Van Johnson

Appeared on the CBS interview special, "Burt Reynolds' Conversations With...", along with fellow guest stars Ricardo Montalban, Mickey Rooney and James Stewart

Left California Music Theatre's revival of "Show Boat" (in which he was featured as Captain Andy) during previews due to illness (September)

Starred in a revival of the 1920s Broadway musical classic, "No, No, Nanette" in a production staged in St. Louis which performed Aug. 6-12

Was one of the replacements for original star Gene Barry in the long-running Broadway musical "La Cage aux Folles" (which opened in 1983); Johnson succeeded Keith Mitchell, who had succeeded Jamie Ross, who had succeeded Barry; Johnson enjoyed good reviews and healthy box office during his run with the show

Received a supporting Emmy nomination for his TV miniseries debut, "Rich Man, Poor Man"; played Marsh Goodwin, a role he reprised on a recurring basis on the ABC spinoff series, "Rich Man, Poor Man: Book II" (1976-77)

Starred in a TV sitcom pilot, "Man in the Middle", for a series not picked up by CBS

Returned to features after four years to play first supporting role in nearly 25 years, "Divorce American Style"

First TV-movie, "The Doomsday Flight"

Second operation performed to removed a lymph gland as preventive treatment against cancer

Starred in "At Your Service", a CBS comedy pilot for a series which was not picked up

First film in three years and also his last starring role in features for years, "Wives and Lovers"; also his last of three films opposite Janet Leigh

Toured with nightclub act which was interrupted by operation for skin cancer

Returned to US to star opposite Carroll Baker in the Broadway drama, "Come on Strong"

London stage debut (and Johnson's return to stage), "The Music Man"

Three-year gap in films after making "The Enemy General"

Moved to Switzerland with his family

Starred in TV special, "The Pied Piper of Hamelin"

MGM contract ended; free-lanced for several years

First non-US feature, "The End of the Affair", a British-made production, based on the Graham Greene novel, in which he starred opposite Deborah Kerr

TV debut on "The Last Spring" (an installment of the "Loretta Young Show")

Made last film opposite June Allyson, "Remains to Be Seen", and last one opposite Esther Williams, "Easy to Love"

First of three films opposite Janet Leigh, "The Romance of Rosy Ridge", her debut film

Made exhibitors poll of top ten boxoffice stars, placing 2nd in 1945 and 3rd in 1946

Made first of five films opposite June Allyson, "Two Girls and a Sailor"; also marked the first film in which he was received top billing

Breakthrough films which clinched stardom for Johnson, "The Human Comedy" and "A Guy Named Joe"; the latter was also the first of five films he made opposite Esther Williams

Began to attract attention in film, "Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant"

Driving to special screening of "Keeper of the Flame", Johnson was injured in a car accident which required a metal plate to be inserted in his forehead and disqualified him for WWII military service (date approximate)

Signed to seven-year contract by MGM

Signed to six-month contract by Warner Brothers (at $300/week); starred opposite Faye Emerson in 59-minute Warner Bros. "B" film, "Murder in the Big House"; studio dropped his option

Film debut, "Too Many Girls" (in chorus)

Hired again by George Abbott for a small part and also as Gene Kelly's understudy in Rodgers and Hart's Broadway musical, "Pal Joey"

Break came when hired by George Abbott as understudy to three male leads in Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's "Too Many Girls"; he ultimately replaced one, Richard Killmar

Appeared on Broadway in revue, "New Faces of 1936"

Moved to New York; got first job in Off-Broadway musical revue, "Entre Nous"

Raised by father after parents' divorce when Johnson was three (date approximate)

Held various odd jobs as a child, including selling magazines and delivering groceries

Made nightclub debut in Las Vegas in the mid-1950s

Performed frequently on the dinner-theater and straw-hat theater circuits through the 1970s and 80s

Performed musical entertainment for local Kiwanis and Lions clubs while in high school

Played leading roles in the features, "Company of Killers" (1970) and "Battle Command" (1976)