Johnny Downs
Encyclopedia
Johnny Downs was an American actor. Son of a Naval aviator, he was taken to Hollywood in 1921 when his father was transferred to the San Diego naval base. He began his career as a child actor
, most notably playing Johnny in the Our Gang
short series from 1923 to 1926. He remained active in films, television, and theatre up through the early 1960s.
, Downs stayed with the short-subject series until 1927, appearing in twenty-four two-reelers in various roles. He honed his dancing and singing skills on the vaudeville stage, working prominently on Broadway until returning to Hollywood in 1934. Downs became a fixture of the "college musical" movie cycle of the late 1930s, usually cast as a team captain or a cheerleader. His movie career declined just after he returned to Hal Roach to star in a 45-minute streamliner
feature, All-American Co-Ed
. From then on he mainly walked the boards in vaudeville, summer stock, and one solid Broadway hit ("Are You With It"). One of his outstanding cameo appearances is his performance in Rhapsody in Blue: The George Gershwin Story where he dances to Robert Alda's piano playing of "Swanee". Downs made a short comeback in doing bit parts in the early 1950s. Despite never making it big, he has almost 100 movie credits to his name.
(KOGO was KFSD prior to 1961). The theme started out as an airport hangar with Downs playing a former World War II
, "Johnny Jet". In between reruns of The Little Rascals, Downs entertained and informed his studio audiences and his viewers. After that, it was trains, and he could be seen getting off or on a locomotive at the start and end of a show. As the show changed to feature more Popeye
cartoons, his theme changed from being a train engineer to being a boat captain at the San Diego harbor. Regardless of the theme, Johnny Downs was always a big star to the kids of the area and was always a draw when he appeared at contests, festivals, parades, or other events.
in June 1994, and is interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery
in San Diego. Johnny and his wife June had five children: Mary, Claudia, John Jr., Mollie and Maureen.
Child actor
The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting in motion pictures or television, but also to an adult who began his or her acting career as a child; to avoid confusion, the latter is also called a former child actor...
, most notably playing Johnny in the Our Gang
Our Gang
Our Gang, also known as The Little Rascals or Hal Roach's Rascals, was a series of American comedy short films about a group of poor neighborhood children and the adventures they had together. Created by comedy producer Hal Roach, the series is noted for showing children behaving in a relatively...
short series from 1923 to 1926. He remained active in films, television, and theatre up through the early 1960s.
After Our Gang
Following his stint with Our GangOur Gang
Our Gang, also known as The Little Rascals or Hal Roach's Rascals, was a series of American comedy short films about a group of poor neighborhood children and the adventures they had together. Created by comedy producer Hal Roach, the series is noted for showing children behaving in a relatively...
, Downs stayed with the short-subject series until 1927, appearing in twenty-four two-reelers in various roles. He honed his dancing and singing skills on the vaudeville stage, working prominently on Broadway until returning to Hollywood in 1934. Downs became a fixture of the "college musical" movie cycle of the late 1930s, usually cast as a team captain or a cheerleader. His movie career declined just after he returned to Hal Roach to star in a 45-minute streamliner
Hal Roach's Streamliners
Hal Roach's Streamliners were a series of short comedy films created by Hal Roach that were longer than a short subject and less than a feature film not exceeding 50 minutes in length. Twenty of the twenty-nine features that Roach produced for United Artists were in the streamliner format...
feature, All-American Co-Ed
All-American Co-Ed
- Plot summary :Mar Brynn college is failing, as a scheme to perk-up attendance a newspaper reporter stages a show featuring "Odd girls" from all over the country. For publicity Mar Brynn's President Aunt Matilda Collinge begins poking fun of the Quincton college Zeta frat. For revenge the...
. From then on he mainly walked the boards in vaudeville, summer stock, and one solid Broadway hit ("Are You With It"). One of his outstanding cameo appearances is his performance in Rhapsody in Blue: The George Gershwin Story where he dances to Robert Alda's piano playing of "Swanee". Downs made a short comeback in doing bit parts in the early 1950s. Despite never making it big, he has almost 100 movie credits to his name.
The Johnny Downs Show
In the 1950s and early 1960s he hosted a local, after-school kids' television show, The Johnny Downs Show on Channel 10 "KOGO" (call letters) in San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
(KOGO was KFSD prior to 1961). The theme started out as an airport hangar with Downs playing a former World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, "Johnny Jet". In between reruns of The Little Rascals, Downs entertained and informed his studio audiences and his viewers. After that, it was trains, and he could be seen getting off or on a locomotive at the start and end of a show. As the show changed to feature more Popeye
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
cartoons, his theme changed from being a train engineer to being a boat captain at the San Diego harbor. Regardless of the theme, Johnny Downs was always a big star to the kids of the area and was always a draw when he appeared at contests, festivals, parades, or other events.
Death
Downs died of cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in June 1994, and is interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery
Holy Cross Cemetery (San Diego)
Holy Cross Cemetery is a cemetery located in the Chollas View neighborhood of San Diego, California.Holy Cross was dedicated in 1919 for the exclusive use of Roman Catholics, with expansions in 1945 and 1956. The mausoleum, with its distinctive blue roof visible from California State Route 94, is...
in San Diego. Johnny and his wife June had five children: Mary, Claudia, John Jr., Mollie and Maureen.
Selected filmography
- Adventures of the Flying CadetsAdventures of the Flying CadetsAdventures of the Flying Cadets is a 1943 Universal film serial.-Cast:*Johnny Downs as Cadet Danny Collins*Bobby Jordan as Cadet Jinx Roberts*Ward Wood as Cadet Scrapper McKay*William Benedict as Cadet Zombie Parker...
(19431943 in filmThe year 1943 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 3 - 1st missing persons telecast * February 20 - American film studio executives agree to allow the Office of War Information to censor films....
) - Freckles Comes HomeFreckles Comes HomeFreckles Comes Home is a 1942 American film directed by Jean Yarbrough based on the novel by Gene Stratton-Porter that was a sequel to Freckles.- Cast :*Johnny Downs as "Freckles" Winslow*Gale Storm as Jane Potter...
(19421942 in filmThe year 1942 in film involved some significant events, in particular the release of a film consistently rated as one of the greatest of all time, Casablanca.-Events:...
) - The Mad MonsterThe Mad MonsterThe Mad Monster is an American horror film released in 1942 by P.R.C. , a Poverty Row studio. The film, a B-movie shot in black and white, features a mad scientist and a werewolf as the main characters. Directed by Sam Newfield and written by Fred Myton, the film—Poverty Row's only Werewolf...
(19421942 in filmThe year 1942 in film involved some significant events, in particular the release of a film consistently rated as one of the greatest of all time, Casablanca.-Events:...
) - Adam Had Four SonsAdam Had Four SonsAdam Had Four Sons is a 1941 drama and romance film, starring Ingrid Bergman, Warner Baxter, and Susan Hayward.-Plot:Warner Baxter portrays the wealthy, easy-going patriarch of a family that falls on hard times after the death of his wife and a stock market crash that wipes out his wealth. Recently...
(19411941 in filmThe year 1941 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Citizen Kane, consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time, was released in 1941.-Top grossing films :-Academy Awards:...
) - Babes in ToylandBabes in Toyland (1934 film)Babes in Toyland is a Laurel and Hardy musical film released in November 1934. The film is also known by its alternate titles Laurel and Hardy in Toyland, Revenge Is Sweet , March of the Wooden Soldiers and Wooden Soldiers .Based on Victor Herbert's popular 1903 operetta Babes in Toyland, the film...
(19341934 in film-Events:*January 26 - Samuel Goldwyn purchases the film rights to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from the L. Frank Baum estate for $40,000.*February 19 - Bob Hope marries Dolores Reade...
) - The Trail of '98The Trail of '98The Trail of '98 is a 1928 silent drama film featuring Harry Carey. The film was originally released by MGM in a short-lived widescreen process called Fanthom Screen.-Cast:* Dolores del Río as Berna* Ralph Forbes as Larry* Karl Dane as Lars Petersen...
(19281928 in film-Events:Although some movies released in 1928 had sound, most were still silent.* July 28 - Lights of New York is released by Warner Brothers. It is the first "100% Talkie" feature film, in that dialog is spoken throughout the film...
) - The CrowdThe CrowdThe Crowd is a 1928 American silent film directed by King Vidor. It is notable for its dramatization of the concerns and dangers of urbanization and modernity....
(19281928 in film-Events:Although some movies released in 1928 had sound, most were still silent.* July 28 - Lights of New York is released by Warner Brothers. It is the first "100% Talkie" feature film, in that dialog is spoken throughout the film...
) - Chicken FeedChicken FeedChicken Feed is a 1927 short silent comedy film directed by Robert A. McGowan. It was the 66th Our Gang short subject released.-Cast:* Allen Hoskins - Farina* Jannie Hoskins - Mango* Joe Cobb - Joe* Jackie Condon - Jackie* Jay R. Smith - Jay...
(19271927 in film-Events:*January 10 - Fritz Lang's science-fiction fantasy Metropolis premieres in Germany.*April 7 - Abel Gance's Napoleon often considered his best known and greatest masterpiece, premiers at the Paris Opéra and would demonstrate techniques and equipment that would not be used for years to...
) - Seeing the WorldSeeing the WorldSeeing the World is a 1927 silent Our Gang film featuring Stan Laurel, directed by Robert F. McGowan and Robert A. McGowan. It was the 57th Our Gang short subject released.-Plot:...
(1927) - 45 Minutes from Hollywood45 Minutes from Hollywood45 Minutes From Hollywood is an American two-reel silent film released by Pathé Exchange.At the time, it was known as a Glenn Tryon vehicle, but today it is best remembered as the second instance of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy appearing in the same film together — although they do not share...
(19261926 in film-Events:*August - Warner Brothers debuts the first Vitaphone film, Don Juan. The Vitaphone system used multiple 33⅓ rpm disc records developed by Bell Telephone Laboratories and Western Electric to play back audio synchronized with film....
) - Thundering FleasThundering FleasThundering Fleas is a 1926 Our Gang film featuring Oliver Hardy and directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 51st Our Gang short subject released...
(1926) - Ask GrandmaAsk GrandmaAsk Grandma is a 1925 short silent comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 39th Our Gang short subject released.-Cast:* Mickey Daniels - Mickey* Johnny Downs - Johnny* Mary Kornman - Mary* Allen Hoskins - Farina* Joe Cobb - Joe...
(19251925 in film-Events:*November 5: The Big Parade holds its Grand Premier*December 30: premier of Ben-Hur the most expensive silent film ever made costing 4-6 million dollars -Top grossing films :...
) - The Love BugThe Love Bug (1925 film)The Love Bug is a 1925 short silent comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 37th Our Gang short subject released.-Synopsis:...
(1925) - Dog DaysDog Days (1925 film)Dog Days is a 1925 short silent comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 36th Our Gang short subject released.-Plot:The boys are showing off their dogs to each other when little rich girl Mary Kornman rides by in her pony-drawn cart. When the pony shies and runs away, Mickey comes to...
(1925) - Circus FeverCircus FeverCircus Fever is a 1925 short silent comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 35th Our Gang short subject released.-Cast:* Joe Cobb - Joe* Jackie Condon - Jackie* Mickey Daniels - Mickey* Johnny Downs - Johnny* Allen Hoskins - Farina...
(1925)
Broadway credits
- Hold It! (1948)
- Are You With It?Are You With It? (musical)Are You With It? is an American musical with music by Harry Revel and lyrics by Arnold B. Horwitt. The musical book by Sam Perrin and George Balzer is based on the novel Slightly Perfect by George Malcolm-Smith. The production opened on Broadway at the New Century Theatre where it ran from November...
(1945–1946) - Ragged Army (1934)
- Growing Pains (1933)
- Strike Me Pink (1933)