Brad William Johnson (October 24, 1959 – February 18, 2022) was an American actor and former Marlboro Man, best known for his roles in films and television series during the late 1980s and 1990s. He gained prominence for his performances in Westerns and action-adventure films.
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Biography
Early life
Johnson was born in Tucson, Arizona, the son of Grove and Virginia Johnson. The family moved to Grants Pass, Oregon, and later, Dallas, Texas, where Johnson graduated high school in 1977. After competing in rodeos as a youth, he began his professional rodeo career in 1984 and was discovered by a movie scout looking for cowboys to star in a beer commercial. This led to his stint as the Marlboro Man and modeling gigs for Calvin Klein before he started acting. His first role was in a 1986 episode of the CBS soap opera Dallas.
Acting career
Within five months of his arrival in Hollywood, Roger Corman cast him to star in the low-budget biker film Nam Angels, his first film role. His theatrical film debut came in 1989 when he starred in Always, a romantic drama directed by Steven Spielberg. In the film, Johnson portrayed Ted Baker, a pilot and love interest to Holly Hunter's character, alongside Richard Dreyfuss and John Goodman. His performance in Always earned him widespread recognition with critics comparing him to John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and James Stewart.
