Arthur Vaughan Johnson (February 2, 1876 – January 17, 1916) was a pioneer

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

and

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''Di ...

of the early

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

era.

Career

Born in

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

, the son of Rev. Myron A. Johnson, Arthur Vaughan Johnson left college at 19 to join a traveling Shakespearean troupe. He later appeared on stage with

Sol Smith Russell Solomon Smith Russell (1848–1902) was a 19th-century American comedic stage actor who began performing as a boy during the American Civil War. Early life Russell was born at Brunswick, Missouri, the eldest of two sons and a daughter raised by ...

, Robert B. Mantell and

Marie Wainwright Marie Wainwright (May 8, 1853 – August 17, 1923) was an American stage and sometimes screen actress. She achieved the bulk of her fame on the Victorian stage. Her parents were Commodore J.M. Wainwright and Maria Wainwright (''nee Page''). She w ...

. Johnson began as a film actor in 1905 with the

Edison Studios Edison Studios was an American film production organization, owned by companies controlled by inventor and entrepreneur, Thomas Edison. The studio made close to 1,200 films, as part of the Edison Manufacturing Company (1894–1911) and then Thom ...

in The Bronx, New York, appearing in the one-reel drama ''The White Caps'' directed by

Wallace McCutcheon, Sr. Wallace McCutcheon Sr. (New York City, 1858 or 1862 – Brooklyn, New York, October 3, 1918) was a pioneer cinematographer and director in the early American motion picture industry, working with the American Mutoscope & Biograph, Edison and Amer ...

, and

Edwin S. Porter Edwin Stanton Porter (April 21, 1870 – April 30, 1941) was an American film pioneer, most famous as a producer, director, studio manager and cinematographer with the Edison Manufacturing Company and the Famous Players Film Company. Of over 2 ...

. In 1908, he went to work for

Biograph Studios Biograph Studios was an early film studio and laboratory complex, built in 1912 by the Biograph Company at 807 East 175th Street, in The Bronx, New York City, New York. History Early years The first studio of the Biograph Company, formerly ...

, where he acted in films directed by

D.W. Griffith David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the na ...

including ''

Resurrection Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death. In a number of religions, a dying-and-rising god is a deity which dies and is resurrected. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions, which ...

'' (1909) and '' In Old California'' (1910), the first movie Griffith ever shot in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

. At Biograph, Arthur Johnson performed with stars such as

Mary Pickford Gladys Marie Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress and producer with a career that spanned five decades. A pioneer in the US film industry, she co-founde ...

and

Florence Lawrence Florence Lawrence (born Florence Annie Bridgwood; January 2, 1886 – December 28, 1938) was a Canadian-American stage performer and film actress. She is often referred to as the "first movie star", and was thought to be the first film actor to ...

. Johnson was reputed to be Griffith's favorite actor. In 1911 he accepted an offer from Lubin Studios in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

that allowed him to

direct Direct may refer to: Mathematics * Directed set, in order theory * Direct limit of (pre), sheaves * Direct sum of modules, a construction in abstract algebra which combines several vector spaces Computing * Direct access (disambiguation), a ...

as well as act. With

Lottie Briscoe Lottie Briscoe (April 19, 1883 – March 21, 1950) was an American stage and silent screen actress. She began in theatre at the age of four and as an adult was among the first to find success after making the transition from the legitimate stage ...

, his frequent co-star at Lubin, Johnson directed and starred in ''The Belovéd Adventurer'' (1914), a 15 episode serial by Emmett Campbell Hall. After performing in more than three hundred silent film shorts and directing twenty-six, health problems ended his career in 1915.

Personal life

According to an interview published nine months before his death, Arthur V. Johnson married actress Maude Webb when he was 20 years old; the couple had a daughter who lived with Johnson's parents. Other sources indicate that around 1910 he married Florence Hackett, with whom he appeared in the 1913 film ''Power of the Cross''. He died of

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...

in 1916, a few weeks short of his fortieth birthday. Johnson's funeral services were held in Philadelphia and his remains later interred at Fairview Cemetery, Chicopee, Massachusetts. Nearby stands Grace Episcopal Church, where his father once served as rector.

Selected filmography

* ''

The Adventures of Dollie ''The Adventures of Dollie'' is a 1908 American silent film directed by D. W. Griffith. It was Griffith's debut film as a director. A print of the film survives in the Library of Congress film archive. The film tells the story of a young gir ...

'' (

1908 Events January * January 1 – The British ''Nimrod'' Expedition led by Ernest Shackleton sets sail from New Zealand on the ''Nimrod'' for Antarctica. * January 3 – A total solar eclipse is visible in the Pacific Ocean, and is the 46 ...

) * ''

The Fight for Freedom ''The Fight for Freedom'' is a 1908 American black-and-white short silent Western film which may have been directed by D. W. Griffith. Filmed in Shadyside, New Jersey in June 1908, the film was released on July 17, 1908. Plot The film opens ...

'' (1908) * ''

The Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken ...

'' (1908) * '' Romance of a Jewess'' (1908) * ''

The Bandit's Waterloo ''The Bandit's Waterloo'' is a 1908 silent American drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Charles Inslee as Bandit leader * Linda Arvidson as Accomplice / Woman at Inn * Marion Leonard as Kidnapped woman * Harry Solter as Police Sergeant ...

'' (1908) * ''

The Greaser's Gauntlet ''The Greaser's Gauntlet'' is a 1908 American silent short adventure film directed by D. W. Griffith. It was released by the Biograph Company and copyrighted on August 6, 1908. The film introduced the first extended use of parallel editing in ...

'' (1908) * '' For a Wife's Honor'' (1908) * '' The Girl and the Outlaw'' (1908) * '' The Red Girl'' (1908) * ''

Where the Breakers Roar ''Where the Breakers Roar'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. A print of the film exists in the film archive of the Library of Congress. Cast * Arthur V. Johnson as Tom Hudson * Linda Arvidson as Alice Fa ...

'' (1908) * ''

A Smoked Husband ''A Smoked Husband'' is a 1908 American silent short comedy film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * John R. Cumpson as Mr. Bibbs * Florence Lawrence as Mrs. Bibbs * Linda Arvidson as Maid * George Gebhardt as Man in Top Hat * Robert Harron ...

'' (1908) * ''

The Devil Satan,, ; grc, ὁ σατανᾶς or , ; ar, شيطانالخَنَّاس , also known as the Devil, and sometimes also called Lucifer in Christianity, is an entity in the Abrahamic religions that seduces humans into sin or falsehood. ...

'' (1908) * '' The Zulu's Heart'' (1908) * ''

Ingomar, the Barbarian ''Ingomar, the Barbarian'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. It has been placed in the same genre as the theatrical toga play.Richards, Jeffrey"Review: ''Playing out the Empire: Ben-Hur and other Toga Play ...

'' (1908) * ''

The Vaquero's Vow ''The Vaquero's Vow'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Charles Inslee as Renaldo * Harry Solter as Gonzales * Linda Arvidson * Gladys Egan as Little Girl * Frank Evans * George Gebhardt as Wedding ...

'' (1908) * '' The Planter's Wife'' (1908) * ''

Concealing a Burglar ''Concealing a Burglar'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Arthur V. Johnson as Mr. Brown * Florence Lawrence as Mrs. Brown * Harry Solter as Mr. Wells * Linda Arvidson * George Gebhardt as Dinner ...

'' (1908) * ''

The Pirate's Gold ''The Pirate's Gold'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * George Gebhardt as Young Wilkinson * Linda Arvidson as Mrs. Wilkinson * Charles Inslee as A Creditor (unconfirmed) * Arthur V. Johnson * Flor ...

'' (1908) * ''

The Guerrilla ''The Guerrilla'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Arthur V. Johnson as Jack Stanford * Dorothy West as Dorothy * George Gebhardt as Confederate Soldier * Charles Inslee as Servant * Owen Moore * ...

'' (1908) * ''

The Song of the Shirt "The Song of the Shirt" is a poem written by Thomas Hood in 1843. It was written in honour of a Mrs. Biddell, a widow and seamstress living in wretched conditions. In what was, at that time, common practice, Mrs. Biddell sewed trousers and shi ...

'' (1908) * ''

The Ingrate ''The Ingrate'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Arthur V. Johnson as The Trapper * Florence Lawrence Florence Lawrence (born Florence Annie Bridgwood; January 2, 1886 – December 28, 1938) w ...

'' (1908) * '' A Woman's Way'' (1908) * '' The Clubman and the Tramp'' (1908) * '' The Call of the Wild'' (1908) * '' The Valet's Wife'' (1908) * ''

The Feud and the Turkey ''The Feud and the Turkey'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Harry Solter as Mr. Caufield * Linda Arvidson as Mrs. Caufield * Arthur V. Johnson as Colonel Wilkinson * Robert Harron as George Wilki ...

'' (1908) * '' The Reckoning'' (1908) * ''

The Test of Friendship ''The Test of Friendship'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Arthur V. Johnson as Edward Ross * Florence Lawrence as Jennie Colman * Harry Solter as The Butler / Foreman * George Gebhardt as The V ...

'' (1908) * ''

The Christmas Burglars ''The Christmas Burglars'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Florence Lawrence as Mrs. Martin * Adele DeGarde as Margie, Mrs. Martin's Daughter * Charles Inslee as Mike McLaren * John R. Cumpson * ...

'' (1908) * '' Mr. Jones at the Ball'' (1908) * '' The Helping Hand'' (1908) * '' One Touch of Nature'' (

1909 Events January–February * January 4 – Explorer Aeneas Mackintosh of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition escaped death by fleeing across ice floes. * January 7 – Colombia recognizes the independence of Panama. * Januar ...

) * '' The Honor of Thieves'' (1909) * '' Love Finds a Way'' (1909) * '' The Sacrifice'' (1909) * ''

The Criminal Hypnotist ''The Criminal Hypnotist'' is a 1909 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Owen Moore as The Man * Marion Leonard as The Man's Fiancee * Arthur V. Johnson as The Criminal Hypnotist * David Miles as The Robbery V ...

'' (1909) * ''

The Fascinating Mrs. Francis ''The Fascinating Mrs. Francis'' is a 1909 American silent short comedy film directed by D. W. Griffith. The Internet Movie Database lists Mary Pickford as appearing in this short. However, Pickford did not begin with Biograph until the end of ...

'' (1909) * '' Mr. Jones Has a Card Party'' (1909) * ''

The Welcome Burglar ''The Welcome Burglar'' is a 1909 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Marion Leonard as Alice Pierce * Harry Solter as Ben Harris * Charles Inslee as Employer / Husband * Linda Arvidson as The Maid * Edwin Au ...

'' (1909) * '' The Road to the Heart'' (1909) * ''

A Sound Sleeper ''A Sound Sleeper'' is a 1909 American comedy film directed by D. W. Griffith and produced by the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company. The short was filmed in one day in the Coytesville borough of Fort Lee, New Jersey, which at the time was a ...

'' (1909) * ''

The Cord of Life ''The Cord of Life'' is a 1909 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. A print of the film exists in the film archive of the Library of Congress. Cast * Charles Inslee as Galora * Marion Leonard as Galora's Wife * George G ...

'' (1909) * ''

The Girls and Daddy ''The Girls and Daddy'' is a 1909 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith with Griffith appearing in a small blackface role. A print of the film exists in the film archive of the Library of Congress. Cast * David Miles as ...

'' (1909) * '' The Brahma Diamond'' (1909) * ''

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wide ...

'' (1909) * ''

A Wreath in Time ''A Wreath in Time'' is a 1909 American silent comedy film written and directed by D. W. Griffith, produced by the Biograph Company of New York City, and co-starring Mack Sennett and Florence Lawrence.Niver, Kemp R. ''Early Motion Pictures: T ...

'' (1909) * '' A Rude Hostess'' (1909) * ''

Tragic Love ''Tragic Love'' is a 1909 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Arthur V. Johnson as Bob Spaulding * David Miles as Mr. Rankin * Linda Arvidson as Mrs. Rankin * Charles Avery as In Factory * Clara T. Bracy * ...

'' (1909) * '' The Golden Louis'' (1909) * ''

A Drunkard's Reformation ''A Drunkard's Reformation'' is a 1909 American drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Prints of the film survive in the film archive of the Library of Congress. The American Mutoscope and Biograph Company advertised the feature as "The most p ...

'' (1909) * ''

The Sealed Room ''The Sealed Room'' (also known as ''The Sealed Door'')Langman, 1998, p. 34 is an eleven-minute film released in September 1909. Produced by the Biograph Company and directed by D. W. Griffith, the drama's cast includes Arthur V. Johnson, Marion ...

'' (1909) * '' The Hessian Renegades'' (1909) * '' The Death Disc: A Story of the Cromwellian Period'' (1909) * '' To Save Her Soul'' (1909) * '' The Day After'' (1909) * ''

The Little Darling ''The Little Darling'' is a 1909 comedy short produced by the Biograph Company of New York and directed by D. W. Griffith. It was released to theaters on a split-reel with Griffith's eleven-minute drama ''The Sealed Room''. The production was filme ...

'' (1909) * ''

The Prussian Spy ''The Prussian Spy'' is a 1909 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Marion Leonard as Lady Florence * Harry Solter as Count Lopes * Owen Moore as The Spy * Arthur V. Johnson as Soldier * Florence Lawrence as ...

'' (1909) * '' His Wife's Mother'' (1909) * ''

The Wooden Leg ''The Wooden Leg'' is a 1909 American silent short comedy film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * David Miles as Harry * Florence Lawrence as Claire * John R. Cumpson as Father * Arthur V. Johnson as Boyfriend * Mack Sennett Mack Senn ...

'' (1909) * ''

The Roue's Heart ''The Roue's Heart'' is a 1909 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Harry Solter as Monsieur Flamant * Linda Arvidson as Noblewoman / Sculptress's Friend * John R. Cumpson as Nobleman * Adele DeGarde as Sculp ...

'' (1909) * '' I Did It'' (1909) * '' The Deception'' (1909) * ''

And a Little Child Shall Lead Them ''And a Little Child Shall Lead Them'' is a 1909 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. A print of the film exists in the film archive of the Library of Congress. Cast * Marion Leonard as The Mother * Arthur V. Johnson ...

'' (1909) * '' A Burglar's Mistake'' (1909) * '' Two Memories'' (1909) * ''

Comata, the Sioux ''Comata, the Sioux'' is a 1909 silent short Western film directed by D. W. Griffith. It was produced and released by the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company.''Pictorial History of the Silent Screen'', p.14 c.1953 by Daniel Blum Cast * ...

'' (1909) * ''

Pippa Passes ''Pippa Passes'' is a verse drama by Robert Browning. It was published in 1841 as the first volume of his ''Bells and Pomegranates'' series, in a low-priced two-column edition for sixpence, and republished in his collected ''Poems'' of 1849, w ...

'' (1909) * '' Nursing a Viper'' (1909) * '' All on Account of the Milk'' (1910) * '' In Old California'' (1910) * '' The Two Brothers'' (1910) * '' A Romance of the Western Hills'' (

1910 Events January * January 13 – The first public radio broadcast takes place; live performances of the operas '' Cavalleria rusticana'' and ''Pagliacci'' are sent out over the airwaves, from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York C ...

) * ''

The Lily of the Tenements ''The Lily of the Tenements'' is a 1911 American short silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith, starring Clara T. Bracy and featuring Blanche Sweet. Cast * Dorothy West as The Tenement Girl * Clara T. Bracy as The Tenement Girl's Mot ...

'' (

1911 A notable ongoing event was the Comparison of the Amundsen and Scott Expeditions, race for the South Pole. Events January * January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory ...

) * ''Divided Interests'' (1911) * ''The Physician's Honor'' (1912) * ''The Antique Ring'' (1912) * '' Gingerbread Cupid'' (1912) * ''A Matter of Business'' (1912) * ''The Preacher and the Gossips'' (1912) * ''The Spoiled Child'' (1912) * ''A Child's Devotion'' (1912)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Arthur V. American male film actors American male silent film actors American film directors Male actors from Cincinnati 1876 births 1916 deaths 20th-century deaths from tuberculosis Tuberculosis deaths in Pennsylvania 20th-century American male actors