Van Johnson (August 25, 1916 - December 12, 2008)

"The Dancing Star"
Van Johnson danced his way across the cinema screens more times than anyone could count. Starting out on Broadway in New York in the 1930's it was his performance in the 1939 production of Too Many Girls that led him to appear in the 1940 film version. After that he would go on to appear in 80 films his final appearance being in 1992's Clowning Around. In 1954 he shared the screen with legend Humphrey Bogart in the classic The Caine Mutiny which also featured Jose Ferrer, Fred MacMurray, E.G. Marshall and Lee Marvin. In 1968 he appeared with his good friend Lucille Ball in the film Yours, Mine and Ours which also starred Henry Fonda.
On television Johnson became a permanent fixture appearing on such shows as "I Love Lucy", "The Name's the Same", "Letter to Loretta", "The Jack Benny Program", "The Dinah Shore Chevy Show", "The Jack Paar Tonight Show", "I've Got a Secret", "What's My Line?", "Toast of the Town", "The Danny Thomas Hour", "The Hollywood Squares", "The Dean Martin Show", "Here's Lucy", "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In", "The Merv Griffin Show", "The Mike Douglas Show", "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour", "Biography", "American Masters", "Zane Grey Theater", "General Electric Theater", "The Ann Sothern Show", "The DuPont Show with June Allyson", "Ben Casey", "Batman", "The Red Skelton Show", "The Virginian", "The Doris Day Show", "Love, American Style", "Maude", "McCloud", "McMillan & Wife", "Quincy, M.E.", "One Day at a Time", "The Love Boat", "Fantasy Island", "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and "Murder, She Wrote."
He also appeared in numerous made for television movies through the 1960's, 1970's, 1980's and 1990's. Also in the 1960's and 1980's he made returns to Broadway.
On "I Love Lucy" he appeared as himself in the episode "The Dancing Star" which originally aired on May 2, 1955. The story has Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball) begging Van Johnson to let her appear with him in his act at the Beverly Palms Hotel so she can impress a visiting girlfriend from New York.
On "Batman" he appeared as the villianous Minstrel in two 1966 episodes. The most memorable part of the story is when he ties Batman and Robin to a giant rotisary!
Johnson appeared three times on "Murder, She Wrote" between 1984 and 1990. All three appearances were as different characters varying from an absentminded inventor to a ruthless sports executive to an abrasive writer.
Whether it was lighting up the screen with June Allyson or trying to destroy Batman and Robin this great actor always gave a wonderful performance and his passing only adds to the sad fact that all of the great stars of yesteryear are slowly leaving us.

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