wee League" (both 1961), and "The Treasure Chest" (1962).

In the 1950s Western-themed adventure series, Sky King, Johnson played Jim Bell, the ranch foreman. In 1963, he was cast as Concho in several episodes of NBC's Temple Houston. Late in his career, he appeared twice on the syndicated Western anthology series, Death Valley Days.

Later years

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Johnson lived in the Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles. As honorary mayor of Tarzana, he participated in numerous activities of the chamber of commerce, which resulted in his receiving the group's top recognition for community service.[2]

Death

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On October 31, 1974, Johnson died of unknown causes at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital at age 71.[1]

Partial filmography

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Actor Chubby Johnson Dies at 71". Oakland Tribune. California, Oakland. Associated Press. November 2, 1974. p. 31. Retrieved January 14, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c d Keropian, Haig (March 8, 1970). "Chubby Johnson Maintains Reputation as Entertainer". Valley News. California, Van Nuys. p. 3. Retrieved January 14, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Huether, John (June 29, 1974). "Inside stuff: Why Jimmy Stewart stutters, Brando mumbles". Reno Gazette-Journal. Nevada, Reno. p. 11. Retrieved January 14, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
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