Kenny Johnson

Kenny Johnson

Kenny Johnson in May 2007
Born Kenneth Allen Johnson
July 13, 1963
New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Other names Kenneth Johnson
Occupation Actor, producer
Years active 1990–present
Spouse(s) Cathleen Oveson (m. 2005)
Website
www.kennyjohnson.com

Kenneth Allen "Kenny" Johnson (July 13, 1963) is an American actor well known for his portrayal of Detective Curtis Lemansky on the American drama The Shield, Joseph Shaw on Cold Case, Detective Hamilton "Ham" Dewey on Saving Grace, Herman Kozik on Sons of Anarchy, Matt Webb on Prime Suspect, Tyler Gray on Burn Notice, and U.S. Marshal Max Clayton on Dexter.

Personal life

Born Kenneth Allen Johnson in New Haven, Connecticut, Johnson was raised in Vermont. Johnson has been married to Cathleen Oveson since December 21, 2005. They have one child.[1]

Career

1990–2005: Early work

Johnson got his start in television commercials, including one of the very first ads for LA Gear. A former champion arm wrestler, he appeared as bit characters in various television programs, such as Family Matters, Grace Under Fire, Caroline in the City, Pensacola: Wings of Gold, Sliders, 18 Wheels of Justice, Just Shoot Me!, NCIS: Los Angeles, Lie to Me, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The Protector.

In 1998, he appeared in the first several minutes of the first Blade, as Heatseeking Dennis, who was saved (by Blade) from a vampire played by Traci Lords. In October 2005, he appeared in the Smallville season 5 episode "Mortal" as a metahuman called Tommy Lee. He also appeared in the 2006 Hallmark Channel original movie, Desolation Canyon, with Stacy Keach and Patrick Duffy and starred in the 2005 indie film Zzyzx, a thriller about two friends who take a detour on their way to Las Vegas.

2002–06: The Shield

Johnson originally auditioned for the role of ill-fated Terry Crowley, which ultimately went to Reed Diamond. Casting directors were so impressed with the audition that they asked him to come in for the role of Lemansky. Johnson was unsure of how to go about the character, who wasn't very much developed at that point. During the audition, Johnson made some choices for the character that he initially thought ruined his chances of winning the role. However, the audition turned out to be successful and he was cast. Lemansky quickly became a major player in the first season because of the chemistry Johnson shared with his castmates.[2]

2006–present: Later work

After The Shield, Johnson had recurring roles on Cold Case, first as a supposed murder victim, and later as a love interest for Lilly Rush. He was later cast in the TNT series Saving Grace, as Detective Hamilton "Ham" Dewey. Johnson also appeared during the second, third and fourth seasons of Sons of Anarchy as Sgt. At Arms and biker named Herman Kozik from the Tacoma chapter. He also directed and starred in the short film I Heard the Mermaids Singing.

On August 16, 2010, Johnson appeared in Fox's Lie to Me, along with several fellow cast members from The Shield (Benito Martinez, Catherine Dent, David Rees Snell, Cathy Cahlin Ryan, and David Marciano). On June 19, 2011, Johnson appears in Lifetime's series The Protector, along with fellow Sons of Anarchy castmate Ally Walker.

Johnson also appeared as a regular on NBC's crime drama Prime Suspect, which premiered September 22, 2011, playing the contractor boyfriend of the shows lead character, Detective Jane Timoney (Maria Bello).

Kenny's latest film is Few Options, All Bad (2011) where he is cast as Frank Connor, a convicted drug smuggler who leaves prison after 22 years for one youthful mistake. He guest starred as Tyler Gray in Season 6 of Burn Notice (2012), and as U.S. Marshal Max Clayton in the 8th and final season of Dexter (2013). He is also starring in the 2014 thriller Solace, and appeared in the A&E drama-thriller television series Bates Motel.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1990 Mirage Greg
1990 The Forbidden Dance Dave
1995 Bushwhacked State Patrolman
1996 Nineball Nicky
1998 Major League: Back to the Minors Lance Pare
1998 Archibald the Rainbow Painter Unknown
1998 Blade Heatseeking Dennis
2001 Under Heavy Fire Jimmy Joe
2006 Burned Lou Video release
2007 The Ungodly Officer Murphy
2008 I Heart the Mermaids Singing Al Short film; also director
2011 Few Options Frank Connor Also co-producer
2013 Timmy Muldoon and the Search for the Shadoweyes Bandit Shotgun Lenny Video short
2015 Blue Murphy
2015 Run the Tide Bo
2015 Solace David Raymond Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1992 Red Shoe Diaries Tracer Episode: "Accidents Happen"
1993 The Webbers Chuck Television film
1993 Family Matters Gorgeous Waiter Episode: "Walk on the Wild Side"
1994 Grace Under Fire Skip Episode: "June 15, 1997"
1994 Something Wilder Chad Episode: "Love Native American Style"
1996 Pacific Blue Deke Episode: "Over the Edge"
1996 Caroline in the City Blair Episode: "Caroline and the Ex-Wife"
1996 The Big Easy George Stodermayer Episode: "Stodermayer"
1996 Sliders Slain Skater Episode: "The Dream Masters"
1996 The Burning Zone Dr. Jake Lietman Episode: "Blood Covenant"
1997 Sins of the Mind Anders 1 episode
1999 Just Shoot Me Brian McDonald Episode: "The Odd Couple (Part 2)"
1999 Ryan Caulfield: Year One Detective Billy Zabo Episode: "A Night at the Gashole"
1998–2000 Pensacola: Wings of Gold Burner 27 episodes
2001 The Huntress Kevin Styles 2 episodes
2001 18 Wheels of Justice Sonny Episode: "Crossing the Line"
2002–06 The Shield Detective Curtis Lemansky 66 episodes
2002 One on One Brandon Episode: "The Way You Make Me Feel"
2003 Boomtown Robert "Bobby" Cherry Episode: "Haystack"
2005 Smallville Tommy Lee Episode: "Mortal"
2006 Desolation Canyon Press Reynolds Television film
2006 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Randy Bolen Episode: "Time of Your Death"
2006 Aquaman Sheriff Television short
2006 Cold Case Joseph Shaw 5 episodes
2007–10 Saving Grace Detective Ham Dewey 46 episodes
2008–09 The Tony Rock Project Unknown 2 episodes
2009–11 Sons of Anarchy Kozik 12 episodes
2010 NCIS: Los Angeles Tommy Boyd Episode: "Past Lives"
2010 Lie to Me Malcolm Hessler Episode: "Pied Piper"
2011–12 Prime Suspect Matt Webb 13 episodes
2011 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Detective Sean Riggs Episode: "Dirty"
2011 The Protector Detective Cummings Episode: "Help"
2012 The Mentalist Greg Marshall Episode: "So Long, and Thanks for All the Red Snapper"
2012 Burn Notice Tyler Gray 3 episodes
2013 Dexter U.S. Marshall Max Clayton 3 episodes
2014–present Bates Motel Caleb Calhoun 11 episodes
2014 Castle Mr. Harden Episode: "In the Belly of the Beast"
2014 Motive Doug Slater Episode: "For You I Die"
2014-15 Chicago Fire Tommy Welch 5 episodes
2014 Covert Affairs James Decker 3 episodes

References

Sources
Notes

External links

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