Michelle Johnson (born September 9, 1965) is an American actress, perhaps best known for her role as Jennifer Lyons in the 1984 romantic comedy film Blame It on Rio.
Michelle Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 9, 1965 |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Michelle Williams |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1984–2004 |
| Spouse | |
Early life and education
Johnson was born in Anchorage, Alaska, to mother Faye, a nurse, and father Don, who owned a furniture store.[1] At age four, Johnson and her mother relocated to Phoenix, Arizona, where her mother married child psychologist Dr. Grant Johnson.[1] Johnson attended Alhambra High School from 1979 through 1983, graduating one semester early in January 1983.
Career
At age 16, Johnson began doing fashion print work and was soon signed by the Wilhelmina agency in New York City.[1] Director Stanley Donen spotted her in a photograph in the fashion biweekly W,[1] and just as her modeling career was beginning, chose her to act in his feature film Blame It on Rio instead. Since she was 17 at the time, she required permission from a judge to appear topless in the film.
Johnson appeared in a number of roles over the next 15 years. She appeared in theatrical films, television movies, and television series, including a recurring role for one season of The Love Boat. She appeared in films Gung Ho (1986), Waxwork (1988), and The Glimmer Man (1996). She also co-starred in TV movie Dallas: War of the Ewings in 1998 as Jennifer Jantzen, and in 1985 played Rhonda Cummings in an episode of Dallas.
Since 2000, Johnson has starred in only one film, Mickey (2004). Other than occasional paparazzi photos, she had since remained out of the public eye until returning to acting briefly in the digital media Christmas special Brat Holiday Spectacular (2018).
Personal life
From January 15, 1999 through July 2002, Johnson was married to Major League Baseball player Matt Williams, of the Phoenix-based Arizona Diamondbacks.[2][3] They resided primarily in Scottsdale, Arizona.[3]
Johnson sold her house in West Hollywood, California, in April 2009 for a reported sum of $4.1 million. The house was near the Sunset Strip, in a celebrity-populated neighborhood.[4]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Blame It on Rio | Jennifer Lyons | |
| 1986 | Gung Ho | Heather DiStefano | |
| 1987 | Beaks: The Movie | Vanessa Cartwright | |
| 1988 | The Jigsaw Murders | Kathy DaVonzo | |
| Slipping Into Darkness | Carlyle | ||
| Waxwork | China Webster | ||
| 1990 | Wishful Thinking | Diane | |
| Trabbi Goes to Hollywood | Ricki | ||
| 1992 | Death Becomes Her | Anna | |
| Dr. Giggles | Tamara | ||
| Far and Away | Grace | ||
| Street Wars | Tina | ||
| 1993 | Body Shot | Danielle Wild/Chelsea Savage | |
| 1995 | Illicit Dreams | Melinda Ryan | |
| The Donor | Dr. Lucy Flynn | ||
| When the Bullet Hits the Bone | Lisa | ||
| 1996 | The Glimmer Man | Jessica Cole | |
| Specimen | Sarah | ||
| 1997 | Inner Action | ||
| Moving Target | Casey | ||
| 1999 | Revenge | Vicky Mayerson | |
| 2004 | Mickey | Patty | |
| 2018 | Brat Holiday Spectacular | Nellie (Eleanor Chambers) |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Hotel | Kelly Branden | Episode: "Flesh and Blood" |
| 1985 | Dallas | Rhonda Cummings | Episode: "The Verdict" |
| 1985 | Half Nelson | Linda Sawyer | Episode: "The Deadly Vase" |
| 1984-1985 | The Love Boat | Kim Carlisle | 7 episodes |
| 1987 | Werewolf | Kelly Nichols | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1987 | Charles in Charge | Joyce | Episode: "Her Brother's Keeper" |
| 1989 | Moonlighting | Michelle Hunziger | Episode: "Plastic Fantastic Lovers" |
| 1989 | Moonlighting | Michelle Hunziger (uncredited) | Episode: "Shirts and Skins" |
| 1991 | Blood Ties | Celia | tv movie |
| 1991 | Tales from the Crypt | Liz Kelly-Dixon | Episode: "Split Second" |
| 1992 | A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story | Linda Kolkena Broderick | tv movie |
| 1992 | Murder, She Wrote | Monica Chase | Episode: "Incident in Lot 7" |
| 1992 | Melrose Place | Perry Morgan | Episode: "For Love or Money" |
| 1992 | Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick, the Last Chapter | Linda Broderick | TV movie |
| 1993 | Melrose Place | Perry Morgan | Episode: "The Test" |
| 1993 | Murder, She Wrote | Janet Fisk | Episode: "Ship of Thieves" |
| 1993 | Herman's Head | Aurora | Episode: "Trouble in Paradise" |
| 1994 | Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills | Lisa | TV movie |
| 1994 | Terror at Deception Ridge | Natalie Harris | TV movie |
| 1996 | The Outer Limits | Ady Sutton | Episode: "First Anniversary" |
| 1998 | Dallas: War of the Ewings | Jennifer Jantzen | TV movie |
References
- ^ a b c d Evans, Hilary (March 12, 1984). "Newcomer Michelle Johnson Raises Eyebrows—and Temperatures—in Blame It on Rio". People. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
- ^ Pearlman, Jeff (2001-10-29). "Best supporting actress". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2007-10-09.
- ^ a b "Matt Williams' actress-wife seeks divorce". Sports Illustrated. Associated Press. 2002-07-16. Archived from the original on 2012-11-11. Retrieved 2019-07-02.
- ^ Beale, Lauren (April 16, 2009). "Michelle Johnson sells Sunset Strip-area home for $4.1 million". Chicago Tribune.