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| J. J. Johnston | |
|---|---|
| Born | James William Johnston (1933-10-24)October 24, 1933 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | November 4, 2022(2022-11-04) (aged 89) |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, writer, historian |
| Years active | 1972–2018 |
J.J. Johnston (born James William Johnston, October 24, 1933 – November 4, 2022) was an American theatre and film actor, boxing historian and writer.
Johnston served eighteen months in prison for drug-related offenses before turning to acting.
Johnston died on November 4, 2022, at the age of 89.
Books
Johnston, a former amateur boxer, was the author of several books on the history of boxing.
- Babyface and Pop, with Nick Beck (2011)
- Chicago Boxing (Images of Sports), with Sean Curtin and David Mamet (2005) ISBN 978-0-7385-3210-3
- Chicago Amateur Boxing (Images of Sports), with Sean Curtin (2006) ISBN 978-0-7385-4138-9
Stage work
Johnston performed in the original 1975 production of David Mamet's American Buffalo in Chicago and subsequently performed in the 1983 Broadway production opposite Al Pacino.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Beware! The Blob | Deputy Kelly Davis | |
| 1978 | Towing | Butch | |
| 1981 | Whose Life Is It Anyway? | Guard | |
| 1987 | Penitentiary III | Announcer #1 | |
| 1987 | Fatal Attraction | O'Rourke | |
| 1987 | The Principal | Will | |
| 1987 | Weeds | Lazarus | |
| 1988 | Stars and Bars | The Doorman | |
| 1988 | Things Change | Frankie | |
| 1988 | 976-EVIL | Virgil | |
| 1989 | An Innocent Man | Joseph Donatelli | |
| 1991 | Queens Logic | Joey "Clams" | |
| 1991 | Homicide | Jilly Curran | |
| 1991 | JFK | Joe, Mobster with Broussard | |
| 1993 | Mad Dog and Glory | Shanlon | |
| 1994 | Body Shot | Magruder | |
| 1994 | Desert Steel | Buck Edwards | |
| 1994 | Stranger by Night | Bobby's Father | |
| 1994 | The Fence | Railroad Worker #1 | |
| 1995 | Above Suspicion | Hank | |
| 1996 | Wings | Mr. DeCarlo | Episode: "Driving Mr. DeCarlo" |
| 1996 | Married... with Children | Drill Instructor | Episode: "T*R*A*S*H" |
| 1997 | The Spanish Prisoner | The Doorman | |
| 1998 | Simon Says | Mr. Sands | |
| 1999 | K-911 | Tommy "Fat Tommy" | |
| 2000 | Fallen Arches | Stuart | |
| 2000 | Lakeboat | Stan | |
| 2000 | State and Main | The Stationmaster | |
| 2000 | The Prime Gig | Lloyd | |
| 2001 | Dead Man's Run | Detective #1 | |
| 2001 | The King of Queens | Chic | Episode: "Papa Pill" |
| 2002 | Hitters | Nano | |
| 2004 | Spartan | Night Club Manager | |
| 2004 | A Lousy Ten Grand | Roy | |
| 2005 | Break a Leg | Detective Coyle | |
| 2008 | Redbelt | The Ring Announcer |
Awards
- 1983-84 New York Theatre World Award for Outstanding New Talent in "American Buffalo"
- 1986 Bay Area Critics Award for Outstanding Supporting Performance by an Actor in the play Glengarry Glen Ross.
References
- Pasts Imperfect New York Daily News (October 14, 1987)
- "Special Issue 2023". SAG-AFTRA Magazine. p. 87. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- Dettmer, Roger. "'Buffalo' only fragments of the intended". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, IL. Retrieved April 1, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
