J.J. Johnston (born James William Johnston, October 24, 1933 – November 4, 2022) was an American theatre and film actor, boxing historian and writer.
Johnston served eighteen months in prison for drug-related offenses before turning to acting.[1]
Johnston died on November 4, 2022, at the age of 89.[2]
Books
Johnston, a former amateur boxer, was the author of several books on the history of boxing.
- Babyface and Pop, with Nick Beck (2011)
- Chicago Boxing (Images of Sports), with Sean Curtin and David Mamet (2005) ISBN 978-0-7385-3210-3
- Chicago Amateur Boxing (Images of Sports), with Sean Curtin (2006) ISBN 978-0-7385-4138-9
Stage work
Johnston performed in the original 1975 production of David Mamet's American Buffalo in Chicago and subsequently performed in the 1983 Broadway production opposite Al Pacino.[3]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Beware! The Blob | Deputy Kelly Davis |
| 1978 | Towing | Butch |
| 1981 | Whose Life Is It Anyway? | Guard |
| 1987 | Penitentiary III | Announcer #1 |
| 1987 | Fatal Attraction | O'Rourke |
| 1987 | The Principal | Will |
| 1987 | Weeds | Lazarus |
| 1988 | Stars and Bars | The Doorman |
| 1988 | Things Change | Frankie |
| 1988 | 976-EVIL | Virgil |
| 1989 | An Innocent Man | Joseph Donatelli |
| 1991 | Queens Logic | Joey "Clams" |
| 1991 | Homicide | Jilly Curran |
| 1991 | JFK | Joe, Mobster with Broussard |
| 1993 | Mad Dog and Glory | Shanlon |
| 1994 | Body Shot | Magruder |
| 1994 | Desert Steel | Buck Edwards |
| 1994 | Stranger by Night | Bobby's Father |
| 1994 | The Fence | Railroad Worker #1 |
| 1995 | Above Suspicion | Hank |
| 1997 | The Spanish Prisoner | The Doorman |
| 1998 | Simon Says | Mr. Sands |
| 1999 | K-911 | Tommy "Fat Tommy" |
| 2000 | Fallen Arches | Stuart |
| 2000 | Lakeboat | Stan |
| 2000 | State and Main | The Stationmaster |
| 2000 | The Prime Gig | Lloyd |
| 2001 | Dead Man's Run | Detective #1 |
| 2002 | Hitters | Nano |
| 2004 | Spartan | Night Club Manager |
| 2004 | A Lousy Ten Grand | Roy |
| 2005 | Break a Leg | Detective Coyle |
| 2008 | Redbelt | The Ring Announcer |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | The Equalizer | Frank | Episode: "Shades of Darkness" |
| 1996 | Wings | Mr. DeCarlo | Episode: "Driving Mr. DeCarlo" |
| 1996 | Married... with Children | Drill Instructor | Episode: "T*R*A*S*H" |
| 2001 | The King of Queens | Chic | Episode: "Papa Pill" |
Awards
- 1983-84 New York Theatre World Award for Outstanding New Talent in "American Buffalo"
- 1986 Bay Area Critics Award for Outstanding Supporting Performance by an Actor in the play Glengarry Glen Ross.
References
- ^ Pasts Imperfect New York Daily News (October 14, 1987)
- ^ "Special Issue 2023". SAG-AFTRA Magazine. p. 87. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ Dettmer, Roger. "'Buffalo' only fragments of the intended". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, IL. Retrieved April 1, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
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