Rita Johnson

Acting Aug 13, 1913 Oct 31, 1965 (aged 52) Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

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.

39 Acting Credits

Rita Johnson

Acting

The Big Clock

The Major and the Minor

Here Comes Mr. Jordan

Sleep, My Love

They Won't Believe Me

Susan Slept Here

The Naughty Nineties

Edison, the Man

All Mine to Give

My Friend Flicka

Nick Carter, Master Detective

Letter of Introduction

The Affairs of Susan

The Girl Downstairs

Rich Man, Poor Girl

Appointment for Love

Man-Proof

Honolulu

Congo Maisie

Thunderhead: Son of Flicka

Stronger Than Desire

They All Come Out

London by Night

The Golden Fleecing