Acting · Worcester, Massachusetts, USA · Born August 13, 1913
Rita Ann Johnson (August 13, 1913 – October 31, 1965) was an American actress. Early in her career, Johnson was busy in radio. Johnson began acting on Broadway in 1935 and started her film career two years later. She played a murderer in Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) and a doomed wife in the RKO film noir They Won't Believe Me (1947). In an incident that was never fully explained, Johnson suffered a head trauma on September 6, 1948 that required brain surgery. Unsubstantiated rumors promulgated by gossip columnists such as Walter Winchell suggested she might have been abused by a boyfriend, but the only explanation she offered was that a large, industrial-grade hair dryer at her apartment had fallen on her. She was in a coma for two weeks and it was reported it took her a year to recover. Her left side was paralyzed temporarily and for a while she couldn't walk. The injury put a virtual halt to her film career. Her screen time in movies after that was limited due to her reduced mobility and powers of concentration. Johnson suffered from alcoholism from the time of her injuries until her death of a brain hemorrhage at age 52. From Wikipedia.
MovieAll Mine to Give
1957
as Katie Tyler
MovieEmergency Hospital
1956
as Head Nurse Norma Mullen
MovieSusan Slept Here
1954
as Dr. Rawley
TVMr. & Mrs. North
1952
MovieThe Second Face
1950
as Claire Elwood
MovieThe Art Director
1949
as Self - from 'The Big Clock' (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieFamily Honeymoon
1948
as Minna Fenster
MovieAn Innocent Affair
1948
as Eve Lawrence
MovieThe Big Clock
1948
as Pauline York
MovieSleep, My Love
1948
as Barby
MovieMichigan Kid
1947
as Sue Dawson
MovieThey Won't Believe Me
1947
as Greta Ballentine
MovieThe Perfect Marriage
1947
as Mabel Manning
MoviePardon My Past
1945
as Mary Pemberton
MovieThe Affairs of Susan
1945
as Mona Kent
MovieThe Naughty Nineties
1945
as Bonita Farrow
MovieThunderhead: Son of Flicka
1945
as Nelle McLaughlin
MovieMy Friend Flicka
1943
as Nell McLaughlin
MovieThe Major and the Minor
1942
as Pamela Hill
MovieAppointment for Love
1941
as Nancy Benson
MovieHere Comes Mr. Jordan
1941
as Julia Farnsworth
MovieThe Golden Fleecing
1940
as Mary Blake
MovieEdison, the Man
1940
as Mary Stilwell
MovieForty Little Mothers
1940
as Marian Edwards
MovieCongo Maisie
1940
as Kay McWade
MovieNick Carter, Master Detective
1939
as Lou Farnsby
MovieThey All Come Out
1939
as Kitty
MovieStronger Than Desire
1939
as Barbara Winter
Movie6,000 Enemies
1939
as Anne Barry
MovieBroadway Serenade
1939
as Judith 'Judy' Tyrrell
MovieWithin the Law
1939
as Agnes Lynch
MovieHonolulu
1939
as Cecelia Grayson
MovieThe Girl Downstairs
1938
as Rosalind Brown
MovieRich Man, Poor Girl
1938
as Sally Harrison
MovieSmashing the Rackets
1938
as Leticia "Letty" Lane
MovieLetter of Introduction
1938
as Honey
MovieMan-Proof
1938
as Florence (dialogue scenes deleted)
MovieMy Dear Miss Aldrich
1937
as Ellen Warfield
MovieLondon by Night
1937
as Patricia Herrick
