PVT Holley! Fall In!!

The incredible Van Johnson passed away today. At 92, he was living in an assisted living center in Nyack, NY. At 24 he starred in his first movie, Too Many Girls, as a choir boy and at 76 he starred in Clowning Around his last film. His noted film appearences are 30 Seconds Over Tokyo, Battleground, Go For Broke, The Caine Mutiny, and Brigadoon and his noted TV appearences in Quincy, The Love Boat, and McMillian and Wife to name a few.

Turner Classic Movies

Johnson's air of sympathetic concern, still boyish energy and sometimes larger-than-life acting style marked him as a welcome reminder of old Hollywood on TV, too, from his guest villain spot as the Minstrel on the campy 60s "Batman" to his Emmy-nominated supporting role on "Rich Man, Poor Man" (1976). Other TV work included "Superdome" (1978), "Glitter" (1984) and "Clowning Around" (1992), and he also made regular appearances as a most genial interview subject on his lengthy showbiz career and the Hollywood of yore.

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At 45 many of the actors I watch in movies that I like have long since parted the earth. Men like Bogey, Widmark, Albert, Fonda, Wayne, Murphy, Thompson and others instilled in me the pride of a country. Many of these men are one of the reasons why I joined the military though the men in my family are the main reason.


But, still, there was something about Van Johnson that makes me sit and watch any of his movies. I'm not sure if its the Pvt. Holly, Jeff Douglas, or The Minstrel in him but there is something that just drags me to the TV to watch him.

Funny, Van is one of a handful of Rhode Islanders I DON'T know ;)

He will be missed....God Speed Van!