Bill Johnson(1916-1957)

Actor
Soundtrack

William Thomas Johnson was a star performer at the University of Maryland, College Park, performing for the school's Footlight Club and graduating with an engineering degree in 1936. He was nicknamed "Bing" by his classmates due to his singing ability. Upon graduation he got a job at NBC as a singer on a radio show featuring Dinah Shore. After a brief mid-1940s spell in Hollywood, including 1945's "Keep Your Powder Dry," Johnson returned to Broadway, where in 1955-1956 he played "Doc" in Rodgers and Hammerstein's final musical, "Pipe Dream," for which received a Tony nomination. Johnson died suddenly of a heart attack in 1957.

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Photos4

Known for

It's a Pleasure

5.8

Buzz 'Buzzard' Fletcher

1945

Keep Your Powder Dry

6.4

Capt. Bill Barclay

1945

Kaleidoscope

7.6

TV Series

Self in Song Time segment

At Home

5.1

Short

Bill Johnson - Singer

1939

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

Kaleidoscope
7.6
TV Series
- Self in Song Time segment
- 1950
Keep Your Powder Dry
6.4
- Capt. Bill Barclay
- 1945
It's a Pleasure
5.8
- Buzz 'Buzzard' Fletcher
- 1945
At Home
5.1
Short
- Bill Johnson - Singer
- 1939

Soundtrack

At Home
5.1
Short
- performer: "The Very Thought of You", "I Love You Truly" (uncredited)
- 1939

Personal details

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Born
- March 22, 1916
- Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Died
- March 16, 1957
- Flemington, New Jersey, USA(heart attack)
Spouses
Other works
He acted in Irving Berlin's musical, "Annie Get Your Gun", at the London Coliseum in London, England with Dolores Gray, Harry Moreny, Wendy Toye, Irving Davies, Ellis Irving, John Garside, Don Johnson, Paddy Stone and Betty Hare in the cast.
Publicity listings
- 1 Article

Did you know

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Trivia
Johnson was also a charter member of the Broadway Show League, Broadway's competitive softball league, established in 1955. After his death in March 1957 the BSL announced that they would create their first MVP award and name it for Johnson.