Артур Джонсон: Американдық комик актердің өмірі мен мансабы

American comic actor (1929–2019)

Arthur Stanton Eric Johnson (January 20, 1929 – July 3, 2019) was an American actor and comedian who was best known for his work as a regular on television's Rowan & Martin's Laugh In.

Johnson was born January 20, 1929, in Benton Harbor, Michigan, the son of Abraham Lincoln and Edythe Mackenzie (Goldberg/Golden) Johnson. His father was an attorney. Johnson graduated from Austin High School and received a bachelor's degree in radio journalism from University of Illinois Urbana Champaign in 1949, where he worked at the campus radio station and the University of Illinois Theater Guild with his brother Coslough "Cos" Johnson. Following brief military service in Korea (he was discharged due to a duodenal ulcer he had suffered since childhood), he sought employment in Chicago advertising agencies but was unsuccessful and left for New York City to work for Viking Press. In early 1954, Johnson performed in several New York nightclubs, including Le Ruban Bleu and the Village Vanguard. His first job in show business came when he impulsively stepped into an audition line and was cast in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Johnson appeared in Ben Bagley's The Shoestring Revue, which opened off Broadway on February 28, 1955, at the President Theater in New York. Often toward the show's close, he (as the German) would offer words of affection to "Lucy and Gary" (Lucille Ball and her second husband Gary Morton). The Lucy Show and later Here's Lucy on CBS were in direct competition with NBC's Laugh In on Monday night. Johnson reprised the role briefly on Sesame Street in the early 1970s, and while voicing the Nazi inspired character Virman Vundabar on an episode of Justice League Unlimited. His other prominent Laugh In character was "Tyrone F. Horneigh" (pronounced "horn eye," a "clean" variant of the vulgar term "horny"), the white haired, trench coat wearing "dirty old man" who repeatedly sought to seduce "Gladys Ormphby," (Ruth Buzzi's brown clad "spinster" character) on a park bench. Tyrone would enter the scene, muttering a song (usually "In the Merry, Merry Month of May"), and, spying Gladys on the bench, would sit next to her. He would ask her a question, and regardless of the answer, turn it into a double entendre. She would then start hitting him with her purse and he would fall off the bench, sometimes with a plea for help. To boost ratings in the third season, Tyrone successfully courted Gladys which led to an on air wedding on the March 16, 1970, episode during the spring ratings sweep. Tiny Tim played best man, with Carol Channing as the bridesmaid, and Henry Gibson officiating. Alas, both bride to be and groom to be walk out of the church just before the wedding vows are spoken. Years after Laugh In ended, the two characters were the subject of an animated Saturday morning children's show, Baggy Pants and the Nitwits, with Tyrone as a helpful, muttering "superhero." Johnson and his brother Coslough earned Emmy Awards while working on Laugh In.

Johnson guest starred in two episodes of The Partridge Family ("My Heart Belongs to a Two Car Garage" and "For Whom the Bell Tolls and Tolls and Tolls") and the situation comedy A Touch of Grace (1973). He appeared in the first season of the Detroit produced children's show Hot Fudge (1974) and, for one week, as a celebrity guest panelist on the game show Match Game. From 1976 to 1980, Johnson was a regular celebrity guest judge on The Gong Show. In 1976, Johnson voiced the animated cartoon character Misterjaw, a blue, German accented shark, in The Pink Panther Show. He also voiced the character "Rhubarb" on The Houndcats and appeared as a guest on Canadian TV show Celebrity Cooks (1976) with host Bruno Gerussi. Johnson appeared on an episode of the NBC daytime version of Wheel of Fortune in September 1977 as a substitute letter turner, both to fill in for an injured Susan Stafford, and to promote his short lived NBC game show Knockout, which aired through early 1978. Instead of being introduced by the show's announcer, he would start the show with a small monologue, then the announcer would introduce the day's contestants. He was cast as Renfield, the comic sidekick of George Hamilton's Dracula in the film Love at First Bite (1979) and appeared in the all star television disaster film Condominium (1980). He voiced "Weerd" in The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo (1985), and played a disgruntled employee denied severance pay in an episode of Airwolf. He also voiced several other characters: Dr. Ludwig Von Strangebuck and Count Ray on two episodes of DuckTales; Devil Smurf on The Smurfs; Top Cat and Lou on Yo Yogi! ; and Newt on Animaniacs. Johnson guest starred in the Murder, She Wrote episode "No Laughing Murder" (1987). He also appeared in an episode of Night Court (1990). From 1991 to 1992, Johnson appeared in multiple episodes of General Hospital as Finian O'Toole. He played the old laboratory head of a team of scientists working on a serum of youth in Second Chance (1996). Johnson performed more than 80 audiobook readings, including Gary Shteyngart's Absurdistan (2006) and Carl Hiaasen's Bad Monkey. He appeared in the Justice League Unlimited episode "The Ties That Bind" (2005) as the voice of Virman Vundabar, which was his final acting role before his retirement in 2006.

Johnson lived in Southern California with his wife, Gisela. He was previously married to choreographer Texie Waterman. He was a non Hodgkin's lymphoma survivor, having been diagnosed and successfully treated in 1997. Johnson died on July 3, 2019, after being ill for three years with bladder and prostate cancer. He was 90. His ashes were scattered off Hawaii. Gisela Johnson survives him.

Year Title Role Notes1954 Best Foot Forward Chuck Television film1956 Miracle in the Rain Monty 1959 The Wild and the Innocent Barker Uncredited1960 The Subterraneans Arial Lavalerra 1965 The Third Day Lester Aldrich 1965 That Funny Feeling Paul 1967 The President's Analyst Sullivan 1968 P. J. Jackie 1971 Arnold's Closet Revue Television film1973 The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas Professor Werner von Bear Voice, television film1974 Twice in a Lifetime Ron Talley Television film1977 Charge of the Model T's Doc Bailey 1977 Once Upon a Brothers Grimm Selfish and Mean Television film1977 Bunco Television film1978 Bud and Lou Eddie Sherman Television film1979 Love At First Bite Renfield 1980 Condominium Introduction Television film1980 The Love Tapes Harlan Devane Television film1980 A Snow White Christmas Brawny Voice, television film1983 Making of a Male Model Marty Sampson 1984 Cannonball Run II Pilot 1985 What Comes Around Malone 1985 Alice in Wonderland The Dormouse 1985 Star Fairies Dragon Head #2 Voice, television film 1987 Scooby Doo Meets the Boo Brothers Farquard, Skull Ghost Voice, television film1988 A Night at the Magic Castle Harry Houdini 1989 Tax Season Mr. Goldberg 1990 Evil Spirits Lester Potts 1992 Evil Toons Mr. Hinchlow 1992 Munchie Prof. Cruikshank 1995 Captiva Island Witherspoon, Ernie 1998 The Modern Adventures of Tom Sawyer Grumpy Old Man Final film role

Year Title Role Notes 1954 Max Liebman Spectaculars Chuck Green Episode: "Best Foot Forward" 1955–1956 It's Always Jan Stanley Schreiber 4 episodes 1956 The Danny Thomas Show Bob Martin Episode: "Who Can Figure Kids?" 1958 Sally Bascomb Bleacher Jr. 7 episodes 1959 Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Wally Episode: "Ivy League" 1960 The Red Skelton Show Joe, Census Taker 2 episodes 1960–1961 Hennesey Seaman Seymour Shatz 3 episodes 1961 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Mr. Bates, the Private Investigator Season 6 Episode 33: "A Secret Life" 1961 The Twilight Zone Irv Episode: "The Whole Truth" 1961 Westinghouse Playhouse Clerk Episode: "Nan Suits Dan" 1961 Frontier Circus Charles Gippner Episode: "Journey from Hannibal" 1961 87th Precinct Hotel Clerk Episode: "The Very Hard Sell" 1962 The Bob Newhart Show Himself 1 episode 1962 Dr. Kildare Bud Fowler Episode: "The Glory Hunter" 1962 The Andy Griffith Show Hotel Clerk Episode: "Andy and Barney in the Big City" 1962 GE True Cpl. Coogan Episode: "The Handmade Private" 1962–1963 Don't Call Me Charlie! Cpl. Lefkowitz 18 episodes 1963 McHale's Navy Sweeney Episode: "Camera, Action, Panic" 1964 The Greatest Show on Earth Mario Episode: "Man in a Hole" 1964 Destry Lester Episode: "Deputy for a Day" 1964 The Jack Benny Program Charlie Episode: "The Lucille Ball Show" 1964 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Beatnik, Chip Broadwater 2 episodes 1964 Many Happy Returns Virgil Slamm Episode: "Krockmeyer on Avon" 1965 Broadside Charlie Episode: "The Stowawaves" 1965 The Cara Williams Show Fenwick Jr. Episode: "Fletcher Succeeds in Business Without Really Trying" 1965 Bewitched Cousin Edgar Episode: "Cousin Edgar" 1966 The Dick Van Dyke Show Bill Schermerhorn Episode: "I Do Not Choose to Run" 1966 The Donna Reed Show Crandall Episode: "Is There a Small Hotel?" 1966 The Pruitts of Southampton Ahmed Episode: "Phyllis Entertains Royalty" 1966–1967 The Super 6 Super Scuba Voice 1967–1971 Rowan & Martin's Laugh In Himself 93 episodes 1968 The Joey Bishop Show Himself 2 episodes 1968 Lost in Space Fedor Episode: "Princess of Space" 1968 The Legend of Robin Hood Much 1 episode 1968–1980 Hollywood Squares Himself 99 episodes 1969 I Dream of Jeannie Himself Episode: "The Biggest Star in Hollywood" 1969 The Pink Panther Show Misterjaw Voice 1969 Love, American Style Harvey Episode: "Love and the Living Doll" 1969–1970 The Andy Williams Show Himself 4 episodes 1969–1977 Storybook Squares Wolfgang the Nazi, Beethoven 46 episodes 1970 Sesame Street German Soldier (Wolfgang) 1 episode 1970–1972 The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour Himself 4 episodes 1970–1972 The David Frost Show Himself 5 episodes 1970–1974 The Dean Martin Show Himself 4 episodes 1971 Night Gallery J. J. Wilson Episode: "Since Aunt Ada Came to Stay/With Apologies to Mr. Hyde/The Flip Side of Satan" 1971–1976 The Mike Douglas Show Himself 11 episodes 1972 The Houndcats Rhubarb 13 episodes 1972–1973 The Partridge Family Morris Tinkler, Nicholas Minsky Pushkin 2 episodes 1972–1975 Celebrity Bowling Himself 4 episodes 1973 The Bob Hope Show Himself 1 episode 1973 A Touch of Grace Charlie Episode: "The Lodge" 1974 Here's Lucy Sir Osbird Beechman Place Episode: "Lucy Is a Bird Sitter" 1974 Salty Chuck Episode: "Scape Goat" 1974–1976 Dinah! Himself 8 episodes 1974–1978 Match Game Himself 15 episodes 1975 Get Christie Love! Morton Perkins Episode: "Murder on High C" 1975 The Rookies Justin Episode: "S. W. A. T." 1975–1976 Tattletales Himself 10 episodes 1975–1977 The Bobby Vinton Show Himself 12 episodes 1975–1979 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Himself 6 episodes 1976 The Merv Griffin Show Himself 1 episode 1976 Celebrity Sweepstakes Himself 4 episodes 1976 Jigsaw John Daltry Thomas Episode: "Too Much, Too Soon" 1977 Baggy Pants and the Nitwits Tyrone 13 episodes 1977–1987 The Love Boat Various characters 8 episodes 1978 Kojak Billy Butler Episode: "Photo Must Credit Joe Paxton" 1978–1981 Fantasy Island Ned Plummer, Fred Catlett, Professor Dwayne Clebe, Edgar Breen 4 episodes 1979 The Dukes of Hazzard Irving Episode: "Double Sting" 1980–1981 CBS Library Various voices 2 episodes 1981 Password Plus Himself 5 episodes 1982 The Magical World of Disney Theodore Oglivie Episode: "Tales of the Apple Dumpling Gang" 1983 Fame Cliff Armbruster Episode: "Star Quality" 1983 Pac Man Additional Voices Episode: "Here's Super Pac!/Hey, Hey, Hey It's P. J." 1983 The Dukes Additional voices 7 episodes 1983 Hotel Eddie Episode: "The Offer" 1983–1988 The Smurfs Devil Smurf, Avalon Custodian, additional voices 13 episodes 1984 Trapper John, M. D. Dr. Augustus Bunche Episode: "Play Your Hunch" 1984–1985 Glitter Clive Richlin 14 episodes 1985 Airwolf Larry Mason Episode: "Severance Pay" 1985 The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo Weerd Voice, 13 episodes 1985 The A Team Sydney, Uncle Buckle Up Episode: "Uncle Buckle Up" 1986 Foofur Additional voices 3 episodes 1986–1988 The Flintstone Kids Additional voices 34 episodes 1986 The New Mike Hammer Oscar Episode: "Murder in the Cards" 1987 Murder, She Wrote Phil Rinker Episode: "No Laughing Murder" 1987 DuckTales Count Ray, Dr. Ludwig von Strangeduck Voice, 2 episodes 1987–1988 Snorks Additional Voices 2 episodes 1988 The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley Additional Voices 13 episodes 1988–1989 Fantastic Max Additional Voices 3 episodes 1989 The Further Adventures of SuperTed Hummingbird Episode: "Dot's Entertainment" 1990 Night Court Gregor Korolenko Episode: "The Glasnost Menagerie" 1990 Adam 12 Preacher Episode: "Kid Kop" 1990–1992 Tom & Jerry Kids Unknown voices 2 episodes 1991 Pros and Cons Landers Episode: "It's the Pictures That Got Small" 1991 Yo Yogi! Lou Voice, 9 episodes 1991–1992 General Hospital Finian O'Toole Recurring 1992 Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures Albert Einstein Episode: "A Stand Up Guy" 1993 Droopy, Master Detective Shadowman Voice, episode: "Shadowman and the Blue Pigeon" 1993 Parker Lewis Can't Lose Hotel Desk Clerk Episode: "A Night to Remember" 1993 Café Americain Pascal Episode: "Every Picture Tells a Story Don't It?" 1994 SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron Pop Perkins Voice, episode: "A Bright and Shiny Future" 1994–1997 Animaniacs Newt, Delivery Guy Voice, 3 episodes 1996 Mad About You Arte Johnson Episode: "Dream Weaver" 1997 Adventures from the Book of Virtues John's Please Voice, episode: "Respect" 1998 The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tommy Tettrazinne Voice, episode: "Casino Evil/Happy Bathday to You" 2005 Justice League Unlimited Virman Vundabar Voice, episode: "The Ties That Bind"