Ben Johnson

Actor. Born 13 June 1918 in Foraker, Shidler, Oklahoma, USA. Died 8 April 1996.

Title on Fi1m

Born

13 June 1918, Foraker, Shidler, Oklahoma, USA

Died

8 April 1996

Biography

Ben Johnson (Francis Benjamin Johnson Jr.) was an American actor, stuntman and rodeo cowboy. Born on 13 June 1918 in Foraker, Oklahoma, he began his film career in the 1940s after delivering horses to a Hollywood production. He worked as a stuntman and horse wrangler before John Ford cast him in Westerns such as She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) and Wagon Master (1950).

Johnson appeared in numerous Westerns over five decades, including Shane (1953), The Wild Bunch (1969) and Chisum (1970). His performance as Sam the Lion in Peter Bogdanovich’s The Last Picture Show (1971) earned him the Academy Award, BAFTA Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor. He continued acting until his death on 8 April 1996.

Compiled from published sources (en.wikipedia.org, themoviedb.org) · 16 September 2026How we write and check

Filmography

Beyond what we have reviewed, Ben Johnson is known for The Wild Bunch (1969), Red Dawn (1984), Hang 'em High (1968), Shane (1953), The Getaway (1972), Angels in the Outfield (1994), Bonanza (1959) and The Sugarland Express (1974).

The Last Picture Show

1971 · as Sam the Lion