Kay Johnson

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Catherine Townsend "Kay" Johnson (November 29, 1904 – November 17, 1975) was an American stage and film actress. Johnson was signed to a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 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 (1929), written by Jeanie Macpherson and featuring Charles Bickford and Conrad Nagel. Production was delayed while Johnson recovered from an appendectomy. 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 and Bette Davis), 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. Johnson's final film appearance came in the 1954 British film Jivaro (also known as Lost Treasure of the Amazon).

Known For

Of Human Bondage

as Norah

Hellzapoppin'

as Lena - Lady Looking for Oscar

Call of the Wild

as Show Girl (uncredited)

American Madness

as Phyllis Dickson

Mr. Lucky

as Mrs. Mary Ostrander

Thirteen Women

as Helen Dawson Frye

The Real Glory

as Mrs. Manning

Madam Satan

as Angela Brooks

Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake

as Helena

Billy the Kid

as Claire