Ben Johnson (actor)

Ben Johnson
Johnson in 1969
Born	Francis Benjamin Johnson Jr. (1918-06-13)June 13, 1918 Foraker, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died	April 8, 1996(1996-04-08) (aged 77) Mesa, Arizona, U.S.
Resting place	Pawhuska City Cemetery
Occupations	Actor stuntman rodeo cowboy
Years active	1939–1996
Spouse	Carol Elaine Jones ​ ​ (m. 1941; died 1994)​

Francis Benjamin Johnson Jr. (June 13, 1918 – April 8, 1996) was an American film and television actor, stuntman, and world-champion rodeo cowboy. Johnson brought authenticity to many roles in Westerns with his droll manner and expert horsemanship.

The son of a rancher, Johnson arrived in Hollywood to deliver a consignment of horses for a film. He did stunt-double work for several years before breaking into acting with the help of John Ford. An elegiac portrayal of a former cowboy theater owner in the 1950s coming-of-age drama The Last Picture Show won Johnson the 1971 Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Johnson also operated a horse-breeding ranch throughout his career. Although he said he had succeeded by sticking to what he knew, shrewd real estate investments made Johnson worth an estimated $100 million by his later years.^{[1][dubious – discuss]}