Charles “Van” Johnson was one of America’s most prominent and celebrated film actors, television actors and dancers. Hollywood lost another star when the dramatic performer passed away yesterday, Friday December 12th, in the senior-citizens home in Nyack, New York, where he was a resident. He was 92 years old.

Van Johnson started his career at the end of the 1940s. He was a surprising new act in the eyes of the audience, as his performances were always very dramatic. Some of his best parts include a campaign manager for a presidential candidate who is Spencer Tracy, in “State of the Union”. Another prominent role was a general’s sneaky assistant in “Command Decision”, and the cynical William Wellman, a rifleman in “Battleground”. The latter movie was highly acclaimed for the accurate portrayal of the Battle of the Bulge.

Critics considered Van Johnson to be the one who sold out Humphrey Bogart’s character Captain Queeg in “The Caine Mutiny”, a movie that was based on a best-selling novel written by Herman Wouk. Van Johnson was praised by New York Times movie reviewer Bosley Crowther for conveying “the distress and resolution” required of the part.

Van Johnson was most popular during the Second World War, not only due to his innate talent, but also due to circumstances – both favorable and unfavorable. Van Johnson was injured in a car crash, which left with a horribly scarred forehead and a metal plate on the left side of his head. Because of these injuries, Van Johnson was never drafted for the war, leaving him virtually alone as a male star in Hollywood.

Van Johnson had made peace with the world as far back as 1997, when he states that he was “the luckiest guy in the world. All my dreams came true. I was in a wonderful business, and I met great people all over the world.”