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Ben Johnson

Ben Johnson

43 movies on Netflix

Biography

Ben Johnson was an American actor, stuntman, and rodeo champion who came to Hollywood from Oklahoma ranch life. Born in Foraker in 1918, he first arrived in town delivering horses for a film and worked as a stuntman and horse wrangler. Howard Hughes hired him for The Outlaw (1943), and John Ford gave him a seven-year contract after he stopped a runaway wagon on Fort Apache. Ford cast him in 3 Godfathers (1948), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), Rio Grande (1950), and Wagon Master (1950). Known for roles in Westerns, he appeared in Shane (1953), One-Eyed Jacks (1961), Major Dundee (1965), The Wild Bunch (1969), The Getaway (1972), and Junior Bonner (1972). His role as Sam the Lion in The Last Picture Show (1971) won the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. He won the 1953 team roping world championship and earned induction into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1979.

77years old at death

  • Born Foraker
  • Died Mesa
  • Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
  • Also credited as Ben Johnson, Jr. and Francis Benjamin Johnson

Movie Career

Films
43
Career span
53 years1943 to 1996

Genres

First and latest

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  1. Big break

    Johnson said Howard Hughes started his career by giving him work on The Outlaw, the 1943 film, as a stuntman and a horse wrangler.

  2. Big break

    While filming, a wagon carrying three men was pulled by horses that stampeded. Johnson was on a horse and managed to stop the runaway wagon, saving the men, and Ford gave him a seven-year acting contract.

  3. Getting ready for a role

    Johnson was reluctant to take the role of Sam the Lion in The Last Picture Show because of its lengthy dialogue, and was reportedly convinced to do it by John Ford.

Ben Johnson movies on Netflix

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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  1. The Getaway1972 Action, Crime, Thrilleras Jack Beynon

    IMDb rating 7.338K votes

  2. The Last Picture Show1971 Dramaas Sam the Lion

    IMDb rating 8.058K votes

  3. The Wild Bunch1969as Tector Gorch

    IMDb rating 7.995K votes

  4. Angels in the Outfield1994as Hank Murphy

    IMDb rating 6.338K votes

  5. Terror Train1980as Carne

    IMDb rating 5.816K votes

  6. Hang 'em High1968as Marshal Dave Bliss

    IMDb rating 7.049K votes

  7. The Sugarland Express1974as Captain Harlan Tanner

    IMDb rating 6.723K votes

  8. The Town That Dreaded Sundown1976as JD Morales

    IMDb rating 6.011K votes

Most often with

Andrew V. McLaglen directed five of these films, Sam Peckinpah four and John Ford four. Harry Carey Jr. appears in nine of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Harry Carey Jr., 9 films togetherSee the 9 films with Harry Carey Jr.John Wayne, 6 films togetherSee the 6 films with John WayneDub Taylor, 5 films togetherSee the 5 films with Dub TaylorSlim Pickens, 5 films togetherSee the 5 films with Slim PickensRoy Jenson, 4 films togetherSee the 4 films with Roy JensonHank Worden, 4 films togetherSee the 4 films with Hank WordenAndrew V. McLaglenDirector, 5 filmsSee the 5 films by Andrew V. McLaglenSam PeckinpahDirector, 4 filmsSee the 4 films by Sam PeckinpahJohn FordDirector, 4 filmsSee the 4 films by John Ford

Films together

Box office

What Ben Johnson's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$289 million

26 of the 43 films have a worldwide figure.

Of the 43 films: 26 worldwide figure; 3 us gross only; 3 never in cinemas; 11 figure not found.

  • 26Worldwide figure
  • 3US gross only
  • 3Never in cinemas
  • 11Figure not found

Top grosser

Angels in the Outfield1994as Hank Murphy$50.2 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 74% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

  1. 1
    Angels in the Outfield1994as Hank Murphy
    $50M17.4% of the total
  2. 2
    Red Dawn1984as Mason
    $38M13.3% of the total
  3. 3
    The Getaway1972as Jack Beynon
    $37M12.7% of the total
  4. 4
    The Last Picture Show1971as Sam the Lion
    $29M10.1% of the total
  5. 5
    Shane1953as Chris Calloway
    $20M6.9% of the total
  6. 6
    Oklahoma!1955as Wrangler
    $14M4.9% of the total
  7. 7
    The Sugarland Express1974as Captain Harlan Tanner
    $13M4.4% of the total
  8. 8
    The Evening Star1996as Arthur Cotton
    $13M4.4% of the total
Hustle (1975), $10.4 millionThe Swarm (1978), $7.7 millionTex (1982), $7.4 millionHang 'em High (1968), $6.8 millionChisum (1970), $6.0 millionShe Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), $5.4 millionThe Outlaw (1943), $5.1 millionThe Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976), $5.0 millionRadio Flyer (1992), $4.7 millionOne-Eyed Jacks (1961), $4.3 million3 Godfathers (1948), $2.8 millionThe Train Robbers (1973), $2.6 millionBreakheart Pass (1975), $2.1 millionDillinger (1973), $2.0 millionMighty Joe Young (1949), $1.9 millionThe Wild Bunch (1969), $638,641

$74.9 millionfrom the other 18 films with a worldwide figure, 26% of the total

Awards

Six awards and honors from 1972 to 1973, three of them major.

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Ben Johnson's awards and nominations, grouped by award
YearAwardFilmResult
Academy Awards
1972Best Supporting ActorThe Last Picture ShowWon
Golden Globes
1972Best Supporting Actor – Motion PictureThe Last Picture ShowWon
BAFTA
1973Best Actor in a Supporting RoleThe Last Picture ShowWon
Other honors
1972National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting ActorThe Last Picture ShowWon
1972New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting ActorThe Last Picture ShowWon
Star on Hollywood Walk of FameHonored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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