Catherine Townsend Johnson (November 29, 1904 – November 17, 1975) was an American stage and film actress.

Family

Johnson’s father was architect Thomas R. Johnson, the architect of several noteworthy buildings in New York City, including the

Woolworth Building The Woolworth Building is a residential building and early skyscraper at 233 Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway in the Tribeca neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City. Designed by Cass Gilbert, it was the tallest building in the world f ...

, the New York Customs House, and many library buildings. When she was a junior, she dropped out of Grew Seminary to study at the

American Academy of Dramatic Arts The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) is a Private college, private drama school with two locations, one in New York City and one in Los Angeles. The academy offers an associate degree in occupational studies and teaches drama and related ...

Career

Stage

Johnson's professional acting debut was in ''Beggar on Horseback'', and she acted in '' R.U.R.'' in Chicago. Johnson's Broadway credits included ''State of the Union'' (1945), ''A Free Soul'' (1928), ''Crime'' (1927), ''No Trespassing'' (1926), ''One of the Family'' (1925), ''All Dressed Up'' (1925), ''The Morning After'' (1925), ''Beggar on Horseback'' (1925), ''Beggar on Horseback'' (1924), and ''Go West, Young Man'' (1923).

Films

Johnson was signed to a contract with

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

by Cecil B. DeMille following a performance of ''The Silver Cord'' at the Repertory Theater in Los Angeles, California. The play was produced by Simeon Gest of the Figueroa Playhouse. Her film debut came in ''

Dynamite Dynamite is an explosive made of nitroglycerin, sorbents (such as powdered shells or clay), and Stabilizer (chemistry), stabilizers. It was invented by the Swedish people, Swedish chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel in Geesthacht, Northern German ...

'' (1929), written by Jeanie Macpherson and featuring Charles Bickford and Conrad Nagel. Production was delayed while Johnson recovered from an

appendectomy An appendectomy (American English) or appendicectomy (British English) is a Surgery, surgical operation in which the vermiform appendix (a portion of the intestine) is removed. Appendectomy is normally performed as an urgent or emergency procedur ...

. She went on to appear in '' The Ship from Shanghai'' (1930), '' This Mad World'' (1930), '' Billy the Kid'' (1930), '' The Spoilers'' (1930) with Gary Cooper and Betty Compson, DeMille's '' Madam Satan'' (1930), '' Passion Flower'' (1930), Capra's '' American Madness'' (1932), '' Thirteen Women'' (1932), '' Of Human Bondage'' (which starred

Leslie Howard Leslie Howard Steiner (3 April 18931 June 1943) was an English actor, director, producer and writer.Obituary, '' Variety'', 9 June 1943. He wrote many stories and articles for ''The New York Times'', ''The New Yorker'', and '' Vanity Fair'' an ...

and

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympatheti ...

), '' Jalna'' (1935) and '' Mr. Lucky'' (1943). Johnson was cast opposite Warner Baxter in a screen adaptation of '' Such Men Are Dangerous'' by Elinor Glyn. The story was adapted to the screen by

Fox Film The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American independent company that produced motion pictures and was formed in 1914 by the theater "chain" pioneer William Fox. It was the corporate successor to his earlier Greater Ne ...

. Johnson's final film appearance was in the 1954 British film '' Jivaro'' (also known as ''Lost Treasure of the Amazon'').

Personal life and death

Johnson married actor, director, and producer John Cromwell, and they had a son, actor James Cromwell. Johnson and Cromwell divorced. On November 17, 1975, Johnson died from a heart attack at her home in Waterford, Connecticut.

Partial filmography

* ''

'' (1929) as Cynthia Crothers * '' The Ship from Shanghai'' (1930) as Dorothy Daley * '' This Mad World'' (1930) as Victoria * '' The Spoilers'' (1930) as Helen Chester * '' Madam Satan'' (1930) as Angela Brooks/Madame Satan * '' Billy the Kid'' (1930) as Claire Randall * '' Passion Flower'' (1930) as Katherine Pringle 'Cassy' Wallace * '' The Single Sin'' (1931) as Kate Adams * '' The Spy'' (1931) as Anna Turin * '' American Madness'' (1932) as Mrs. Phyllis Dickson * '' Thirteen Women'' (1932) as Helen Dawson Frye * '' Eight Girls in a Boat'' (1934) as Hannah * '' This Girl Is Mine'' (1934) as Bee McCrea * '' Of Human Bondage'' (1934) as Norah * '' Their Big Moment'' (1934) as Eve Farrington * '' Village Tale'' (1935) as Janet Stevenson * '' Jalna'' (1935) as Alayne Archer Whiteoak * '' White Banners'' (1938) as Mrs. Marcia Ward * '' The Real Glory'' (1939) as Mrs. Mable Manning * '' Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake'' (1942) as Helena Blake * '' Mr. Lucky'' (1943) as Mrs. Mary Ostrander * '' The Adventures of Mark Twain'' (1944) as Jane Clemens (uncredited) * '' Jivaro'' (1954) as Umari

Notes

* ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'', "Demille Features Child Actor", January 17, 1929, Page A10. * ''Los Angeles Times'', "Kay Johnson Under Knife", March 3, 1929, Page C15. * ''Los Angeles Times'', "Kay Johnson Continues", May 30, 1929, Page A6. * ''Los Angeles Times'', "Kay Johnson, as Genteel Heroine of Cecil B. DeMille, Plays First Screen Role", July 21, 1929, Page B13.

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Kay 1904 births 1975 deaths 20th-century American actresses American Academy of Dramatic Arts alumni American film actresses American stage actresses People from Waterford, Connecticut Actresses from Mount Vernon, New York Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players RKO Pictures contract players