Tor Johnson

Tor Johnson (* October 19, 1903 in Sweden, † May 19 1971 in San Fernando / California ) was a Swedish wrestler and actor.

Biography

With 25 years of wandering Tor Johnson from the United States and came to Los Angeles in 1931, what an atmospheric condition especially for its rheumatic heart disease was good, on which he suffered for over 40 years.

1935 Johnson made ​​her first appearance in a movie. When he found no film employment, he stayed with wrestling matches under the stage name "The Swedish Angel" financially afloat. Over the next few years Johnson was involved in micro and small roles in many films. The most famous film in which he has worked, in 1944 turned strip should be The Canterville Ghost.

In the 1950s, he even joined in some supporting roles in films of Abbott and Costello, until he met the director Ed Wood. This Johnson had seen during wrestling and was impressed by its physical appearance. From then on worked with Johnson in numerous B-movie horror films. He has appeared in 1956 in a number of Woods owned films, including in 1958 in Plan 9 from Outer Space, which is now regarded as " the worst movie of all time".

In the early 1960s Johnson withdrew due to lack of role offers from the film business. He earned his money off because mainly by appearances at supermarket openings in his old horror costumes as well as in television quiz shows. Among other things, he was building in an episode of the show You Bet Your Life with Groucho Marx.

From 1968 his health deteriorated rapidly and Johnson could barely leave the house. Finally, he was in 1971 admitted to the hospital of San Fernando Valley, where he died on May 19.

Tor Johnson reached also by " celebrity " that the Halloween mask that represented his portrait, which is still the best -selling horror mask the USA.