Kyle Johnson (born August 14, 1951) is an American actor, most notable for his performance in the 1969 film ''

The Learning Tree ''The Learning Tree'' is a 1969 American coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Gordon Parks. It depicts the life of Newt Winger, a teenager growing up in Cherokee Flats, Kansas, in the 1920s, and chronicles his journey into manhood m ...

''. He is the son of actress

Nichelle Nichols Nichelle Nichols (, born Grace Dell Nichols; December 28, 1932 – July 30, 2022) was an American actress, singer, and dancer best known for her portrayal of Nyota Uhura in ''Star Trek'' and its film sequels. Nichols' portrayal of Uhura was gr ...

and her husband Foster Johnson. His parents divorced the year he was born. Johnson began his acting career when he accompanied his mother, as a form of punishment, to an audition for a stage play. The director saw Johnson and cast him on the spot for the production. Johnson's TV appearances include such shows as '' The Fugitive'' and ''

The Mod Squad ''The Mod Squad'' is an American crime drama series, originally broadcast for five seasons on ABC from September 24, 1968, to March 1, 1973. It starred Michael Cole as Peter "Pete" Cochran, Peggy Lipton as Julie Barnes, Clarence Williams III as ...

''. His early film roles include the 1965 epic film ''

The Greatest Story Ever Told ''The Greatest Story Ever Told'' is a 1965 American epic film produced and directed by George Stevens. It is a retelling of the Biblical account about Jesus of Nazareth, from the Nativity through to the Ascension. Along with the ensemble cast, ...

'', in which he was cast as the son of

Simon of Cyrene Simon of Cyrene (, Standard Hebrew ''Šimʿon'', Tiberian Hebrew ''Šimʿôn''; , ''Simōn Kyrēnaios''; ) was the man compelled by the Romans to carry the cross of Jesus of Nazareth as Jesus was taken to his crucifixion, according to all three ...

(who was portrayed by

Sidney Poitier Sidney Poitier ( ; February 20, 1927 – January 6, 2022) was an American actor, film director, and diplomat. In 1964, he was the first black actor and first Bahamian to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. He received two competitive ...

). Later films included

Roger Vadim Roger Vadim Plemiannikov (; 26 January 1928 – 11 February 2000) was a French screenwriter, film director and producer, as well as an author, artist and occasional actor. His best-known works are visually lavish films with erotic qualities, su ...

's ''

Pretty Maids All in a Row ''Pretty Maids All in a Row'' is a 1971 American sexploitation film that is part black comedy, part sex comedy, and part murder mystery. Starring Rock Hudson, Angie Dickinson, and Telly Savalas, it was released on April 28, 1971. Roger Vadim dire ...

'' (1971) and ''Brother on the Run'' (1973). Johnson was active in the Los Angeles music scene of the 1980s as a musician and songwriter. His song, "Ready To Receive" was recorded by independent folk and pop artist

Claudia Russell Claudia Russell (born 1954) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. Before becoming a solo artist, Russell performed with a number of Los Angeles bands, including The Life Is Grand Band, who recorded for Smithsonian Folkways, and Maggie ...

. In the early 2000s, Johnson had a radio show in KNFT in

Silver City, New Mexico Silver City is a town in Grant County, New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat and the home of Western New Mexico University. As of the 2010 census the population was 10,315. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,704. History ...

, which was the only left of center show on the station which also featured shows by

Rush Limbaugh Rush Hudson Limbaugh III ( ; January 12, 1951 – February 17, 2021) was an American conservative political commentator who was the host of '' The Rush Limbaugh Show'', which first aired in 1984 and was nationally syndicated on AM and FM r ...

and other conservatives. The show was pulled from the air after just two months, reportedly due to pressure from local ranchers who objected to its content.

References

External links

* 1951 births Living people African-American male actors American male film actors American male television actors Place of birth missing (living people) 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American people {{US-screen-actor-1950s-stub