Rita Johnson

Movie actress Rita Johnson (August 13, 1913 - October 31, 1965) was born in Worcester Ma. and attended the New England Conservatory of Music. She began acting on broadway in 1935 and started her film career two years after that. She had a memorable role in the RKO black-and-white film noir They Won't Believe Me (1947) playing the doomed wife of cheater Robert Young. She also was memorable in Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) and The Big Clock (1948). Johnson's film career came almost to a complete stop after a 1948 freak accident (a hair dryer fell on her head) that required delicate brain surgery. Rumors swirled at the time that she was actually beaten badly, and frequently, by a gangster boyfriend. Her screen time in movies after that were limited due to her reduced mobility and powers of concentration. She also suffered as an alcoholic from the time of her injuries until her death.

Related Topics:
August 13 - 1913 - October 31 - 1965 - New England Conservatory of Music - Black-and-white - Film noir - They Won't Believe Me - Robert Young - Here Comes Mr. Jordan - The Big Clock - Alcoholic

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