Arthur Vaughan Johnson (February 2, 1876 – January 17, 1916) was a pioneer

actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

and

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

of the early

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

era, and uncle of Olympic wrestler and film actor

Nat Pendleton Nathaniel Greene Pendleton (August 9, 1895 – October 12, 1967) was an American Olympic wrestler, film actor, and stage performer. His younger brother, Edmund J. Pendleton (1899–1987), was a well-known music composer and choir ...

."Former Lubin Star Dies in Philadelphia"
''The Washington Herald'' (Washington, D. C.), January 19, 1916, p. 6. Retrieved July 14, 2013."A. V. Johnson Dead; Famous 'Movie' Star Made Millions Laugh"
''Evening Public Ledger'' (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), January 18, 1916, p. 15. Retrieved July 14, 2013.Hall, Emmett Campbell
''The Belovéd Adventurer''
1914. Retrieved July 14, 2013."Arthur V. Johnson, 'Movies' Star Dead"
''The Washington Times'' (Washington, D. C.), January 18, 1916, p. 7. Retrieved July 14, 2013.

Career

Johnson was born in

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

, the son of Rev. Myron A. Johnson. He left college at 19 to join a traveling Shakespearean troupe, later appearing on stage with

Sol Smith Russell Solomon Smith Russell (1848–1902) was a 19th-century United States, American comedic stage actor who began performing as a boy during the American Civil War. Early life Russell was born at Brunswick, Missouri, the eldest of two sons and a dau ...

Robert B. Mantell Robert Bruce Mantell (7 February 1854 – 27 June 1928) was a Scottish-born stage actor who made several silent films. He used the name Robert Hudson early in his career, as his mother objected to her son becoming an actor. Born in Scotland a ...

and

Marie Wainwright Marie Wainwright (May 8, 1853 – August 17, 1923) was an American stage and sometimes screen actress. She achieved the bulk of her fame on the Victorian stage. Her parents were Commodore J.M. Wainwright and Maria Wainwright (''nee Page''). She w ...

. Johnson began as a film actor in 1905 with the

Edison Studios Edison Studios was an American film production organization, owned by companies controlled by inventor and entrepreneur, Thomas Edison. The studio made close to 1,200 films, as part of the Edison Manufacturing Company (1894–1911) and then Tho ...

The Bronx, New York The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County to its north; to its south and west, the New York City bo ...

, appearing in the one-reel drama ''The White Caps'' directed by Wallace McCutcheon, Sr., and

Edwin S. Porter Edwin Stanton Porter (April 21, 1870 – April 30, 1941) was an American film pioneer, most famous as a producer, director, studio manager and cinematographer with the Edison Manufacturing Company and the Famous Players Film Company. Of over ...

. In 1908, he went to work for

Biograph Studios Biograph Studios was an early film studio and laboratory complex, built in 1912 by the Biograph Company at 807 East 175th Street, in The Bronx, New York City, New York, which was preceded by two locations in Manhattan. History 841 Broadway ...

, where he acted in films directed by D.W. Griffith including ''

Resurrection Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions involving the same person or deity returning to another body. The disappearance of a body is anothe ...

'' (1909) and '' In Old California'' (1910), the first movie Griffith ever shot in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

. At Biograph, Arthur Johnson performed with stars such as

Mary Pickford Gladys Louise Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American film actress and producer. A Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood, pioneer in the American film industry with a Hollywood care ...

and

Florence Lawrence Florence Lawrence (born Florence Annie Bridgwood; January 2, 1886 – December 28, 1938) was a Canadian-American stage performer and film actress. She is often referred to as the "first movie star", and was long thought to be the first film act ...

. Johnson was reputed to be Griffith's favorite actor. In 1911, he accepted an offer from

Lubin Studios The Lubin Manufacturing Company was an American motion picture production company that produced silent films from 1896 to 1916. Lubin films were distributed with a Liberty Bell trademark. * * History The Lubin Manufacturing Company was forme ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

that allowed him to

direct Direct may refer to: Mathematics * Directed set, in order theory * Direct limit of (pre), sheaves * Direct sum of modules, a construction in abstract algebra which combines several vector spaces Computing * Direct access (disambiguation), ...

as well as act. With

Lottie Briscoe Lottie Briscoe (April 19, 1883 – March 21, 1950) was an American stage and silent screen actress. She began in theatre at the age of four and as an adult was among the first to find success after making the transition from the legitimate stage ...

, his frequent co-star at Lubin, Johnson directed and starred in ''The Belovéd Adventurer'' (1914), a 15 episode serial by Emmett Campbell Hall. After performing in more than three hundred silent film

shorts Shorts are a garment worn over the pelvic area, circling the waist and splitting to cover the upper part of the legs, sometimes extending down to the knees but not covering the entire length of the leg. They are called "shorts" because they ar ...

and directing twenty-six, health problems ended his career in 1915.

Personal life

According to an interview published nine months before his death a few weeks short of his fortieth birthday in 1916, Arthur V. Johnson married actress Maude Webb around 1896; the couple had a daughter who lived with Johnson's parents. Two other sources indicate Johnson married

Florence Hackett Florence Hackett (; January 1882August21, 1954) was an American film actress in the silent era. She was allegedly married to veteran film star Arthur V. Johnson, reputedly D.W. Griffith's favorite actor. Previously she was married to a man na ...

around 1910, with whom he later appeared in the 1913 film ''Power of the Cross''. He died of

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

, followed by funeral services there. His remains were later interred at Fairview Cemetery,

Chicopee, Massachusetts Chicopee ( ) is a city located on the Connecticut River in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 55,560, making it the second-largest city in western Massachuset ...

, nearby Grace Episcopal Church, where his father once served as rector.

Selected filmography

* ''

The Adventures of Dollie ''The Adventures of Dollie'' is a 1908 American silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith in his directorial debut. A print of the film survives in the Library of Congress film archive. The story follows a young girl who is kidnapped by a ...

'' (

1908 This is the longest year in either the Julian or Gregorian calendars, having a duration of 31622401.38 seconds of Terrestrial Time (or ephemeris time), measured according to the definition of mean solar time. Events January * January ...

) * ''

The Fight for Freedom ''The Fight for Freedom'' is a 1908 American black-and-white short silent Western film which may have been directed by D. W. Griffith. Filmed in Shadyside, New Jersey in June 1908, the film was released on July 17, 1908. Plot The film opens ...

'' (1908) * ''

The Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunke ...

'' (1908) * '' Romance of a Jewess'' (1908) * '' The Bandit's Waterloo'' (1908) * '' The Greaser's Gauntlet'' (1908) * '' For a Wife's Honor'' (1908) * '' The Girl and the Outlaw'' (1908) * ''

The Red Girl ''The Red Girl'' is a 1908 American black-and-white short silent Western film directed by D. W. Griffith for the American Mutoscope & Biograph Company. It stars Florence Lawrence and the cast includes Charles Inslee, George Gebhardt, D. W ...

'' (1908) * ''

Where the Breakers Roar ''Where the Breakers Roar'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. A print of the film exists in the film archive of the Library of Congress. Cast * Arthur V. Johnson as Tom Hudson * Linda Arvidson as Alice Fa ...

'' (1908) * ''

A Smoked Husband ''A Smoked Husband'' is a 1908 American silent short comedy film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * John R. Cumpson as Mr. Bibbs * Florence Lawrence as Mrs. Bibbs * Linda Arvidson as Maid * George Gebhardt as Man in Top Hat * Robert Harron a ...

'' (1908) * ''

The Devil Satan, also known as the Devil, is a devilish entity in Abrahamic religions who seduces humans into sin (or falsehood). In Judaism, Satan is seen as an agent subservient to God, typically regarded as a metaphor for the '' yetzer hara'', or 'e ...

'' (1908) * ''

The Zulu's Heart ''The Zulu's Heart'' is an extant 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith for the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company. Location footage was shot in Cliffside, New Jersey. White actors in blackface portray Zulus. ...

'' (1908) * ''

Ingomar, the Barbarian ''Ingomar, the Barbarian'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. It has been placed in the same genre as the theatrical toga play.Richards, Jeffrey"Review: ''Playing out the Empire: Ben-Hur and other Toga Plays ...

'' (1908) * ''

The Vaquero's Vow ''The Vaquero's Vow'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Charles Inslee as Renaldo * Harry Solter as Gonzales * Linda Arvidson * Gladys Egan as Little Girl * Frank Evans * George Gebhardt as Wedd ...

'' (1908) * '' The Planter's Wife'' (1908) * '' Concealing a Burglar'' (1908) * ''

The Pirate's Gold ''The Pirate's Gold'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * George Gebhardt as Young Wilkinson * Linda Arvidson as Mrs. Wilkinson * Charles Inslee as A Creditor (unconfirmed) * Arthur V. Johnson * Flo ...

'' (1908) * ''

The Guerrilla ''The Guerrilla'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Arthur V. Johnson as Jack Stanford * Dorothy West as Dorothy * George Gebhardt as Confederate Soldier * Charles Inslee as Servant * Owen Moore ...

'' (1908) * ''

The Song of the Shirt "The Song of the Shirt" is a poem written by Thomas Hood in 1843. It was written in honour of a Mrs. Biddell, a widow and seamstress living in wretched conditions. In what was, at that time, common practice, Mrs. Biddell sewed trousers and shi ...

'' (1908) * '' The Ingrate'' (1908) * '' A Woman's Way'' (1908) * '' The Clubman and the Tramp'' (1908) * ''

The Call of the Wild ''The Call of the Wild'' is an adventure novel by Jack London, published in 1903 and set in Yukon, Canada, during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush, when strong sled dogs were in high demand. The central character of the novel is a dog named Buck. ...

'' (1908) * '' The Valet's Wife'' (1908) * ''

The Feud and the Turkey ''The Feud and the Turkey'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Harry Solter as Mr. Caufield * Linda Arvidson as Mrs. Caufield * Arthur V. Johnson as Colonel Wilkinson * Robert Harron as George Wilki ...

'' (1908) * '' The Reckoning'' (1908) * ''

The Test of Friendship ''The Test of Friendship'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Arthur V. Johnson as Edward Ross * Florence Lawrence as Jennie Colman * Harry Solter as The Butler / Foreman * George Gebhardt as The Va ...

'' (1908) * ''

The Christmas Burglars ''The Christmas Burglars'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Florence Lawrence as Mrs. Martin * Adele DeGarde as Margie, Mrs. Martin's Daughter * Charles Inslee as Mike McLaren * John R. Cumpson * ...

'' (1908) * '' Mr. Jones at the Ball'' (1908) * '' The Helping Hand'' (1908) * '' One Touch of Nature'' (

1909 Events January–February * January 4 – Explorer Aeneas Mackintosh of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition escapes death by fleeing across ice floes. * January 7 – Colombia recognizes the independence of Panama. * Janu ...

) * '' The Honor of Thieves'' (1909) * '' Love Finds a Way'' (1909) * '' The Sacrifice'' (1909) * '' The Criminal Hypnotist'' (1909) * '' The Fascinating Mrs. Francis'' (1909) * '' Mr. Jones Has a Card Party'' (1909) * '' The Welcome Burglar'' (1909) * '' The Road to the Heart'' (1909) * '' A Sound Sleeper'' (1909) * ''The Cord of Life'' (1909) * '' The Girls and Daddy'' (1909) * '' The Brahma Diamond'' (1909) * ''

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic who is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales involving mystery and the macabre. He is widely re ...

'' (1909) * ''

A Wreath in Time ''A Wreath in Time'' is a 1909 American silent film, silent comedy film written and directed by D. W. Griffith, produced by the Biograph Company of New York City, and co-starring Mack Sennett and Florence Lawrence.Niver, Kemp R. ''Early Motion P ...

'' (1909) * ''

A Rude Hostess ''A Rude Hostess'' is a 1909 American silent film, silent film comedy written and directed by D. W. Griffith, produced by the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company in New York City, and co-starring Marion Leonard and Arthur V. Johnson.

'' (1909) * '' Tragic Love'' (1909) * ''

The Golden Louis ''The Golden Louis'' is a 1909 American drama film written by Edward Acker, directed by D. W. Griffith, and produced by the Biograph Company in New York City. Originally, this short was distributed to theaters on a " split reel", accompanying ano ...

'' (1909) * '' A Drunkard's Reformation'' (1909) * ''

'' (1909) * '' The Sealed Room'' (1909) * ''

The Hessian Renegades ''The Hessian Renegades'' is a 1909 American silent war film directed by D. W. Griffith. It is set during the American Revolution. Plot A young soldier during the American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colo ...

'' (1909) * '' The Death Disc: A Story of the Cromwellian Period'' (1909) * ''

To Save Her Soul ''To Save Her Soul'' is a 1909 American short silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Mary Pickford. The film was shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey, where many early film studios in America's first motion picture industry were bas ...

'' (1909) * ''

The Day After ''The Day After'' is a 1983 American television film directed by Nicholas Meyer. The war film postulates a fictional conflict between NATO and the Warsaw Pact over Germany that rapidly escalates into a full-scale nuclear exchange between the ...

'' (1909) * '' The Little Darling'' (1909) * ''

The Prussian Spy ''The Prussian Spy'' is a 1909 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Marion Leonard as Lady Florence * Harry Solter as Count Lopes * Owen Moore as The Spy * Arthur V. Johnson as Soldier * Florence Lawrence as Th ...

'' (1909) * '' His Wife's Mother'' (1909) * '' The Wooden Leg'' (1909) * ''

The Roue's Heart ''The Roue's Heart'' is a 1909 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Harry Solter as Monsieur Flamant * Linda Arvidson as Noblewoman / Sculptress's Friend * John R. Cumpson as Nobleman * Adele DeGarde as Sculptr ...

'' (1909) * '' I Did It'' (1909) * '' The Deception'' (1909) * ''

And a Little Child Shall Lead Them ''And a Little Child Shall Lead Them'' is a 1909 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. A print of the film exists in the film archive of the Library of Congress. Cast * Marion Leonard as The Mother * Arthur V. Johnson ...

'' (1909) * ''

A Burglar's Mistake ''A Burglar's Mistake'' is a 1909 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. The film was released on March 25, 1909 by Biograph Company and was met with liked viewers. The film is presumed lost. Cast * Harry Solter as Henr ...

'' (1909) * '' Two Memories'' (1909) * '' Comata, the Sioux'' (1909) * ''

Pippa Passes ''Pippa Passes'' is a verse drama by Robert Browning. It was published in 1841 as the first volume of his ''Bells and Pomegranates'' series, in a low-priced two-column edition for sixpence, and republished in his collected ''Poems'' of 1849, w ...

'' (1909) * ''

Nursing a Viper ''Nursing a Viper'' is a 1909 American silent short film by pioneer director D. W. Griffith. A paper print of the film survives in the Library of Congress. Cast * Arthur V. Johnson as The Husband *Marion Leonard as The Wife *Frank Powell as The Vi ...

'' (1909) * ''

All on Account of the Milk ''All on Account of the Milk'' is a 1910 American silent film, silent comedy short film directed by Frank Powell and starring Mary Pickford and Blanche Sweet. The short was shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey, by the Biograph Company using one of the ...

'' (1910) * '' In Old California'' (1910) * ''

The Two Brothers "The Two Brothers" is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, tale number 60. It is Aarne-Thompson type 303, "The Blood Brothers", with an initial episode of type 567, "The Magic Bird Heart". A similar story, of Sicilian origin, ...

'' (1910) * ''

A Romance of the Western Hills ''A Romance of the Western Hills'' is a 1910 silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith, starring Mary Pickford and Blanche Sweet. A print of the film survives in the film archive of the Library of Congress. Cast See also * List of ...

'' (

1910 Events January * January 6 – Abé people in the French West Africa colony of Côte d'Ivoire rise against the colonial administration; the rebellion is brutally suppressed by the military. * January 8 – By the Treaty of Punakha, t ...

) * ''

The Lily of the Tenements ''The Lily of the Tenements'' is a 1911 American short silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith, starring Clara T. Bracy and featuring Blanche Sweet. Cast See also * D. W. Griffith filmography * Blanche Sweet filmography __NOTOC_ ...

'' (

1911 Events January * January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory are added to the Commonwealth of Australia. * January 3 ** 1911 Kebin earthquake: An earthquake of 7.7 m ...

) * '' Divided Interests'' (1911) * '' The Physician's Honor'' (1912) * '' The Antique Ring'' (1912) * ''

Gingerbread Cupid Gingerbread refers to a broad category of baked goods, typically flavored with ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon and sweetened with honey, sugar, or molasses. Gingerbread foods vary, ranging from a moist loaf cake to forms nearly as crisp as ...

'' (1912) * ''

A Matter of Business A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, and others worldwide. Its name in English is '' a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes''. It is similar in shape to the Ancient G ...

'' (1912) * '' The Preacher and the Gossips'' (1912) * '' The Spoiled Child'' (1912) * '' A Child's Devotion'' (1912)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Arthur V. American male film actors American male silent film actors Film directors from Ohio Male actors from Cincinnati 1876 births 1916 deaths 20th-century deaths from tuberculosis Tuberculosis deaths in Pennsylvania 20th-century American male actors