BEN JOHNSON BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Ben Johnson was born on June 13th, 1918 in Foraker, Shidler Oklahoma.  Growing up Ben worked as a ranch and rodeo performer.  In 1940 he was hired by Howard Hughes to take a group of horses out to California.  When Ben completed his job he decided he liked California and wanted to stay.
 
Johnson found work as a stunt man and a horse wrangler and got jobs doing double work for a variety of stars such as John Wayne, Gary Cooper and James Stewart.  Ben soon gained the notice of famed director John Ford and was offered a part in the film, "Rio Grande" (1949) followed by a starring role in the film, "Wagon Master" (1950). 
 
Ben then decided to take a brief break from Hollywood in 1953 and return back to doing rodeo.  He won a world roping championship, but then realized he could not financially support himself and acting was making him a much better living. 
 
He returned to Hollywood and the film industry working on such films as, "Cheyenne Autumn" (1964) starring Richard Widmark, Carroll Baker, James Stewart, Edward G. Robinson, Dolores del Rio, Arthur Kennedy, George O'Brien, Judson Pratt, Victor Jory, Mike Mazurki, Patrick Wayne, Elizabeth Allen, John Carradine, Karl Malden, Gilbert Roland, Ricardo Montalban, Sal Mineo and and "The Sun Shines Bright" (1953) starring Charles Winninger, Arlene Whelan, Stepin Fetchit, Clarence Muse, Milburn Stone, John Russell and Slim Pickens.  In 1971 he was offered a role in the film, "The Last Picture Show" which originally he turned down having felt the films language and nudity was offensive, however after the script had some changes made he took on the role and won a Best Supporting Actor.  
 
While working as an actor, Johnson also operated a horse-breeding ranch in Sylmar, California and sponsored the Ben Johnson Pro Celebrity Team Roping and Penning Competition in which all the proceeds were donated to both the Children's Medical Research and to the Children's Hospital located in Oklahoma. 
 
Ben Johnson married only one time to Carol Elaine Jones in 1941 through 1994 when she passed away.  Just two years after he lost his wife, Johnson passed away on April 8th, 1996 in Mesa, Arizona after suffering a heart attack. 
 
In total Ben worked in over 300 films and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  He was also inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.     

 
Filmography

1996 The Evening Star
1996 Ruby Jean and Joe 
1995 Bonanza: Under Attack
1994 Angels in the Outfield 
1994 Outlaws: The Legend of O.B. Taggart 
1993 Bonanza: The Return 
1992 Radio Flyer
1991 My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys 
1991 The Chase 
1989 Back to Back
1989 The Last Ride 
1988 Dark Before Dawn
1988 Stranger on My Land 
1987 Cherry 2000 
1986 Let's Get Harry 
1986 Dream West 
1986 Trespasses 
1985 Wild Horses 
1984 Red Dawn 
1984 Champions 
1982 The Shadow Riders 
1982 Tex 
1981 Soggy Bottom, U.S.A. 
1981 Ruckus 
1980 Terror Train 
1980 The Hunter
1980 Wild Times 
1979 The Sacketts 
1978 The Swarm 
1977 Grayeagle 
1977 The Greatest 
1976 The Town That Dreaded Sundown 
1976 The Savage Bees 
1975 Hustle 
1975 Breakheart Pass 
1975 Bite the Bullet 
1974 Locusts 
1974 The Sugarland Express
1973 Blood Sport 
1973 Kid Blue
1973 Runaway! 
1973 Dillinger 
1973 The Red Pony
1973 The Train Robbers 
1972 The Getaway 
1972 Junior Bonner 
1972 Corky 
1971 Something Big 
1963-1971 Gunsmoke
1971 The Last Picture Show
1962-1971 Bonanza
1970 Chisum 
1969 The Undefeated 
1969 The Wild Bunch 
1969 Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
1963-1968 The Virginian
1968 Hang 'Em High 
1968 Will Penny 
1966-1967 The Monroes
1966 ABC Stage 67
1966 The Rare Breed 
1966 Branded
1965 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1965 Major Dundee
1964 Perry Mason
1964 Cheyenne Autumn 
1962 Stoney Burke
1960-1962 Have Gun - Will Travel 
1961-1962 Route 66 
1960-1961 Laramie 
1961 Tomboy and the Champ 
1961 One-Eyed Jacks
1960 Ten Who Dared
1959 Border Patrol 
1958 Alfred Hitchcock Presents 
1958 The Restless Gun
1958 Navy Log
1958 The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet
1958 Fort Bowie 
1957 Slim Carter 
1957 War Drums 
1956 Cavalcade of America 
1956 Rebel in Town
1955 Oklahoma!
1953 Shane
1952 Wild Stallion 
1951 Fort Defiance 
1950 Rio Grande 
1950 Wagon Master 
1949 She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
1949 Mighty Joe Young
1948 3 Godfathers 
1948 The Gallant Legion 
1946 Badman's Territory 
1945 The Naughty Nineties 
1945 Corpus Christi Bandits 
1944 Nevada 
1944 Tall in the Saddle 
1944 The Pinto Bandit 
1943 Bordertown Gun Fighters 
1943 The Outlaw 
1939 The Fighting Gringo