List of Probable Suspects: Arch Johnson (1922

rch Johnson (March 14. 1922 – October 9. 1997)
Height: 1 m 85 (6') Weight: Eyes: blue Hair: brown Marriages: (1) Gladies Mona Bell (Nov 20. 1940 - ?, divorced) son Charles Edward "Chuckie" Johnson (Jun 5. 1941 - 1948) (2) Yvonne Saccard (1957 - June 1966, divorced) * children: Joseph "Joe" (1953 -) Archie (1958 - ) ... (1961 -) ... (before 1965 -) * Jennifer, Jessica, LouAnn (3) Eleanor Marie Hoekstra (Jan 1. 1969 - Feb 1971, divorced) (4) "Joyce" ** (1972 - June 15. 1981, divorced) (5) Jean Nancy Dickerson Heibeck (May 29. 1994/5 - his death)
Above right: Photo believed to be a fifteen year old Arch Johnson

Archibald Winchester Johnson was born on March 14. 1922 in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, to Archibald Winchester Johnson (1898–1939), an attorney, and L(o)uella "Lulu" Regina Johnson (1902–1968). The family lived at 5305 29th Ave. S, Hennepin, MN. At the age of three, he fell into the water while playing on the shore. He was rescued by 67-year-old A.C. Bennet, who jumped fully clothed into Lake Nokomis to save him from drowning. His parents were divorced, and Luella removed young Arch from St. Charles School. In a custody case that followed in December 1928, the judge ordered that custody be transferred from the grandparents to Luella. Arch’s father was required to explain why he had not provided Luella with any financial support for the child. In the 1930 census, Arch and his mother were living with Luella’s nephew, Charlie B. Chase, and his wife in Hennepin. Luella worked as a typist. "Lou Ella" remarried Leroy Edwards Rogers, a salesman, on October 7. 1931 in Cuyahoga, Ohio. Which resulted in two children: Alvin Eugene (1932-2009) and Jon Morton (1935 - 2019). Johnson later attended Roosevelt High School.
He worked as a copy boy at the Philadelphia Inquirer & Associated Press while aspiring to become a newspaperman. His father, who had practiced law in Minnesota, died on May 22. 1939, due to complications from an appendectomy he had undergone one week earlier. It was no surprise that after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater during World War II, he attended the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in journalism. “I was just seven units away from a journalism degree,” he later recalled. By then, Arch was already married to Gladies Mona Bell, whom he wed on November 20. 1940, in Manhattan, New York City. Their son, Charles Edward "Chuckie," was born the following year but tragically passed away at the age of seven.
Starting out in Philadelphia Johnson worked in community theater both as an actor and director. Had fate not intervened in one of Broadway's biggest hits, Johnson might have been known as a comedian rather than a heavy. While working at Valley Forge Veterans Hospital, he met Stalag 17 authors Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski, both former prisoners of war. The two veterans had actually written and staged the show in Stalag XVII-B itself. The second draft was completed in Paris, and a third in New York in 1949, where it was first read by José Ferrer. He offered to take time off and rewrite the play for Broadway. Overeager, they declined and looked for an immediate opening. At the hospital, Arch struck up a friendship with the duo and convinced the Philadelphia community theater group "Plays & Players" (1714 Delancey Street) to stage the play under its original title, Stalag XVII-B, from April 6–9, 1949, taking on the comic role of "Stosh" himself. Reflecting on his time in the role, he once recalled, “When I played Stosh and heard the audience laughing, I suddenly thought, ‘Where've I been all my life? This is it!’” However, as the authors later admitted, the play wasn't ready—until years later when they reconnected with Ferrer in New York. By the time Stalag 17 (48th Street Theatre, May 8. 1951 – June 21. 1952) reached Broadway, Johnson had become too involved in his studies at the "Neighborhood Playhouse" to take the role. Robert Strauss ultimately played the character Johnson had originated. Johnson was invited to stand by for Strauss and agreed, though he thought, “Okay, but I'll never get on.” His influence remained, as the Broadway production kept his idea of having Stosh wear long underwear. Arch spent another year with "Plays & Players" before dedicating two more years to studying under Sanford Meisner and Martha Graham at New York's renowned "Neighborhood Playhouse". It was Meisner who made a fateful observation that would define Johnson’s long career: “He said that under the American system... 'you'll be a character man, whereas if you lived in Europe, you'd be a leading man.'” Reflecting on Meisner’s words, Johnson mused, “I’m not sure what Sandy’s reasons were. Maybe it's because, emotionally, when I’m working, there's a wild, kind of open quality that isn’t necessarily your laid-back type. I never was good-looking enough to rely on that. I always wanted to work the character, wanted it to come from the inside, and he (Meisner) found that very European.” In addition to his stage work, he occasionally performed TV stints on Channel 3, then known as WPTZ. Johnson began his professional career with a stock company in Atlantic City, led by actor John Marley. The troupe included talented performers such as Gene Saks and his wife, Bea Arthur. The experience proved invaluable, and by 1952, Johnson made his Broadway debut in Mrs. McThing (Martin Beck Theatre, Feb 20. 1952 - Jan 10. 1953, Morosco Theatre, Mar 25. - Nov 1. 1952), 48th Street Theatre (Nov 3. 1952 - Jan 10. 1953), as replacement for Ernest Borgnine, who left for Hollywood to make From Here to Eternity.
There he was in New York during the fabulous '50s, just as the Golden Age of Television was about to begin. It was, as he put it, “propitious.” But first came radio. “At the tail end of radio, I did quite a bit. But by the time I got there in the mid-'50s, radio was being usurped by television. I did 'Young Dr. Malone', and I had a running part on 'Right to Happiness' with Claudia Morgan. But the big money was gone. We just did radio to be doing something.” Then came the glorious days of live television drama. “It was remarkable—the quality of those old kinescopes still held up. That was grainy old stuff, and they burned a lot of those ‘kinnies’ because they thought the quality wasn’t good enough.” In Niagara (20th Century Fox, Jan 21. 1953), starring Marilyn Monroe, Johnson played a police driver. However, he was never clearly recognizable on screen and remained uncredited. DuMont's Rocky King, Detective aka Inside Detective had Arch in several episodes ("The Pay-Off", Jan 31. 1953; "The Silencer", Jul 19. 1953; "The Final Game", Oct 11. 1953; "Payment Deferred" Dec 12. 1954). In the first season of Dark of Night, a dramatic anthology series, aired on the DuMont Network, he played together with Joe Boland and Carl Low in an episode aired on March 20. 1953. He acted in at least 5 episodes of Captain Video and His Video Rangers including "The Man from Tomorrow" (DuMont, March 12. - 19. 1954). In Alistair Cook's Omnibus he was seen with Eva Marie Saint and E.G. Marshall in "Young Man in Politics" (CBS, Oct 31. 1954) The Mail Story had an episode "The Mail Fraud" (ABC Dec 6. 1954) with Dennis Patrick, Truman Smith, Royal Dano, Anthony Perkins and Arch Johnson.**** Not for the last time he guested on The Big Story in "The Case of the Last Knock Out, J. Edward Reid, Oregon Journal" (NBC, Nov 12. 1954) with Russell Collins, Arny Freeman, Gloria Marlowe, Donal McKee and Wesley Lau, wherein reporter J. Edward Reid helps solve the murder of a sea captain. Robert Wise's Somebody Up There Likes Me (MGM, Jul 3. 1956) featured not only Paul Newman and Sal Mineo but also Arch Johnson. In this biopic of boxer Rocky Graziano, based on his autobiography, Johnson played Heldon, one of the tough, streetwise characters attempting to exert influence over Rocky.

Above left: Arch Johnson, David Hedison and John Lee chat between scenes during filming of The Big Story episode "Follow the Leader" (NBC, March 2. 1956) in Justin, Texas. Above right: Arch Johnson in boxer Rocky Graziano's biopic Somebody Up There Likes Me (MGM, Jul 3. 1956). Arch played Heldon, one of the tough, streetwise characters attempting to exert influence over Rocky.

Later when asked about his favorite role, he said, “It was years ago on Studio One, and no one saw it. It was called 'The Ballad of Yermo Red' (CBS, Jul 30. 1956), and it was a tone poem about the West.” However, he considered West Side Story the most exciting show he had ever been a part of. Throughout the rest of the 1950s, television continued to offer him regular guest appearances, which he balanced with his work on stage.
Off Broadway credits: The Terrible Swift Sword (Phoenix Theatre, Nov 15. - 20. 1955) as the Regular Army Sergeant Inherit the Wind, (Woodstock Playhouse, Aug 27. - Sep 1. 1957), Arch played Matthew Brady. Broadway credits: Bus Stop (Music Box Theatre, Mar 2. 1955 - Feb 13 .1956) * Saint Joan (Phoenix Theatre, Sep 11.- Oct 21. 1956), The Happiest Millionaire (Lyceum Theatre, Nov 20. 1956 - Jul 13. 1957) as a comic prize fighter who did a ballet, West Side Story (original company) (Winter Garden Theatre, Sep 26. 1957 - Feb 28. 1959; Broadway Theatre, Mar 2- May 10. 1959; Winter Garden Theatre, May 11. - Jun 27. 1959). Arch, after divorcing his first wife, remarried Yvonne Saccard, and the couple had several children.

Above left: Judy Canova (as Helen Parch) and Arch Johnson (as Heywood Miller) in the Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode, "Party Line" (CBS, May 29. 1960). Above right: "The Bold Fenian Men" was a Maverick episode (ABC, Dec 18. 1960) which had Arch playing opposite Roger Moore.
Above: Arch Johnson, the extremely charismatic but also slightly naive Sergeant McGraw in G.I. Blues (Paramount, Aug 18. 1960) with Elvis Presley and (above right) Letícia Román, totally in awe of Elvis performing on stage.

While his role in G.I. Blues (Paramount, Aug 18. 1960) opposite Elvis Presley could be considered a breakthrough onto the big screen, it was television that continued to provide him with a steady stream of work. He landed a recurring role as Gus Honochek in the TV series The Asphalt Jungle (ABC, Apr 2. - Jun 25. 1961, 13 episodes). In May 1961, a newspaper article noted, “The Johnsons expect another child this summer. That will make three Johnson kids.” In his spare time, Arch worked with the editor-cutter, hoping to direct one day.

Above left: He got a recurring part as Gus Honochek in the TV-series The Asphalt Jungle (ABC, 1961). Seen here (L-R) Jack Warden, William Smith (who we all remember as Falconetti in Rich Man, Poor Man) and Arch Johnson. Above right: The Asphalt Jungle (ABC, 1961) (L-R) Jack Warden, Arch Johnson and William Smith.

After spending about 10 years on Broadway and completing more than 160 live network video assignments, he headed for Hollywood. “Unless you know the two Davids—Susskind and Merrick, you can't get much work in the East any more. Out here I work all the time.” Other series included Hawaiian Eye (ABC, 1961-62, 3 episodes), Rawhide (CBS, 1961-64, 5 episodes), Kraft Suspense Theatre (NBC, 1963-64, 2 episodes), The Munsters ("Tin Can Man", CBS, Nov 5. 1964), ...

Above left: The sitcom Camp Runamuck (NBC, Sep 16. 1965 - Apr 15. 1966, 26 episodes) had Arch as an "I hate kids" camp commander Wivenhoe seen here next to Alice Nunn (as Mahala May Gruenecker). Above right: The Donna Reed Show, Donna and Arch behind the scenes ("Charge", ABC, Oct 21. 1965)

Arch's second marriage also didn't last, and by June 1966, he and Yvonne had divorced **. Arch was going through rough times, and on August 16, he was arrested and arraigned in El Porto Beach on suspicion of marijuana possession, after police discovered two ounces in his El Porto Beach apartment in Torrance, California. Between February and April 1967, he appeared before the court. Johnson pleaded innocent and was placed on two years' probation, in addition to being fined $250. One thing kept on going his TV work. Including: The Big Valley* (ABC, 1967-1969, 2 episodes), The Invaders ("The Miracle", ABC, Feb 27. 1968), ...

Above left: In "The Chaparone" an episode of The Monkees (NBC, Nov 7. 1966) the only way for Davy to date General Vandenburg's (Arch Johnson) daughter is to hold a chaperoned party... Above right: Arch Johnson and Grace Lee Whitney (who doesn't remember those eyes from Star Trek?) in Death Valley Days ("Tall Heart, Short Temper", May 17. 1968, Syndication)
Above left: In The Invaders ("The Miracle", ABC, Feb 27. 1968) with Barbara Hershey. Above right: As Chief Rivers in an episode of Land of the Giants ("The Inside Rail", ABC, Oct .5. 1969).
Above left: Arch in Bewitched ("The Generation Zap", ABC, Mar 5. 1970). Above right: Napoleon and Samantha (Disney, Jul 5. 1972) with (L-R) Michael Douglas, Jodie Foster, Arch Johnson, and Will Geer. It was during the filming of this movie that Jodie Foster was attacked by one of the lions and carried briefly in its mouth, and still has the scars from the attack. When she appears naked in certain films, she is photographed from specific angles to conceal the scars.

Eleanor Marie Hoekstra became his bride in Los Angeles on January 1. 1969, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1971. He then married "Joyce" in 1972. Johnson himself yearned to return to stage work, on either coast. But Broadway producers apparently had crossed him off their list. The actor reported, “I go back once or twice to New York and see the men I've worked for. They tell me they've got a part for me and I say, 'Send me the script,' but they will say, 'Arch, we can't afford you'. They still think Hollywood is all big Cadillac's and swimming pools.”

Above: Arch Johnson in the fabulous The Sting (Universal, Dec 25. 1973).

NBC-TV series' Ellery Queen (1975-76) was a creation of producers Levinson and Link. It might surprise some to hear there was another, perhaps not so well known, recurring character in the series: Deputy Commissioner Hayes was in at least 3 episodes. He was played by Arch Johnson.

Above: Ken Swofford (Frank Flannigan), Arch Johnson (Deputy Commissioner Hayes), David Wayne (Inspector Richard Queen) in Ellery Queen (NBC, 1975-1976).
Above left: Little House on the Prairie ("The Runaway Caboose", NBC, Feb 11. 1976). Above right: Lynda Carter in Wonder Woman ("Knockout", CBS, Oct 14. 1977) and, 'easily missed', Arch Johnson to her right...

As only member from the original Broadway cast he played in the West Side Story revival (Minskoff Theatre, Feb 7. - Nov 30. 1980) and even toured Europe with the show. On June 15. 1981 his fourth marriage to "Joyce" stranded. On the last 10 years of his career he said in a 1983 interview: “When I went to Hollywood I was never unemployed for 10 years, and then the last 10 years I was out there I was beginning to be more and more frequently unemployed. I had been there too long. And my parts began to slide a little bit and I said, well I'm going back to the theater for two reasons. One, I like to work and I'm cursed with the work ethic, and two, in my opinion, when you have enough energy you shouldn't be just standing around doing film where they use only the tip of the iceberg.“ "You can get overexposed. In television you hear it all the time. And casting would say 'Well, yeah, Arch is fine, but who have you got that's new?" So the next guy off the plane from New York would be considered. ... I kind of enjoyed the fruits of a little success. But then that wasn't where it was at, either, and I began coming back to the theater because theater is where I belong.“ “I'm getting older now, and actors without a great deal of money start saying 'What's down the road?' and 'What will happen when I'm old and gray - who'll take care of me.'“ Arch said he was never a good business man, that he was never good at saving money even through all those years of steady work. “Who could work that steadily and still worry about the future? Obviously, as long as I'm able to learn lines and get on a stage. I can work.“ He played Ephraim in Desire Under the Elms with Pennsylvania Stage Company opening February 16. 1983. His last role was in the TV movie Murder in Black and White (CBS, Jan 7. 1990) with Richard Crenna and Diahann Carroll. He had a lead role in the off-Broadway play Other Peoples Money (Minetta Lane Theatre, Feb 7. 1989 - July 4. 1991)

Above: The off-Broadway play Other Peoples Money (Minetta Lane Theatre, Feb 7. 1989 - July 4. 1991) with (L-R, sitting) are Kevin Conway and Janet Zarish; (L-R, standing) James Murtaugh, Scotty Bloch, and Arch Johnson.

On May 29. 1994/95 he married Jean Nancy Dickerson and retired in the late 1990s. In his retirement, Johnson settled on Maryland's Eastern Shore. He tutored with a literacy program at Eastern Correctional Institution in Westover, sponsored by the Somerset County Public Library, and an Alternative to Violence program with the Religious Society of Friends. Arch Johnson, 75, of Snow Hill, Maryland, died October 9. 1997, at Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin following a brief illness. He had cancer.

Notes: * Arch as understudy took over the role of Dr. Gerald Lyman on Oct 26. 1955 when actor Anthony Ross was found dead in bed. He took over until Glenn Anders could step in. Some sources identify this "Joyce" as Joyce Ann Leslie. However this person married Archie Laurence Johnson (1915-2011) on Mar. 25 1978, ergo she is not the Joyce we're looking for. * He had 5 children who survived him. An article in 1961 (confirming Joe and Archie) also stated "The Johnsons expect another child this summer. That will make three Johnson kids" which would make it a third child for Arch and Yvonne. Also a 1967 article on the events in his trial states that Johnson IS married and has 4 children. While IMDb states the couple had only two, we think is more logical to place the "remaining" names of the children listed in the obituary in his 4th marriage. **** According to IMDb this episode was named "Swindling the Companies" Dec 9. 1954 (the title "The Mail Fraud" is from "Ross Reports on Television"). Programs, facts or dates in red still need confirmation.

Click on Uncle Sam if you think you can help out...!
Other references (1) Wikipedia (2) IMDb (3) IBDB (4) Playbill.com (5) IOBDB (6) "NBC Betting Heavily On 'Camp Runamuck'" by Jack Allen, Buffalo Courier Express, July 2. 1965 (7) "Arch Johnson is familiar face" Syracuse Herald-American, Sep. 19. 1965 (8) "Arch Johnson's enduring career is reflected in his familiar face" by Sylvia Lawler, The Morning Call, Feb 15. 1983. Additional video & audio sources (1) The Explosive Generation movieclip 1961 YouTube (2) Camp Runamuck Pilot Sep 17. 1965 YouTube (3) Bonanza "Judgment at Olympus", Oct 8. 1967 YouTube (4) Buford cathes a cheater movieclip 1973 YouTube (5) GE True clip "Firebug"Jan 3. 1963 YouTube (6) G.I. Blues 1960 shower scene YouTube

This profile is a part of Ellery Queen a website on deduction. The person above acted in the Ellery Queen TV series in 1975-1976. Click Uncle Sam if you think you can help out...! Many of the profiles on this site have been compiled after very careful research of various sources. Please quote and cite ethically!
Page first published March 24. 2025 Version 1.1 - Last updated March 25. 2025