Tor Johnson Elisabeth Thorsell

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Swedish American Genealogist

Volume 32 | Number 3 Article 12

9-1-2012 A BIG Swedish actor--Tor Johnson Elisabeth Thorsell

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Recommended Citation Thorsell, Elisabeth (2012) "A BIG Swedish actor--Tor Johnson," Swedish American Genealogist: Vol. 32 : No. 3 , Article 12. Available at: https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonsag/vol32/iss3/12

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Augustana Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Swedish American Genealogist by an authorized editor of Augustana Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A BIG Swedish actor

– wrestler Tor Johnson acted in many movies

Tor Johnson (1902–1971) has a solid reputation as an actor in so-called horror movies. Here follows an obituary that was found on the web site www.findagrave.com. No author is mentioned: “Actor. Born in Sweden in 1903, the husky son of Karl J. Johansson and Lovissa Petersson, he became a professional wrestler while in his early teens. Shortening his name to “Tor Johnson,” the young man jour- neyed to the United States and Cali- fornia in 1928. He immediately found work on the wrestling circuit as “The Super Swedish Angel,” a large econ- omy size version of the Internation- al Villain, Frenchman Maurice Tillet, who was wrestling in the U. S. at the time as “The French Angel”. In 1934 Johnson made his American film de- but in “Kid Millions” with popular Tor Johnson in “Plan 9 from Outer Space.” comic Eddie Cantor, then, while continuing to wrestle, appeared in “You Bet Your Life” with Groucho heart problems most of his life, he over thirty films, including “Man on Marx and George Fenneman, “Peter passed away at the age of 67, at San the Flying Trapeze” with W.C. Fields, Gunn” with Craig Stevens and Lola Fernando Valley Hospital in San Fer- “Shadow of the Thin Man” with Wil- Albright, “The Red Skelton Show” nando, California. The cause of his liam Powell and Myrna Loy, “Canter- with Red Skelton, and “Bonanza” death was congestive heart failure. ville Ghost” with Charles Laughton, with Lorne Greene and Michael Lan- In 1994, Tor Johnson was portrayed “Lost in a Harem” with Abbott & don. In the mid-1960s a mask and by wrestler George “The Animal” Costello, “Ghost Catchers” with Ol- special effects company, Don Post Steele in Tim Burton's motion picture sen & Johnson, “Road to Rio” with Studios, immortalized the “Gentle “Ed Wood,” with Johnny Depp and Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Dorothy Giant” by taking a life mask of the Martin Landau. Lamour, “State of the Union” with actor-wrestler, and also creating a Spencer Tracy and Kathryn Hep- best-selling commercial “monster burn, “Alias the Champ” with fellow- mask” of Tor. The four-hundred grappler Gorgeous George, “The pounds-plus character actor, in turn, Lemon Drop Kid” with Bob Hope, recreated his best-known movie per- “The Black Sleep” with Basil Rath- sona – “Lobo” – for a series of person- bone, John Carradine, and Bela al appearances with the Don Post Lugosi, “Carousel” with Gordon Studios-Stunt Stars from Screenland MacRae and Shirley Jones, and Traveling Monster Show, seen at perhaps his most (in)famous film of Uni-Mart stores throughout South- them all, “Plan 9 from Outer Space” ern California. In 1969 he retired to Tor Johnson’s grave marker at Eternal with Bela Lugosi and “Vampira,” for his home in Sylmar, a community Valley Park, Newhall, Los Angeles county, writer-director Ed Wood. Tor John- near Hollywood, adjoining the San California. (Findagrave.com). son's television appearances included Fernando Valley. Plagued by ongoing

20 Swedish American Genealogist 2012:3 Brännkyrka CI:8 (1895-1902) Bild 2450 / sid 240 (AID: v84176.b2450.s240, NAD: SE/SSA/0003)

Tor’s life in the records They moved later to California, — Generation II — According to American biographies, and in Tor’s death notice he is listed Tore was born in Sweden in 1903. For as having signed up for the Social 4) Father unknown some reason this is not right; he was Security in New York before 1951. 5) fm Clara Josefina Lennqvist, b. 29 born in Brännkyrka in 1902, just Tor died in Sylmar, Los Angeles Jun 1845 in Klackhaga, Länna, south of Stockholm (see picture Co., California, on 1971 May 12. Södm. died 27 Jan 1920 in Älebytorp, above). Tore grew up in a working- Överselö, D. class family, and they moved from She worked most of her life as a Brännkyrka to the nearby island of domestic. In 1869 she married Johan Söder and then back again several Albert Andersson, b. 20 Oct 1846 in times. He had a brother Ernst Teodor, Tumbo, Södm., a tenant farmer in the b. 1884; sister Elsa Lovisa, b. 1889, Mariefred area. He ran away from who left for Chicago in 1906; Hilda home in the summer of 1875, and is Elvira, b. 1891; and Ester Maria, later supposed to be in America. b.1894. If any other siblings also emigrated is not known. In 1919 Tore 6) mf Per Gustaf Pettersson, b. 14 Oct left for America, but somehow told 1827 in Tensta, Upps., died after the authorities that he was going to 1881. He was a farm laborer, and la- Brännkyrka, as that is what is ter lived in Stockholm and moved in recorded in the Maria Magdalena and out of the city. Married to the moving-out records. following ancestor: He arrived at Ellis Island on Sep. 7) mm Maria Margareta Gustafs- 30 on the Stockholm, is called an dotter, b. 24 Dec 1822 in Lillkyrka, electrician, and his destination is sis- Upps., died after 1881. ter Elsie Möller in Chicago. He is — Generation III — listed as Karl Erik. This obituary was found in the Van Nuys In 1922 he returned to Sweden, Valley News 1971 May 16 (from News- 11) fm m Maria Sofia Persdotter, b. 6 and in 1923 he left again for Amer- paperarchive.com). Sep 1827 in Klackhaga, Länna, ica on the Kungsholm, this time in Södm. Married 26 Dec 1849 in Länna, the company of his future wife, Greta Tor’s ancestors Södm. to Johan Erik Lennqvist, b. 10 Maria Alfrida Johansson, born 1898 1) Karl Erik Tore (Tor) Johnson, b. Jun 1820 in Stora Risviken, Länna, Aug.9 in Kungsholm, Stockholm. 19 Oct 1902 in Tellusborg, Bränn- D. He lived with his in-laws at Gran- They arrived at Ellis Island on kyrka, Stock., died 12 May 1971 in lund on Klackhaga lands in Länna, 1923 March 28, and are both recorded Sylmar, Los Angeles Co., CA. but around 1853 he left his wife and as being unmarried. Their destina- disappeared. tion is his aunt, M. Nordmark, in Chi- — Generation I — cago, his mother’s older sister. Their — Generation IV — marriage record has not been found. 2) f Karl Johan Johansson, b. 28 Sep It has not been possible to find 1865 in Härad, Södm. died 15 Apr 22) fm mf Per Ersson, b. 26 Mar 1788 them in the 1930 census, but in 1940 1925 in Maria, Stockholm, AB. Stone in Länna, Södm. died in 1860 in they are living in New York, on 48th and building worker. Married 15 Feb Länna. Farmer at Klackhaga in street in Kings County in Brooklyn. 1891 in Jakob och Johannes, Stock- Länna. In 1855 he moved as a wid- Tore and Greta are married and their holm, Stock., to the following an- ower to the parish poorhouse. Mar- son Tore (later: Karl) is born ca 1925 cestor: ried to the following ancestor. in New York. In 1935 they lived in 3) m Lovisa Christina Pettersson, b. 23) fm mm Anna Andersdotter, b. 12 Boston, but were now in New York. 4 Aug 1867 in Österåker, Stock., still Feb 1794 in Länna, Södm. died of Tore is listed as a building worker, alive in 1926 in Stockholm. stomach ache 17 Jan 1829 in Klack- not an actor. haga, Länna, Södm.

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