Joan Dixon, Howard Hughes, and Tim Holt

From the late silent era on, multi-millionaire playboy Howard Hughes would take time out from his various hobbies of flying planes into things and such to dabble in the film industry in general – Hell's Angels (1930), The Outlaw (1943), Vendetta (1950) – and beautiful Hollywood starlets in particular. With, it should be noted, an appetite and indeed taste ranging from beautiful silent star Billie Dove to mannish talkie newcomer Katharine Hepburn. And, as they say, anything and everything in between. Including, at least one writer suggests, the male of the species as well – notably the ill-fated Robert Francis (died in a plane crash in 1955) – although how Howard would have found the time is anybody's guess. Having gotten himself stuck attempting to create a star out of Jane Russell's brassiere – The Outlaw as a narrative clearly came second to the natural scenery that indeed was Jane's epic bust – Hughes threw caution to the wind and went into film-making full time, managing in the process to destroy one mini-major, RKO. Once again, Howard got mired in his zeal to foist a girl on the public, come what may. This time, the object of his feverish fantasies was one Faith Domergue, the film a Corsican melodrama entitled Vendetta (1950) and the result the slow and lingering demise of the company that had brought the world King Kong, Astaire & Rogers, and Citizen Kane. With all this destruction going on, Hughes had little time left for his other contract starlets, which at this particular moment in history, 1950-1952, also included Faith Domergue and Jane Russell lookalike Joan Dixon.

Dixon, from Norfolk, VA, signed with RKO, and Hughes, in 1950, but since Domergue was still the reigning star in Howard's' constellation, she was pawned off to the B-units, noir and Western respectively. Her noirs are actually very good, notably Roadblock (1951), and her Westerns, five in total, even better. Dixon became Tim Holt's final leading lady of note and co-starred in what in my opinion remains one of Tim's best, Desert Passage (1952). As I wrote for the AMG database:


Always slightly more adult than the competition, RKO's Tim Holt fine B-western series went out with a bang rather than the accustomed whimper. Although cheaply made, Desert Passage remains an evocative and exciting pocket Western complete with shootouts, hard riding, and such mystery elements as a deserted hotel, howling dogs, and strange bumps in the night. Holt and Mexican-accented sidekick Richard Martin are their usual stalwart selves -- the former all uncompromising decency, the latter foolhardily romantic -- but the real treat here is the supporting cast, RKO B-movie regulars all but allowed to play the mystery angle for all it is worth and with no holds barred.


Although she was blithely compared to Hughes' biggest star, Jane Russell (Faith Domergue had badly flopped), Hughes, as we have already noted, paid scant attention and Desert Passage proved Dixon's final film appearance of any importance. Why? She was as attractive, if not more, than the average Hollywood starlet and, unlike Faith Domergue, could actually act. But she got caught up in an off-screen marital farce with Ted Briskin, the former husband of Paramount star Betty Hutton, that for all intent and purposes derailed her career. Joan became Mrs. Theodore S. Briskin in October of 1952 and in a purely conjugal manner seized to be Mrs. Briskin less than three weeks later, Mr. Briskin in the subsequent divorce hearings alleging that his wife had beat him up no less than three times. There was a second marriage, to a television writer, but that, too, proved shortlived, and apart from a couple of television appearances and a night club engagement or two, Joan Dixon disappeared from view. She died in Los Angeles on February 20, 1992.

Law of the Badlands (RKO, 1950) and Larry Johns

Today I watched the 1950 Tim Holt starrer Law of the Badlands, a customarily fine effort from director Lesley Selander and the Holt unit. I noticed a “new” name – to me, at least – in one Larry Johns, who plays the film's counterfeiter; or as Chico calls it, “fighter counter.” Actually, I've noticed the name Larry Johns on one previous occasion, ever so fleetingly depicted in a fairly new biography of Robert Mitchum. Plus, I have in my collection the portrait from the 1946 Academy Players Guide. But exactly who was this Larry Johns, who also turned up in quite a few TV oaters? Well, the following clipping goes into almost tedious detail. But here it is, and in its entire length. Enjoy!

From the Long Beach Independent Press Telegram, June 22, 1958

BACHELOR ABOUT TOWN
'Lean, Hungry Look' Asset
by IOLA MASTERSON
L i k e Shakespeare's Cassius, "Yond Larry Johns has a lean and hungry look." In Larry's case, it has been a valuable asset, giving him the distinctive appearance of a professional actor, which he is. Besides, our week's unattached man about town, director of Long Beach Community Players and freelance motion picture, television and radio actor, doesn't like to cook. Which could account, in part, for the hungry look. He's a man who has spent his entire life in show business and knows it backwards, forwards, onstage and from the wings.
* * * *
SCENE I, ACT I. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio [October 25, 1903]. The plot began to thicken early for Larry. One day, when he was absent from high school and couldn't defend himself, they elected him president of the drama class. A key character enters the scene and sets the pace: his dramatics teacher, s p o t t i n g Larry as a "n a t u r a 1" for theater work, encouraged him to make it his career. The best words of advice any stage aspirant ever had came from this coach (and Larry has passed it along to amateurs ever since) [including in the late 1930s, neophyte Robert Mitchum!]: "There is nothing sorrier in the world than a sorry actor. Don't confine your knowledge just to acting — be prepared for any phase of work in the theater and you can make it a success". He followed those valuable stage directions and, needless to say, he's never been "sorry" in either sense of the word!
* * * *
LARRY RECEIVED both his bachelor and master of arts degrees from the Busch Conservatory of Music and Dramatic Arts at the University of Chicago. A twist of fate as tricky as a second act curtain tied his future to Long Beach Community Playhouse at a time before there was a local little theater here. The late Elias Day [who discovered Laraine Johnson, a starlet who changed her name to Laraine Day in his honor], then one of the "Mr. Bigs" in theatrics and a director at the conservatory, assigned Larry to his first professional acting job, giving him the part of Daddy Long Legs in "Vauxhall" for the Chautauqua circuit. When Mr. Day — or "Daisy" as everyone called him — went into semi - retirement, he moved to Long Beach to become director of the local players and this was liaison between Larry and our town. After three years in Chautauqua, Johns felt he was ready for the big time — New York — and, sure enough, he was! Broadway welcomed him and for 17 years he played character roles in a long list of shows including such hits as "Town Boy,"
starring Ralph Bellamy; "Tide Rising," with Grant Mitchell; "The Story of Mary Suratt," with Dorothy Gish and Kent Smith; "Libel," with Colin Clive and Wilfred Lawson. Concurrently, between New York engagements, he acted with top stock companies, trading cues with such stars as Shirley Booth, Ed Gardener and Thelma Ritter;
* * *
WHEN THERE wasn't an acting assignment Larry, unlike so many other young actors, was rarely out of work because he was to the theater what a "switch hitter" is to baseball. He could join a company as stage manager, director or set designer, and,
over the years, he found himself preferring the production work to acting. Johns is six feet tall, when he b o t h e r s to stand up straight, which isn't often. He has a posture to match his easy-going personality. His voice, naturally soft, is husky, probably from projecting it to be heard clearly in the last rows of theaters in all 48 states, five Canadian provinces, Europe, South America and Mexico. By the time he was 26 his hair had turned completely gray. It intensifies his naturally tawny complexion and deep-set blue eyes. Other strictly personal .statistics: favorite color - blue; favorite
food - kidney saute (great Caesar's ghost!); he's a member of Long Beach Rotary; for an evening out likes nothing better than dinner in a sophisticated restaurant followed by attending the theater, (of course), and "live", (naturally!).
* * *
DOES HE LIKE the sack look? No! Finds women who are tall and blonde most appealing. If they're beautiful, so much the better. Then we asked the $64,000
question: "Does the thought of ending single blessedness appeal?" We got a $66,000 answer: quote — No man should live alone — unquote! Larry's most recent television work has included roles in "Cheyenne", "Sky King", "Cavalcade of America", "Rin Tin Tin" and "Wild Bill Hickok". Looks like Hollywood has him tabbed as a western hombre and that's fer shore, podner. Annually at Christmas time he goes on a Broadway binge, seeing every top new show in town, covering the theaters two a day. He thinks "Time Remembered" with Helen Hayes this year's best play. All-time favorites are "Death Takes a Holiday", "On Borrowed Time", "Our Town". He considers Julie Harris and Susan Strasburg [sic], in that order, the best young actresses in the country; Paul Muni the finest stage actor.
* * *
TINKERING WITH theatrical lighting effects is not only part of his regular worn but his favorite hobby. For active sports he likes tennis and bowling; spectator sports, baseball and football. If Larry could write the script for the balance of his life story he'd go right on directing plays for the Community Players and, when retirement age comes, his third act would be played half in New York each year and half in Long Beach right up to the final curtain.


Larry Johns, who was born Lawrence Giddings Johns, retired from films and television around 1961 and passed away in Los Angeles on January 12, 1987.