Brad Johnson (actor, Born 1959)

Brad William Johnson (October 24, 1959 – February 18, 2022) was an American actor and former Marlboro Man, best known for his roles in films and television series during the late 1980s and 1990s. He gained prominence for his performances in Westerns and action-adventure films.

Biography

Early life

Johnson was born in Tucson, Arizona, the son of Grove and Virginia Johnson. The family moved to Grants Pass, Oregon, and later, Dallas, Texas, where Johnson graduated high school in 1977. After competing in rodeos as a youth, he began his professional rodeo career in 1984 and was discovered by a movie scout looking for cowboys to star in a beer commercial. This led to his stint as the Marlboro Man and modeling gigs for Calvin Klein before he started acting. His first role was in a 1986 episode of the CBS soap opera ''Dallas''.

Acting career

Film roles

Within five months of his arrival in Hollywood, Roger Corman cast him to star in the low-budget biker film ''Nam Angels'', his first film role. His theatrical film debut came in 1989 when he starred in ''Always'', a romantic drama directed by Steven Spielberg. In the film, Johnson portrayed Ted Baker, a pilot and love interest to Holly Hunter's character, alongside Richard Dreyfuss and John Goodman. His performance in ''Always'' earned him widespread recognition with critics comparing him to John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and James Stewart.

In 1991, Johnson starred in ''Flight of the Intruder'', a Vietnam War action film directed by John Milius where he played Lt. Jake "Cool Hand" Grafton, a naval aviator. His co-stars included Willem Dafoe and Danny Glover.

Other films included ''Philadelphia Experiment II'', '' The Birds II: Land's End'', '' Copperhead'' and ''Supergator''.

One of his most notable roles came in the early 2000s when he starred in the ''Left Behind'' film series, based on the bestselling Christian apocalyptic novels of the same name. Johnson played Rayford Steele, a pilot caught amid a global crisis following the biblical Rapture. He appeared in three films of the ''Left Behind'' franchise, released between 2000 and 2005.

Television roles

In addition to his film work, Johnson appeared in several television series and made-for-TV movies. In 1996, he had a recurring role as Dr. Dominick O'Malley in the hit primetime soap opera ''Melrose Place''. In 1997, Johnson portrayed Henry Nash in ''Rough Riders'', a TV miniseries directed by John Milius about Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders cavalry unit during the Spanish-American War.

Johnson played the lead character Major Matthew Sheppard in the syndicated action drama series '' Soldier of Fortune, Inc.'' for two seasons and thirty-seven episodes from 1997 to 1999. His co-stars included Melinda Clarke and Dennis Rodman.

Throughout his television career, Johnson often appeared in Westerns and military-themed projects, which aligned with his rugged, all-American image cultivated from his Marlboro Man modeling days.

Personal life

Johnson was married to his wife Laurie, a former model, for 35 years. They had eight children Shane, Bellamy, Rachel, Eliana, Eden, Rebekah, Annabeth, and William.

His work as an actor and as a Marlboro Man — one of a succession used by the brand — brought Johnson and his wife to California. They eventually moved their family to a ranch in New Mexico and the Colorado mountains before settling in North Texas. Johnson restored old Winchester Model 1886 rifles before turning to selling ranch real estate in North Texas.

Johnson retired from acting and became a real estate agent. In 2014, he established Johnson Land and Home, LLC, a family-owned business with over 25 years of experience in investment, acquisition, marketing, and development of luxury and destination properties, as well as ranch, hunting, and recreational land.

Death

Johnson died from complications of COVID-19 in Fort Worth, on February 18, 2022, at age 62. His death was publicly announced four months later by his former agent Linda McAlister.

Partial filmography

* 1986 ''Dallas'' as Unknown
* 1989 ''Nam Angels'' as Calhoun
* 1989 ''Always'' as Ted Baker
* 1991 ''Flight of the Intruder'' as Lieutenant Jake "Cool Hand" Grafton
* 1992 ''An American Story'' as Major George Meade
* 1992 ''Sketch Artist'' as Peter
* 1993 ''Philadelphia Experiment II'' as David Herdeg
* 1994 '' The Birds II: Land's End'' as Ted Hocken
* 1994 '' Cries Unheard: The Donna Yaklich Story'' as Dennis Yaklich
* 1995 ''Dominion'' as Harris
* 1997 '' Soldier of Fortune, Inc.'' as Major Matthew Quentin Shepherd
* 1997 ''Rough Riders'' as Henry Nash
* 1999 ''Silk Hope'' as Rubin
* 2000 '' Across the Line'' as Sheriff Grant Johnson
* 2000 ''Left Behind'' as Captain Rayford Steele
* 2001 ''Crossfire Trail'' as Beau Dorn
* 2001 '' CSI'' as Paul Newsome, District Engineer (3 episodes)
* 2002 '' Left Behind II: Tribulation Force'' as Captain Rayford Steele
* 2003 ''Riverworld'' as Jeff Hale
* 2004 '' The Robinsons: Lost in Space'' as John Robinson (Unsold pilot)
* 2005 '' Wild Things: Diamonds in the Rough'' as Jay Clifton
* 2005 ''Alien Siege'' as Dr. Stephen Chase
* 2005 '' Left Behind: World at War'' as Captain Rayford Steele
* 2007 '' Safe Harbour'' as Matt Bowles
* 2007 ''Supergator'' as Professor Scott Kinney
* 2008 '' Copperhead'' as Bill "Wild Bill" Longley
* 2008 ''Comanche Moon'' (2008, TV Mini-Series) as Colonel Tom Soult
* 2015 ''Nail 32'' as Old Jasper "Buck" Livingston

References

External links

*

Johnson Land and Home
LLC Official Website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Brad
1959 births
2022 deaths
American male film actors
Male models from Arizona
American male television actors
Male Western (genre) film actors
Male actors from Tucson, Arizona
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas