By Jessica Pickens
With a shock of red hair and a freckled face, Van Johnson had the All-American boy look of the 1940s. He wasn’t the traditional Hollywood handsome, like Cary Grant or Joel McCrea. You could imagine Johnson playing baseball with your brother and coming inside to the raid the refrigerator, all the while having a massive crush on him.
Johnson was one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s top stars in the 1940s. Despite his boyish good looks, Johnson played a variety of roles throughout his career, from the love interest to the hardened war hero. He was one of the few leading men in Hollywood during World War II, because an injury prevented Johnson from serving.
Appearing in his first film in 1940, Johnson’s career had barely gotten started before Hollywood heads thought it may be over. In February 1943, Johnson was announced to star in his biggest role to date, A GUY NAMED JOE (1943), co-starring with Hollywood veterans Irene Dunne and Spencer Tracy. But on March 30, 1943, on the way to a screening of KEEPER OF THE FLAME (1943), Johnson was in a wreck that could have ended his life. A vehicle ran a red light at the intersection of Venice Boulevard and Clarington Street, hitting Johnson’s DeSoto convertible and throwing him from the car.
He hit his head on the windshield as he was thrown into the curb. A bystander thought he was dead, according to his biographer. Johnson sustained a skull fracture, facial injuries, glass cuts to his face and neck, and the back of his head was peeled off, with his brain pierced by skull fragments. He lost three quarts of blood while waiting for the ambulance.
Doctors initially said Johnson would never act again, but Dunne and Tracy rallied for Johnson—going to studio head Louis B. Mayer and asking to shut down production until Johnson recovered. Due to this support, Johnson recovered and went on to appear in A GUY NAMED JOE. His treatment did include multiple surgeries and five-inch long metal plate to help rebuild his forehead. A scar across his forehead is visible in several of his films, but he was able to work and was alive.
“Things like that you never forget. I’m a man with a debt to pay,” Johnson said of those who rallied around him.
After his recovery, Johnson became one of the top stars, and went on to star in films like these:
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944)
Starring Spencer Tracy, Van Johnson, Robert Walker, Phyllis Thaxter, Don DeFore, Robert Mitchum, Tim Murdock
In the days following Pearl Harbor as plans are made for Doolittle’s Raid on Tokyo, Japan, in April 1942, led by Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle (Tracy). The film is based on the novel by Ted W. Lawson, which is the role Van Johnson plays.
This was Johnson’s biggest film to date, and he read Lawson’s book while he was in the hospital. He was eager to play any role in the film, and his success in “A Guy Named Joe” made him the lead of the film, according to his biographer. During Doolittle’s raid, Lawson and his crew crashed in China, which was occupied by Japan. All of the crew members survived the crash, but sustained injuries. Lawson’s leg became infected and had to be amputated. Though Johnson’s own injuries came from a car accident, he felt a connection to Lawson, because of his own experiences, he said.
Lawson and Doolittle served as technical advisors for the film. As Johnson acted in films like this, audiences found his easy-going appearance comforting during the war. Some women would say they reminded him of their sons who were serving in the war, according to his biographer.
Thrill of a Romance (1945)
Starring Esther Williams, Van Johnson, Frances Gifford, Henry Travers, Spring Byington, Lauritz Melchoir, Carleton G. Young, Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
Swimming teacher Cynthia Glenn (Williams) is swept off her feet by wealthy Robert Delbar (Carelton Young) in a whirlwind romance and quick marriage. Cynthia and Robert travel to a resort for their honeymoon, when a few hours later, Robert leaves his new bride for a business deal. Alone on her honeymoon, Cynthia mopes around the resort and meets World War II hero, Major Thomas Milvaine (Johnson) who tries to cheer her up.
“Thrill of Romance” is set against a glittering Technicolor backdrop, filled with swimming sequences, big band music performances from Tommy Dorsey and stunning costume design by Irene.
Johnson and Williams appeared briefly on screen together in “A Guy Named Joe,” but this was their first film where they co-starred as leads. Making an attractive couple, the two were in a total of five films together.
The gorgeous, lush nature of “Thrill of Romance” was a cause of concern to the Office of War Information, due to the elegant resort setting with luxurious clothing and rich foods.
“We have discovered that films boasting of American opulence or showing an abundance of food or other material goods during wartime are apt to be seriously resented by our less fortunate allies who are close to the fighting front,” A memo from the Office of War Information said, according to Johnson’s biographer.
Easy to Wed (1946)
Starring Van Johnson, Esther Williams, Lucille Ball, Keenan Wynn, Cecil Kellaway, Ben Blue, June Lockhart, Grant Mitchell, Josephine Whittell, Paul Harvey, Jonathan Hale, Carlos Ramírez, Ethel Smith
In a remake of “Libeled Lady” (1936), Connie Allenbury (Williams) and her father (Kellaway) sue The Morning Star newspaper for a $2 million libel suit when a piece of misinformation was published about her. The paper’s business manager Warren Haggerty (Wynn) is asked to postpone his wedding to Gladys (Ball) to work on getting the suit dropped. Haggerty rehires former reporter, Bill Chandler (Johnson), to romance Connie, while also getting married to Gladys, so that Connie will be caught in a real scandal.
This was Esther Williams and Van Johnson’s third film together, and Johnson co-starred with his real-life best friend, Keenan Wynn. Lucille Ball and Van Johnson also knew each other since his first film, “Too Many Girls.” “Easy to Wed” is considered the start of Ball’s comedic career, as she begins using some voices and mannerisms that were later used on “I Love Lucy.”
Battleground (1949)
Starring Van Johnson, John Hodiak, Ricardo Montalbán, Jerome Courtland, Marshall Thompson, George Murphy, James Whitmore, Don Taylor, Douglas Fowley, Leon Ames, Herbert Anderson, Denise Darcel, Richard Jaeckel, James Arness
A film representation about the 101st Airborne Division during the Battle of the Bugle in December 1944. The squadron is surrounded in Bastogne, Belgium and the film depicts their experiences.
After playing romantic leads for several years, “Battleground” gave Van Johnson to play a more complex role, and he looked at his role of Holley as his best, according to his biographer. Holley is fun loving and wisecracking during downtime, but he shifts to more serious while in battle, understanding his role in warfare.
For preparation for the film, director William Wellman — a World War I veteran — put the actors through a modified basic training so that they would know how to act in battle, from crawling to how to hold a rifle. The training also created a comradery amongst the actors. Looking for further realism, Wellman kept the soundstage temperature below freezing, because he wanted to see the actor’s breath to indicate how cold it was.
“It’s just about 12 average guys,” Johnson said. While Johnson may be considered the star of the film, it truly is an ensemble cast.
When the film was released, New York Times film critic Bosley Crowther said it was the best World War II picture that had been made in Hollywood.
Easy to Love (1953)
Starring Esther Williams, Van Johnson, Tony Martin, Carroll Baker, John Bromfield
Ray Lloyd (Johnson) manages the Cypress Gardens resort, filled the water skiing and swimming shows, and beautiful girls in bathing suits and evening gowns. He has decided to remain single and unmarried in order to stay successful in business. One of his swimming performers Julie Hallerton (Williams) feels overworked, underpaid and in love with Ray. When she thinks Ray is inviting to New York City for pleasure, she finds it is all work, until she meets singing star Barry Gordon (Martin). While Barry romances Julie, Ray resents the attention but still isn’t ready to settle down.
Filmed in beautiful Cypress Gardens in Florida, this film will make you mourn that the resort isn’t open any longer. This was that fifth and final film pairing of Esther Williams and Van Johnson. The film has a different feel that their other pairings. Johnson’s character is a bit more of a heel and Williams spends more time on water skis than swimming. The two had worked together for so long, they could improvise some on the script, Williams wrote in her autobiography.
The Caine Mutiny (1954)
Starring Humphrey Bogart, Van Johnson, Fred MacMurray, José Ferrer, Robert Francis, Tom Tully, E.G. Marshall, Jerry Paris, May Wynn, E.G. Marshall
Set during World War II, Lt. Cmdr. Philip Francis Queeg (Bogart) is the new commander of the minesweeper USS Caine and works to instill strict discipline. Executive officer Lieutenant Stephen Maryk (Johnson) and the communications officer Lieutenant Thomas Keefer (MacMurray) see issues in Queeg’s leadership and believe he is paranoid. When his actions jeopardize the ship, Maryk relieves him of command, leading Maryk to face a potential court martial for mutiny.
Based on Herman Wouk’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Johnson was performing at the Sands in Las Vegas when he was approached by producer Stanley Kramer for the role. Having read Wouk’s novel, Johnson was surprised that he was considered for the role of Maryk, rather than the inexperienced Ens. Willie Keith — which went to Robert Francis.
The role of Maryk was a departure from the roles Johnson was often typecast; allowing him to play a more complex and gritty character.
“I was in a rut. Stanley Kramer saved my life,” Johnson said. “A role like Maryk after all these years. Believe me, I’m grateful. Nobody can say it wasn’t time for a change.”
Johnson later said that he thanked author Herman Wouk personally for writing the book, because the movie provided such a different role for him and allowing him to further evolve in his career.
Brigadoon (1954)
Starring Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, Van Johnson, Elaine Stewart, Jimmy Thompson, Eddie Quillan, Dee Turnell
Americans Tommy Albright (Kelly) and Jeff Douglas (Johnson) are lost in Scotland and come across the town of Brigadoon, which only awakens every 100 years and is stuck in the 1700s. Tommy falls in love with one of the girls, Fiona (Charisse), but the town will disappear if anyone leaves and anyone who wants to stay has to leave the world they know and stay forever.
Co-starring with Gene Kelly, Johnson’s character is more of a sidekick to Kelly’s character. This role was also a departure from Johnson’s characters. The character of Jeff Douglas is a bit of a jerk. He drinks, is a womanizer, is eager to leave the dream land of Brigadoon, and also gets himself into trouble while in Brigadoon.
While Johnson can sing, he said later that Fred Astaire had nothing to fear when it came to his dancing skills.
Yours, Mine and Ours (1968)
Starring Lucille Ball, Henry Fonda, Van Johnson, Tim Matheson, Tom Bosley, Morgan Brittany, Mitch Vogel
Based on a real life family, widowed Helen North (Ball) meets Navy Chief Warrant Officer Frank Beardsley (Fonda). The two are introduced by their friend Darrell Harrison (Johnson) who says they have a good bit in common — having several children. Helen has eight children and Frank has 10. Though the two instantly connect, having a household of 18 children and two adults seems absurd. Their children resist the new romance and possibility of a new parent as well. However, they finally marry and adjust to having a large family together.
While Johnson’s role isn’t large in the film, his role is also crucial to getting the two leads together. Johnson’s role is comedic and also a bit sneaky as he brings the couple together. The overall film is hilarious and heartwarming.
Jessica Pickens is a North Carolina-based writer. She has a degree in print journalism and now works in public relations. Outside of work, she writes about pre-1968 films at CometOverHollywood.com with a special interest in musicals, films released in 1939, and World War II-era films. You can follow her Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
