Van Johnson dead at 92

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 2:27pm

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5il7YRAR4krl9oWgCz2kt0s05G9qAD951BI780

[kec]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 2:33pm

Oh, dear...

I remember his appearance on I Love Lucy -- great fun. I also walked past him once on the street when I was working in Manhattan.

My sympathies to his family and friends.

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 2:40pm

Very sad. He was such a big star, back in the '40s and '50s.

And I got to see him on Broadway in "La Cage" in the mid-'80s. I don't recall much of his performance (not sure if that's due to him or me), but I do remember being star struck by seeing him.

He had a good long life and leaves a wonderful legacy of films to enjoy forever.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 2:54pm

Wasn't Van Johnson supposed to be Judy Garland's "boy next door" in Meet Me In St. Louis?

[WOSQ]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 3:15pm

I saw him with Patti Karr and Paula Laurence in Bye Bye Birdie in the Music Fairs circa 1965. Talented and very charming on stage.

Also Van was outed by his stepson, a son of Keenan Wynn and grandson of Ed Wynn, when his mother married Van after she left Keenan. The book's title is something like "We Will Always Live in Beverly Hills".

[WOSQ]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 3:16pm

His trademark was red socks and I believe a red lining on his suit coats.

Updated On: 12/12/08 at 03:16 PM

[Jack King]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 3:42pm

Three memorable Van Johnson films I liked were THE CAINE MUTINY, THE SEIGE AT RED RIVER, a Civil War movie in which he posed as a medicine man in a show. Convoluted plot about getting Gatling guns. 23 PACE TO BAKER STREET, which is a great title for a movie. About a blind writer in a suspense story. In fact the story was told on the Suspense radio show, too.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 3:48pm

My favorite Van Johnson performance is In the Good Old Summertime. It's my favorite Judy Garland performance, too.

Posted: 12/12/08 at 3:49pm

Brigadoon!

[D2]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 3:51pm

I saw him in LA CAGE AUX FOLLES as well, Besty, but I remember his performance vividly. By then his voice was shot, but he was so invested in the role that he easily overcame the vocal limitations. He was far warmer, more loving with Albin and more convincing than his predecessor in the role. Plus that undeniable Star Power he brought to the show. Loved him in it, by far my favorite Georges.

Updated On: 12/12/08 at 03:51 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 4:10pm

I agree, Joe. He is the best thing in "Brigadoon." He give a terrific performance as Jeff.

And D2--thanks for jogging my memory. I do remember now that he was a little "pitchy" on the songs, but that he had a wonderful stage presence. I just remember being thrilled right at the beginning of that big, opening number--when he stepped out in front of the curtain with "Bonsoir!" My little MGM Fan heart went crazy.

Speaking of MGM, that fantastic documentary called "MGM: When the Lion Roars" is coming out on DVD next month, and Van is a major contributor with terrific behind-the-scenes stories about casting and about shooting movies twice (once for Cinemascope and once for 70mm). Just enough charm and acid combined in his anecdotes.

*sigh*

He was one of the last BIG, male, MGM stars left from the Golden Age.

In fact, I can only think of Mickey Rooney and Ricardo Montalban. The rest (I believe) are all gone.

Jackie Cooper is still alive, but his "mega-star" status at MGM ended when he was an early teen.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 4:16pm

I find Brigadoon to be one of the worst films ever made. I hate it so much, that I simply cannot be objective about Van Johnson's performance in it. It was filmed in two processes, but not 70MM. Cinemascope and standard widescreen.

EDIT:

Here's a snippet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTZeerH3vao Updated On: 12/12/08 at 04:16 PM

[nmartin]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 6:21pm

I remember seeing him on an A&E Biography about Angela Lansbury. He said he hated to see Murder She Wrote shut down becuase she paid well. I don't why, but I loved him for saying that.

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 6:55pm

Sorry, JB2! My mistake. It was "Oklahoma!" that was shot once in Cinemescope and once in 70mm (technically it was 65mm Todd-AO).

Brigadoon and Seven Brides were done twice, as well. Once in standard widescreen ("flat" or 1.77:1 ratio) and once in Cinemascope. (2.55:1, in this case).

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 6:59pm

nmartin--she paid REALLY well. Van was right! I had a friend (an old movie star) who guest-starred on Murder, She Wrote, and she got a terrific day rate, plus the residuals were great for years afterward.

[nealb1]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 7:39pm

His appearance on "The Dancing Star" episode of "I Love Lucy" is a classic! Love him in "Weekend At The Waldorf."

Such a gentleman!

[NYadgal]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 7:54pm

Such sad news...

I keep "hearing" the wonderful line from Light in the Piazza: "Van Johnson?!"

He was glorious, and the world just got a bit dimmer.
RIP

[Jack King]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 7:57pm

Ah Yes! BRIGADOON. He was the naysayer who got changed around. Lovely movie. I liked the bar staging. Real sign of the times stereotypes.

And he was in a MURDER SHE WROTE episode.

[nmartin]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 8:03pm

Evidently, he was in three Murder,She Wrote episodes.

I found this quote on IMDB. He was speaking about Audrey Hepburn.

[on Audrey Hepburn] She's a lady. When she participates in the Academy Awards, she makes all those starlets look like tramps. Thank you for your class, Audrey, you're quite a lady. If anyone said anything derogatory about her, I'd push them in the river.

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 8:19pm

Van has my favorite line in any musical ever in "Brigadoon." When they're sitting in the overly-crowded bar in New York. And it's not even so much the shticky "one-liner" itself as the way Van delivers it with his beaten-down sarcasm. Looking around the bar, he says:

"It's not the heat, it's the humanity."

Love it. Love that kind of humor. Love the simple truth in it.

And JB2, Brigadoon is one of the film musicals that I think is sorely needing a remake. I agree they missed the mark.

That said ... it's a credit to the high quality of the musical source material that many things still shine through. Van's performance as Jeff Douglas is at the top of that list.

And if you think my memory is "hazy" on this movie, I'm watching the Cinemascope version of it right now on my big, fat TV, and it's STILL a good movie. Could have been a great movie, but it's still very good.

Of course, it TANKED in its day. MGM spent a fortune on those Highland sets, even though both Kelly and Minnelli wanted to go on location in Scotland. The sets are still incredible (looking at them now on a 58" Plasma). You can see exactly where the money went, but it was spent in vain. They still look like "really good sets." Gene never should have turned it into a dance movie ... especially at the expense of the vocals. The singing is secondary in this film, and that's it's biggest fault.

But other things to admire:

Truly brilliant cinematography. The opening sequence when the town "wakes up" is shot in such a lovely way. Almost like Jack Cardiff would have done (and that's saying a LOT).

The opening sequence in the square is great! The dancing and staging are first-rate.

The songs. Yes, they lowered them and simplified them. But the melodies and lyrics are still there and they are solid as a rock. Best score that Lerner and Lowe ever wrote, IMO.

Bonnie Jean---the mixing of the Highland dancing with the "hoofing" of Gene Kelly and Van Johnson is wonderful. A culture clash that works on film.

The virtual "unknown" who plays Charlie Dalrymple. His name is Jimmy Thompson. He's gorgeous to look at and does his own singing. Gene Kelly also used him to sing the "Beautiful Girls" number in Singin' in the Rain. I don't know why he had such a limited career at MGM, but he is wonderful in the movie.

Anyway, watch it for Van. It's a great role for him, and he nails every line and moment in it.

Updated On: 12/12/08 at 08:19 PM

[Q]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 8:30pm

Just because, and not because it matters a lick, but I love BRIGADOON. Cyd and Gene dancing in the heather? NYC cynicism balanced against fairy-tale idealism?

Yes, please.

And more of it, thank you.

Mr. Johnson, I hope you got to know a measure of peace in your life. You battled formidible societal and professional pressure - the kind of which some people today scoff at out of ignorance.

Thanks for the memories.

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 9:30pm

I just got to the scene in "Brigadoon" where Van (as Jeff) tells Gene (as Tommy) that he accidentally killed Harry Beaton.

This really IS one of Van's best performances on film. There isn't a false note in it. He manages to be funny, maudlin and heartbreaking, all in this one scene. And Gene's acting (right here) is great too.

It's NOT a perfect film. Far from it. But, as far as Mr. Johnson goes, it's a real gem.

[wexy]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 10:15pm

I really liked his work, He had a good run. Rest In Peace.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 10:23pm

an amazing actor, an amazing career....RIP

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 11:38pm

He was what Cole Porter would have called "Swellegant."

Rest in peace.