Georgann Johnson Movies
Intelligent, attractive, low-profile leading lady Georgann Johnson's first major role was as Marge Weskit, wife of wise-guy high-school teacher Harvey Weskit (Tony Randall) in the popular early-TV sitcom Mr. Peepers. For her film debut, she played the lead in James Cagney's only directorial effort, A Short Cut to Hell (1958). By the 1960s, Johnson was firmly established as a dependable second lead and character actress. The sizes of her screen and TV roles have fluctuated from meaty to miniscule: for example, while she is afforded generous screen time as James Garner's small-town lady friend in Murphy's Romance (1985), her supporting role as Martin Ritt's wife in The Slugger's Wife (1988) is dispensed within a single longshot. On TV, she was featured as Dr. Waverly in The Colbys (1984), Katherine McCay in Our Family Honor (1986), and star Sharon Gless' mother in The Trials of Rosie O'Neill (1990). Georgann Johnson is the widow of writer/director Stanley Prager, and the mother of actress Sally Prager. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1967
As "Tom Anderson", Kimble (Richard Kimble) finds himself sharing a freight car with a seriously wounded man named Bantam (Edward Asner). Kimble helps Bantam make his way to a remote mountain cabin, only to find out that his companion is the head of a bank-robbery gang, and that the cabin is the gang's hideout. Further complications arise when Bantam's cronies return, threatening dire consequences if their boss refuses to turn over the loot from their last job--which Bantam claims to have lost. Worse still, the gang is holding a widow (Georgann Johnson) and a lawman (James Broderick) hostage, forcing Kimble to give up his own escape plans until he can figure out a way to rescue his fellow captives. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Now travelling under the phony handle "Jim McGuire", Kimble (David Janssen) goes to work for widowed hotel owner Lois Carter (Georgann Johnson). As the days pass, Kimble turns out to be the only person capable of befriending Lois' strangely sensitive son Kenny (Johnny Jensen). When the police inevitably arrive in search of Kimble, Kenny helps the fugitive avoid escape. But Kimble isn't out of the woods yet, thanks to a local romantic rivalry that threatens to turn deadly at any moment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
Kate Maxwell (Georgann Johnson) turns down a marriage proposal from Fred Somers (Donald Murphy), convinced that her husband, a Marine pilot who has been MIA for two years, is still alive. Shortly afterward, Kate is walking alone in the park when she is attacked by a mugger. Screaming for help, she is rescued by a stranger who turns out to be...but wait, it simply can't be HIM, can it? Series host John Newland appears at the end to wrap things up--but not to provide an easy explanation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1957
Warren Selvey (Pat Hingle), a district attorney who has his eye on the governor's mansion, has successfully prosecuted a murder case and sentenced a man to be put to death. But on the eve of the execution, a seedy-looking oldster named Ed Barnes (Russell Collins) shows up at Selvey's home, confessing that it was he who committed the murder. Convinced that he'll be ruined if word leaks out of Barnes' confession, Selvey goes to extreme lengths to ensure the old man's silence -- only to discover at episode's end that his efforts were futile from the get-go. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1957
As a favor to an old friend, producer Alex Gordon, James Cagney turned director for the first and only time in his career with Short Cut to Hell. The film is a remake of the 1942 Veronica Lake-Alan Ladd starrer This Gun For Hire. Robert Ivers plays Kyle, a hired killer who is double-crossed by his employer Bahrwell (Jacques Aubuchon). Seeking revenge, Kyle is reluctantly teamed with Glory Hamilton (Georgann Johnson), who has been targeted for elimination by Bahrwell and his henchman Nichols (Murvyn Vye). Unfortunately, Glory is the girlfriend of detective Stan (William Bishop), forcing Kyle to go on the lam before he can settle accounts with the film's principal villain. Kyle is finally able to get even with Bahrwell, and in the process reveals his long-dormant "good" side. Though the film itself is nothing special, Cagney's direction is sharp and efficient; it's too bad that Short Cut to Hell was his only effort behind the cameras. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Ivers, Georgann Johnson, (more)
- 1957
Traveling salesman Charles Hendricks (John Baragrey) has a wife named Marcia (Louise Platt) and a mistress named Beryl (Georgann Johnson). When Marcia finds out about Beryl, she tries to kill her rival by using poisoned sugar. But when it appears as though Charles has ingested the sugar himself, a desperate Marcia decides to tell Beryl everything -- little realizing that someone else is listening in on her conversation (or, at least, part of her conversation). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Corey Allen, who'd played James Dean's ill-fated "chickie run" opponent in the 1955 feature Rebel without a Cause (and who later became a prolific TV director), is the guest star in this episode. Allen plays Gil Dalliford, who deeply resents the fact that his widowed father Jonathan (Douglas Kennedy) has married the much-younger Rosina (Georgann Johnson). When Jonathan dies, Gil accuses Rosina of poisoning him. But the guilt lies elsewhere -- not only outwardly, but within the conscience of the actual culprit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
