Bess Johnson ( circa 1902 - January 3, 1975) was an American actress best known for her work on

old-time radio The Golden Age of Radio, also known as the old-time radio (OTR) era, was an era of radio in the United States where it was the dominant electronic home entertainment medium. It began with the birth of commercial radio broadcasting in the early ...

. During her time on the air, "she was the highest paid daytime radio artist."

Early years

Johnson was born in

Keyser, West Virginia Keyser () is a city in and the county seat of Mineral County, West Virginia. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,853 at the 2020 census. History Keyser, the county seat of Mineral County, is ...

, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herman J. Johnson. She grew up in

Elkins, West Virginia Elkins is a city in and the county seat of Randolph County, West Virginia, United States. The community was incorporated in 1890 and named in honor of Stephen Benton Elkins, a U.S. Senator from West Virginia. The population was 6,950 at the 2020 ...

, with theatrical family roots: her father owned two theaters in addition to publishing a newspaper and being a state senator, while her mother was actress Ann Barnes. Johnson graduated from

Davis & Elkins College Davis & Elkins College (D&E) is a private college in Elkins, West Virginia. History The school was founded in 1904 and is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. It was named for Henry G. Davis and his son-in-law Stephen B. Elkins, who were b ...

. Her plans for a career as a singer ended when she lost her voice and learned after a tonsillectomy that she would not be able to sing again. Turning to drama as an alternative, she studied at

Carnegie Tech Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. One of its predecessors was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools; it became the Carnegie Institute of Technology ...

in Pittsburgh and the

American Academy of Dramatic Arts The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) is a private performing arts conservatory with two locations, one in Manhattan and one in Los Angeles. The academy offers an associate degree in occupational studies and teaches drama and related art ...

(AADA) in New York. Johnson's income from jobs as an artists' model and a restaurant worker paid her way as a student at the AADA.

Career

Beginning in 1923, Johnson worked in stock theater with the Goodman Players in Chicago for five years. After appearing on KDKA in Pittsburgh as an amateur, she first appeared professionally on radio in Chicago when she filled in for another actress at the last minute on WMAQ. Johnson was "radio's voice of Lady Esther" for six years. Beginning in 1932, Johnson worked for the Stack-Goble agency in Chicago as assistant director for radio before being promoted to head the department. Her roles in radio programs included those shown in the table below. For six months Johnson hosted ''The Bess Johnson Club'', a

DuMont Television Network The DuMont Television Network (also known as the DuMont Network, DuMont Television, simply DuMont/Du Mont, or (incorrectly) Dumont ) was one of America's pioneer commercial television networks, rivaling NBC and CBS for the distinction of being ...

program that focused on fashion. She spent her summers performing in repertory theater in

Ogunquit, Maine Ogunquit ( ) is a resort town in York County, Maine. As of the 2020 census, its population was 1,577. Ogunquit is part of the Portland– South Portland–Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Ogunquit, which means "beau ...

, and during winters she participated in a theatrical group that presented plays for hospitalized veterans.

Personal life

Johnson was married to Dr. Solomon P. Perry, who had been her childhood sweetheart. They had a daughter, Jane, and divorced on November 21, 1936. On June 10, 1941, Johnson married Olympic swimmer

Peter Fick Peter Joseph Fick (December 12, 1913 – August 10, 1980) was an American competition swimmer and former world record-holder in two events. Fick represented the United States at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. He was the world rec ...

Warrenton, Virginia Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, of which it is the seat of government. The population was 9,611 at the 2010 census, up from 6,670 at the 2000 census. The estimated population in 2019 was 10,027. It is at the junction of U.S. R ...

Death

On January 3, 1975, Johnson died at age 73.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Bess 1975 deaths American radio actresses American television actresses Actresses from West Virginia 20th-century American actresses Year of birth uncertain American stage actresses Davis & Elkins College alumni American Academy of Dramatic Arts alumni American soap opera actresses People from Elkins, West Virginia People from Keyser, West Virginia