Tor Johnson

Tor Johnson
Johnson in Plan 9 from Outer Space
Born	Tor Johansson (1903-10-19)19 October 1903 Sweden
Died	12 May 1971(1971-05-12) (aged 67) San Fernando, California, U.S.
Other names	Super Swedish Angel Thor Johnson
Occupation	Wrestler, actor
Years active	1934–1961

Tor Johansson (19 October 1903 – 12 May 1971), better known by the stage name Tor Johnson, was a Swedish professional wrestler (billed as The Super Swedish Angel) and actor.^[1]

Biography

Johnson was born in Sweden, the son of Karl J. Johansson and Lovisa Petersson. He weighed 181 kilograms (400 pounds) at his heaviest. He had a full head of blond hair, but he shaved it to maintain an imposing, villainous appearance in wrestling and acting appearances. He began getting bit parts in movies upon his move to California - usually as the strongman or weightlifter - as early as 1934. His film career ended in the early 1960s after appearing in a string of poorly-rated movies. However, he continued to make appearances on television and made a number of commercials.^[2]

Tor Johnson in The Beast of Yucca Flats, two years after Plan 9; he also appears heavier

During his career as an actor, Johnson befriended director Edward D. Wood, Jr., who directed him in a number of films, most notably Bride of the Monster and Plan 9 from Outer Space, both which co-starred Bela Lugosi. He was very friendly to work with on movie sets, and actress Valda Hansen, who worked with Johnson in 1959's Night of the Ghouls (also directed by Wood), described him as "like a big sugar bun."^[3] During this period, Tor also 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. Groucho ran off the stage in mock terror, then returned and, after teasing Johnson again, pleaded, "Don't make that face again!"

In 1971, Johnson died at the San Fernando Valley Hospital in San Fernando, California, from heart failure. He was buried at the Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall, California.

Legacy

In the 1970s, a Halloween mask of Johnson was created and sold by famous Hollywood maskmaker Don Post.^[4]

In the 1980s, Johnson became a featured character in the comics of Drew Friedman.^[5]

In 1994, Johnson was portrayed in director Tim Burton's film, Ed Wood, about cult director Edward D. Wood, Jr., by the wrestler, George "The Animal" Steele.

In 2005, Johnson and the Plan 9 cast were lampooned in an episode of the television series, Deadly Cinema, and clips of this episode were featured in the documentary, Vampira: The Movie.^[6]

Filmography

• Note: The Lobo Johnson plays in The Unearthly is not the same Lobo as in the Ed Wood movies.

References

External links

• Tor Johnson at the Internet Movie Database
• Tor Johnson at AllRovi
• Tor Johnson at Find a Grave
• Tor Johnson bio on (re)Search my Trash