Not to be confused with Thor Johnson.
Tor Johnson
Birth nameKarl Erik Tore Johansson
Birth date19 October 1903
Birth placeBrännkyrka, Stockholms län, Sweden
Death date12 May 1971 (aged 67)
Death placeSan Fernando, California, U.S.
Resting placePlot 177, Eternal Valley Memorial Park, Newhall, Santa Clarita, California
Other names
  • Super Swedish Angel
  • Thor Johnson
  • King Kong
OccupationProfessional wrestler, actor
Years active1934–1961
SpouseGreta Maria Alfrida Johansson

Karl Erik Tore Johansson (19 October 1903 – 12 May 1971), better known by the stage name Tor Johnson, was a Swedish professional wrestler and actor. As an actor, Johnson appeared in many B-movies, including some famously directed by Ed Wood. In professional wrestling, Johnson was billed as Thor Johnson and Super Swedish Angel.

Early life

Johnson was born on 19 October 1903 in Brännkyrka, Stockholms län, Sweden as Karl Erik Tore Johansson to Karl Johan Johansson and Lovisa Kristina Pettersson.[1] His death certificate and grave list 1903 as the year of his birth, contradicting published genealogy records.[2] Johnson's wrestler's license renewal application to the State Athletic Commission of California, signed by Johnson in 1936, lists his date of birth as 19 October 1906.[3]

Career

Johnson stood 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[4] and weighed 440 pounds (200 kg) at his heaviest. He had a full head of blond hair, but shaved it to maintain an imposing and villainous appearance in his wrestling and acting work. He began getting bit parts in films upon moving to California, usually as the strongman or weightlifter, as early as 1934. In the same year, Johnson was one of over 50 wrestlers who took part in a two-month Los Angeles tournament for California's version of the world title. His film career ended in the early 1960s, after he appeared in a string of low-budget, poorly-rated films. However, he continued to make appearances on television and made a number of commercials.[5]

Tor Johnson used the ring name Super Swedish Angel to distinguish himself from Nils Phillip Olofsson who used the ring name Swedish Angel. The name was derived from wrestler Maurice Tillet, known as The French Angel.

During his career as an actor, Johnson befriended director Ed Wood, who directed him in a number of films, including Bride of the Monster and Plan 9 from Outer Space; writing for Turner Classic Movies, film critic Donald Liebenson described Johnson's performance in Plan 9 as "gonzo."[6] Johnson was very friendly to work with; actress Valda Hansen, who worked with Johnson in 1959's Night of the Ghouls, described him as "like a big sugar bun."[7] During this period, Johnson appeared as a guest contestant on the quiz show You Bet Your Life, during which he showed the show's host, Groucho Marx, his "scariest face." Marx ran off the stage in mock terror, then returned and pleaded: "Don't make that face again!"

Death and legacy

Johnson died of heart failure in San Fernando, California, at the age of 67 and[8] is buried at Eternal Valley Memorial Park, in Santa Clarita, California.[9]

Johnson was portrayed by wrestler George "The Animal" Steele in Tim Burton's film Ed Wood (1994).[10]

Johnson was featured extensively in the early work of cartoonist Drew Friedman, where Johnson was depicted as "Tor", a slow-witted, white-eyed lummox based on Johnson's persona in Ed Wood's films.[11] The first of the one-page comics, "Tor Johnson at Home", was published in a 1981 issue of Robert Crumb's Weirdo,[12] and the original artwork was purchased by television writer and producer Eddie Gorodetsky.[13]

A latex mask based on Johnson's face, sculpted by Pat Newman for Don Post Studios, is described as "the best-selling Halloween horror mask of the late 1960s-early 1970s".[14]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1934Registered NurseSonnevichUncredited[15]
Kid MillionsTorturerUncredited[16]
1935Some ClassTough GuyShort, Uncredited[17][18]
Man on the Flying TrapezeTosoffUncredited[16]
1936Under Two FlagsBidouUncredited
1941Shadow of the Thin ManJack the Ripper (wrestler)Uncredited[19]
1942Gentleman JimThe MaulerUncredited
1943The Meanest Man in the WorldVladimir PulaskyUncredited[20]
Swing Out the BluesWeightlifter
1944Ghost CatchersMugUncredited[21]
The Canterville GhostBold Sir GuyUncredited[22]
Lost in a HaremMajordomoUncredited
1945SudanSlaverUncredited[19]
1947Road to RioSandorUncredited[23]
1948State of the UnionWrestlerUncredited
Behind Locked DoorsThe ChampUncredited"[24]
1949Alias the ChampSuper Swedish Angel
1950The Reformer and the RedheadBig Finnish manUncredited[25]
Abbott and Costello in the Foreign LegionAbou Ben
1951The Lemon Drop KidSuper Swedish Angel
Dear BratUncredited
Angels in the OutfieldWrestler On TVUncredited
1952The San Francisco StoryBuckUncredited[26]
Lady in the Iron MaskRenacUncredited[27]
1953HoudiniStrong ManUncredited[28]
1955Bride of the MonsterLobo
You're Never Too YoungTrain passengerUncredited[29]
1956CarouselStrongmanUncredited[30]
The Black SleepMr. Curry
1957Journey to FreedomGiant Turk
The UnearthlyLoboJohnson's character famously delivers the line, "Time for go to bed."[31][32]
Plan 9 from Outer SpaceInspector Daniel Clay
1959Night of the GhoulsLobo
1961The Beast of Yucca FlatsJoseph Javorsky / The Beast

Television

YearSeriesRoleEpisode
1953–1954You Are There"The Surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown"[33]
"The Surrender of Corregidor"[34]
1954General Electric TheaterBald Man"To Lift a Feather"[35]
1954Rocky Jones, Space RangerNaboro"Inferno in Space"[36]
1956The Adventures of Hiram HollidayBandini the Strongman"Dancing Mouse"
1959You Bet Your LifeTor Johnson
  1. 59-11
1960Adventures in ParadiseMiko"Once Around the Circuit"[37]
"The Lady From South Chicago"[38]
1960Peter GunnBruno"See No Evil"[24]
1960BonanzaBusthead Brannigan"San Francisco"[39]
1961Shirley Temple's StorybookThe Strongman"Pippi Longstocking"[40]

References

  1. ^ Födelse- och dopbok för Brännkyrka församling
  2. ^ Thorsell, Elisabeth. "Tor Johnson Genealogy" (in Swedish). Rötters Anbytarforum. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  3. ^ Johnson, Tor, Dept. of Consumer Affairs - State Athletic Commission Records, F2220, California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.
  4. ^ "Tor Johnson". IMDb
  5. ^ Raw, Lawrence (2012). [Google Books Character Actors in Horror and Science Fiction Films, 1930-1960]. McFarland & Company. pp. 117–119. ISBN 978-0786444748.
  6. ^ Liebenson, Donald. "Plan 9 from Outer Space Lands in TCM Classic Film Festival!". Turner Classic Movies. Turner Classic Movies Inc. Archived from the original on October 19, 2011. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  7. ^ MacDonald, Heidi (23 November 2011). "Gift Guide: Drew Friedman's new Tor Johnson print". ComicsBeat
  8. ^ Lentz, Harris M., III (2003). [Google Books Biographical Dictionary of Professional Wrestling]. 2nd ed. McFarland & Company. p. 176. ISBN 978-0786417544.
  9. ^ Stephens, E.J. (5 April 2009). "Cinema history 'lives on' at Eternal Valley". The Signal. Vol. 93, no. 95. Santa Clarita, California: Ian Lamont. pp. 1, 4. – via Newspapers.com
  10. ^ Sonnenberg, Maria (27 July 2014). "The Animal pins problems to the mat". Florida Today. Vol. 49, no. 133. Stover, Bob (ed.). Cocoa, Florida: Jeff Kiel. p. 5E. – via Newspapers.com
  11. ^ Friedman, Drew & Friedman, Josh Alan (30 April 2012). Any Similarity to Persons Living or Dead is Purely Coincidental. Fantagraphics Books. pp. 4, 21–36. ISBN 978-1-60699-521-1.
  12. ^ Friedman, Drew. "Tor Johnson at Home," Weirdo #4 (Last Gasp, Feb. 1982).
  13. ^ Friedman, Drew (1 January 2007). The Fun Never Stops!: An Anthology of Comic Art 1991–2006. Fantagraphics Books. p. 17. ISBN 978-1-56097-840-4.
  14. ^ "SCVHistory.com LW3638 | Film-Arts | Tor Johnson Latex Halloween Monster Mask, Don Post Studios 1977."
  15. ^ III, Harris M. Lentz (1 January 2003). Biographical Dictionary of Professional Wrestling, 2d ed.. McFarland. p. 176. ISBN 978-0-7864-1754-4.
  16. ^ Fetrow, Alan G. (1 August 1992). Sound films, 1927-1939: a United States filmography. McFarland. pp. 331, 339. ISBN 978-0-89950-546-6.
  17. ^ Alicoate, Chas A. (8 August 1935). "Short Shots". The Film Daily. Vol. 68, no. 33. New York, N.Y.: John W. Alicoate. p. 11. – via Internet Archive
  18. ^ Kann, Maurice (ed.) (7 December 1935). "Short Subjects". Motion Picture Daily. Vol. 38, no. 134. New York, N.Y.: Martin Quigley. p. 4. – via Internet Archive
  19. ^ King Hanson, Patricia (ed.) (1999). The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures: Feature Films, 1941-1950. Vol. 3: Film Entries M-Z. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. p. 1952,2137. ISBN 9780520215214.
  20. ^ Fetrow, Alan G. (1 January 1994). Feature Films, 1940-1949: A United States Filmography. McFarland. p. 302. ISBN 978-0-89950-914-3.
  21. ^ Dettman, Bruce & Bedford, Michael (1976). The Horror Factory: The Horror Films of Universal, 1931 to 1955. Gordon Press. p. 176. ISBN 978-0-87968-443-3.
  22. ^ Institute, American Film (1999). The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures produced in the United States. Feature Films, 1941 - 1950. Vol. 1: Film Entries, A - L. University of California Press. p. 367. ISBN 978-0-520-21521-4.
  23. ^ Mielke, Randall G. (1997). Road to Box Office: The Seven Film Comedies of Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and Dorothy Lamour, 1940-1962. McFarland & Company. p. 73. ISBN 978-0-7864-0162-8.
  24. ^ Freese, Gene (15 September 2017). Classic Movie Fight Scenes: 75 Years of Bare Knuckle Brawls, 1914–1989. McFarland. p. 92. ISBN 978-1-4766-2935-3.
  25. ^ King Hanson, Patricia (ed.) (1999). The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures: Feature Films, 1941-1950. Vol. 2: Film Entries M-Z. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. p. 1952. ISBN 978-0520215214.
  26. ^ Wax, Mo (ed.) (5 May 1952). "'The San Francisco Story' OK Gun & Fist Stuff". Film Bulletin. Vol. 20, no. 9. Mo Wax. p. 8. – via Internet Archive
  27. ^ Parsons, Louella O. (ed.) (16 November 1952). "The New Films". The State Journal. Vol. 98, no. 202. Lansing, Michigan: Federated Publications. p. 37. – via Newspapers.com
  28. ^ Fetrow, Alan G. (1999). Feature Films, 1950-1959: A United States Filmography. McFarland. p. 191. ISBN 978-0-7864-0427-8.
  29. ^ Neibaur, James L. & Okuda, Ted (1995). The Jerry Lewis films: an analytical filmography of the innovative comic. McFarland & Company Incorporated Pub. p. 92. ISBN 978-0-89950-961-7.
  30. ^ Daniel, Blum (1969 [1957]). Screen World. Vol. 8. New York, N.Y.: Biblo & Tannen. p. 32. ISBN 0819602639.
  31. ^ "The Tor Top Ten". The Astounding B Monster. The Astounding B Monster. Retrieved 2019-01-02.
  32. ^ "Mystery Science Theater 3000, Season 3". Quotes.net. STANDS4 LLC. Retrieved 2019-01-02.
  33. ^ Vaile, Edward (ed.) (27 December 1953). "Today's Best TV Programs Previewed". The Des Moines Register. Vol. 105, no. 190. p. 1. – via Newspapers.com
  34. ^ Gianakos, Larry James (1 January 1980). Television Drama Series Programming: A Comprehensive Chronicle, 1947-1959. Scarecrow Press. p. 359. ISBN 978-0-8108-1330-4.
  35. ^ Lentz, Harris M. (2001). Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film and Television Credits: Television shows. McFarland. p. 1845. ISBN 978-0-7864-0952-5.
  36. ^ Lucanio, Patrick & Coville, Gary (1998). American Science Fiction Television Series of the 1950s: Episode Guides and Casts and Credits for Twenty Shows. McFarland. p. 171. ISBN 978-0-7864-0434-6.
  37. ^ Leibfried, Philip & Lane, Chei Mi (17 August 2010). Anna May Wong: A Complete Guide to Her Film, Stage, Radio and Television Work. McFarland. p. 169. ISBN 978-1-4766-0932-4.
  38. ^ Chan, Anthony B. (8 February 2007). Perpetually Cool: The Many Lives of Anna May Wong (1905-1961). Scarecrow Press. p. 294. ISBN 978-1-4616-7041-4.
  39. ^ Leiby, Bruce R. & Leiby, Linda F. (31 May 2012). A Reference Guide to Television's Bonanza: Episodes, Personnel and Broadcast History. McFarland. p. 38. ISBN 978-1-4766-0075-8.
  40. ^ Noyes, Mike (4 December 2008). "Bride of the Monster - DVD Review". Inside Pulse