Johnny Callison (1939 - 2006)

Johnny Callison became a fan favorite in Philadelphia; Supreme Court Justice and lifelong Phillies fan Samuel Alito recalls he “adopted Johnny Callison out there in right field” as a boy. Over the next decade, Callison would be named to the NL All-Star roster three times (1962, 64-65).[b] In 1962, he batted an even .300, the […]

Johnny Carpenter (1914 - 2003)

Actor. He began his career as a movie stunt man under the name of Josh Carpenter in the 1940s and made his film debut in “Badman’s Gold” (1951). A veteran B-Westerns films, he appeared in “National Velvet”, “The Lawless Rider”, “Son of the Renegade”, “Cattle Queen” and was a regular on the television series “Wild […]

Johnny Cash (1932 - 2003)

Johnny Cash Born Feb. 26th, 1932, in Kingsland, Ark., Johnny Cash was born John R. Cash, one of seven children belonging to Ray and Carrie Rivers Cash. When John was 3 years old, his father took advantage of a new Roosevelt farm program and moved his young family to Dyess Colony in northeast Arkansas. There […]

Johnny Crawford (1946 - 2021)

Johnny Crawford In “The Rifleman,” Crawford played Mark McCain, son of Civil War veteran Lucas McCain, played by Connors. He was nominated in the best supporting actor (continuing character) in a dramatic series category at the Primetime Emmys in 1959. He was 13 at the time. In 2019, Crawford was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease before […]

Johnny Delgado (1948 - 2009)

Actor. Born Juan Marasigan Feleo, he was popular Filipino movie and television performer, best known for the 1980s syndicated television show “Going’ Bananas”. His other TV credits included “Global Shockers”, “Calla Lily” and “Maria Flordeluna”. From the 1960s to 2000s, he appeared in over 50 international films being awarded the FAMAS Best Supporting Actor Award […]

Johnny Desmond (1919 - 1985)

Johnny Desmond was born in Detroit, Michigan; and as a boy, sang on a local radio station, but at age 15 he quit to work at his father’s grocery. He still retained a love of music, however, and briefly attended the Detroit Conservatory of Music before heading to the nightclub circuit, playing piano and singing. In […]

Johnny Downs (1913 - 1994)

Following his stint with Our Gang, Johnny Downs stayed with the short-subject series until 1927, appearing in twenty-four two-reelers in various roles. He honed his dancing and singing skills on the vaudeville stage, working prominently on Broadway until returning to Hollywood in 1934. Downs became a fixture of the “college musical” movie cycle of the […]

Johnny Dugan (1919 - 1972)

Singer, Radio and Television Entertainer. A World War II Navy veteran, he hosted his own NBC television show, “The Johnny Dugan Show,” beginning in 1952. He was also emcee on the TV show “Ladies Choice.” (bio by: A.J. Marik)

Johnny Eager-Tanner (1924 - 1963)

Actor.

Johnny Eck, Jr (1911 - 1991)

Artist, Circus performer.  John Eckhardt, Jr. and his twin brother Robert Eckhardt were born to Amelia and John Eckhardt, Sr. in Baltimore, Maryland. John was born with a truncated torso due to sacral agenesis. Though John would sometimes describe himself as “snapped off at the waist”, he had unusable, underdeveloped legs and feet that he […]

Johnny Hodges (1907 - 1970)

Johnny Hodges joined Duke Ellington’s orchestra in November 1928. He was one of the prominent Ellington Band members who featured in Benny Goodman’s 1938 Carnegie Hall concert. Goodman described Hodges as “by far the greatest man on alto sax that I ever heard.” Charlie Parker called him “the Lily Pons of his instrument.” Ellington’s practice of […]

Johnny Horton (1925 - 1960)

Johnny Horton Although he is better-remembered for his historical songs, Johnny Horton was one of the best and most popular honky tonk singers of the late ’50s. Horton managed to infuse honky tonk with an urgent rockabilly underpinning. His career may have been cut short by a fatal car crash in 1960, but his music […]

Johnny Lattner (1932 - 2016)

Johnny Lattner starred in both football and basketball at Fenwick High School where he graduated in 1950. Fenwick, along with other Chicago-area Catholic schools, was a breeding ground for Notre Dame and Big Ten football programs, and Lattner held offers from top college football programs across the country. He initially considered the University of Michigan […]

Johnny Leartice Robinson (1952 - 2004)

Johnny Leartice Robinson (25 July 1952 – 4 February 2004) was executed by the State of Florida for the 1985 murder of Beverly St. George.  Robinson had faced several criminal charges before being arrested for murder; he was convicted of several previous rapes and was on parole for a rape conviction in Maryland at the […]

Johnny Lewis (1983 - 2012)

Johnny Lewis began making television appearances while in his late teens, with guest starring roles in Boston Public (2000), The Guardian (2001), and American Dreams (2002), among others. His debut feature film performance premiered in 2004, in New Line Cinema’s Raise Your Voice, and he followed that up with Miramax Films’ Underclassman in 2005. He […]

Johnny Logan (1927 - 2013)

John Logan, Jr. (March 23, 1927 – August 9, 2013) was a shortstop in Major League Baseball. Logan was signed by the Boston Braves in 1947, having been discovered by Braves scout Dewey Briggs. He was a four-time All-Star and led the National League in doubles in 1955. Logan was the first major league batter […]

Johnny Mack Brown (1904 - 1974)

Born and raised in Dothan, Alabama, Johnny Mack Brown was a star of the high school football team, earning a football scholarship to the University of Alabama. His little brother Tolbert “Red” Brown played with “Mack” in 1925. His good looks and powerful physique saw him portrayed on Wheaties cereal boxes and in 1927, brought an […]

Johnny Otis (1921 - 2012)

Johnny Otis Otis was born to Greek immigrants Alexander J. Veliotes, a Mare Island longshoreman and grocery store owner, and his wife, the former Irene Kiskakes, a painter. He had a younger sister, Dorothy, and a younger brother, Nicholas A. Veliotes, former U.S. Ambassador to both Jordan (1978–1981) and Egypt (1984–1986)). He grew up in […]

Johnny Paycheck (1938 - 2003)

Johnny Paycheck Johnny PayCheck, the hard-living Nashville guitar slinger who urged the working class to “Take This Job and Shove It,” has died. Although he had been sober for years, decades of boozing and drugging had taken its toll on the honky-tonker. He had been in declining health for the past several years, spending recent […]

Johnny Ringo (1850 - 1882)

Johnny Ringo There has been much false information disseminated concerning Johnny Ringo. Much of the mis-information came from writers such as Stuart Lake (Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal), Walter Noble Burns ( Tombstone), and William M. “Billy” Breakenridge ( Helldorado). These authors make claims of killings and of deadly accuracy with a pistol. Claims were also […]

Johnny Russell (1940 - 2001)

Johnny Russell Russell penned the country standard “Act Naturally,” which Buck Owens recorded in 1963 and took to No. 1. Two years later, the Beatles cut the song with Ringo Starr on vocals. Artists such as Burl Ives, George Strait, Bobby Vinton, Patti Page, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, and Del Reeves also recorded […]

Johnny Tapia (1967 - 2012)

Johnny Tapia Johnny Tapia endured a tragic early life. His father had reportedly been murdered while his mother was pregnant with him. When he was eight years old, his mother, Virginia, was kidnapped, raped, hanged, repeatedly stabbed, and left for dead by her assailant. Tapia was awakened by her screams and saw her chained to […]

Johnny Thomas Allen (1905 - 1959)

John Thomas Allen (September 30, 1904 – March 29, 1959) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Browns, Brooklyn Dodgers, and New York Giants.  Born in Lenoir, North Carolina, Allen reached the Yankees in an unusual way. While working as a bellhop in a hotel, […]

Johnny Torrio (1882 - 1957)

Johnny Torrio Born in a village near Naples, Torrio was brought to New York City by his widowed mother when he was two. He became a brothel-saloonkeeper and leader of the James Street Boys, allying them with the Five Points Gang (1904–08). He then rose to become a rackets boss (i.e., engaged in activities involving […]

Johnny Valentine (1928 - 2001)

Johnny Valentine Wisniski was originally from Maple Valley, Washington. He was a devout Christian for many years. He was married to a woman named Sharon, who plans to write a book titled A Never Ending Love Story of a Wrestler and His Wife about their life together. He also had a son, Greg Valentine, who […]

Johnny Valentine (1928 - 2001)

Johnny Valentine Johnny Valentine was a man’s man and tough as nails. He had been battling and fighting for his life and he had beaten the odds, time and time again. A 1975 plane crash that left him paralysed. Wrestling promoters that had all but forgotten him. A staff of doctors who said they couldn’t […]

Johnny Weaver (1935 - 2008)

Johnny Weaver Funerals are never fun to attend. But there was something uplifting about what took place at Johnny Weaver’s funeral. That was due largely to the honest and moving words delivered by two who eulogized him, and the grace of a grieving daughter still wounded by the sudden and unexpected loss of her father. […]

Johnny Winter (1944 - 2014)

Johnny Winter American Musician and Producer. Winter released nearly 20 albums and earned seven Grammy nominations in his career as an iconic blues musician. When he was ten years old, he and his younger brother Edgar, who were both born with albinism, appeared on a local children’s show, playing ukulele and singing Everly Brothers songs. […]

Joi Lansing (1928 - 1972)

Joi Lansing was born Joy Brown in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1928 to Jack Glenn Brown, a shoe salesman, and Virginia Grace (née Shupe) Brown, a housewife. She would later be known as Joyce Wassmansdorff, which was the surname of her stepfather. The family moved to Los Angeles in 1940. She began modeling in […]

Jon Cedar (1931 - 2011)

Actor. He was a veteran character performer fondly remembered for his role as Corporal Langenscheidt on the TV sitcom “Hogan’s Heroes”, from 1965 to 1971. He began his career as a child traveling the country with his family appearing in off-Broadway and in national tour shows. Settling in California, he did many performances with the […]