Mel Johnson, Jr.
Encyclopedia
Mel Johnson, Jr. is an American actor and film producer from Queensbridge, Queens
in New York City
.
film, Total Recall
. He also starred in the Broadway
musical, On the Twentieth Century
and appeared in the Public Theater
's "Shakespeare in the Park" 2005 revival of Two Gentlemen of Verona
. He was also in the musical The Rink.
Johnson is also well known to Star Trek
fans for playing Broca, the Cardassian
who becomes leader of the Cardassian Union in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
s final two episodes, "The Dogs of War
" and "What You Leave Behind
". Johnson has also guest starred in The Munsters Today
, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
and The Practice
. His other motion picture credits include Off the Mark
, American Blue Note, Murder By Numbers
, Hideous!, Archibald the Rainbow Painter and In the Shadow of the Cobra.
Johnson's credits as producer include Ragdoll
, The Horrible Dr. Bones and The Vault
.
Queensbridge, Queens
Queensbridge Houses is the largest public housing development in North America. It is located in Long Island City in Queens, and opened in 1939. The 3,142-unit complex is owned by the New York City Housing Authority. The complex is located in Community Board 1...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Biography
Among his best known roles, Johnson portrays the mutant cab driver Benny in the 1990 hit science fictionScience fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
film, Total Recall
Total Recall
Total Recall is a 1990 American science fiction action film. The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside, Ronny Cox & Mel Johnson, Jr.. It is based on the Philip K. Dick story “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale”...
. He also starred in the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musical, On the Twentieth Century
On the Twentieth Century
On the Twentieth Century is a musical with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Cy Coleman. Part operetta, part farce, part screwball comedy, the story involves the behind-the-scenes relationship of a temperamental actress and a director.-Background:Comden and Green based...
and appeared in the Public Theater
Public Theater
The Public Theater is a New York City arts organization founded as The Shakespeare Workshop in 1954 by Joseph Papp, with the intention of showcasing the works of up-and-coming playwrights and performers. It is headquartered at 425 Lafayette Street in the former Astor Library in the East Village...
's "Shakespeare in the Park" 2005 revival of Two Gentlemen of Verona
Two Gentlemen of Verona (musical)
Two Gentlemen of Verona is a rock musical, with a book by John Guare and Mel Shapiro, lyrics by Guare and music by Galt MacDermot, based on the Shakespeare comedy of the same name....
. He was also in the musical The Rink.
Johnson is also well known to Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
fans for playing Broca, the Cardassian
Cardassian
The Cardassians are an extraterrestrial species in the Star Trek science fiction franchise. First introduced in the 1991 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Wounded", the species originating on the fictional Alpha Quadrant planet Cardassia Prime...
who becomes leader of the Cardassian Union in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
s final two episodes, "The Dogs of War
The Dogs of War (DS9 episode)
"The Dogs of War" is an episode from the finale arc of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the eighth of the ten final chapters, based on a story by Peter Allan Fields...
" and "What You Leave Behind
What You Leave Behind (DS9 Episode)
"What You Leave Behind" is the series finale of the television show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and is the twenty-fifth episode of the seventh season. Much of the episode is set on Cardassia Prime, the home world of the Cardassians and the headquarters of the Dominion in the Alpha Quadrant...
". Johnson has also guest starred in The Munsters Today
The Munsters Today
The Munsters Today is an American sitcom that aired in syndication from 1988 to 1991. The series served as a sequel to the 1960s sitcom The Munsters.-Production:...
, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990 to May 20, 1996. The show stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to move in with his aunt and uncle in their...
and The Practice
The Practice
The Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. Running for eight seasons from 1997 to 2004, the show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful and lighter spin-off series Boston...
. His other motion picture credits include Off the Mark
Off The Mark
Off The Mark is a comic panel created by Mark Parisi which began in 1987 and now appears in 100 newspapers. It also appears on greeting cards, in magazines, on T-shirts and more. Off The Mark is distributed daily by United Media....
, American Blue Note, Murder By Numbers
Murder by Numbers
Murder by Numbers is a 2002 psychological thriller film produced and directed by Barbet Schroeder. It stars Sandra Bullock, Ben Chaplin, Ryan Gosling and Michael Pitt. It is loosely based on the Leopold and Loeb case....
, Hideous!, Archibald the Rainbow Painter and In the Shadow of the Cobra.
Johnson's credits as producer include Ragdoll
Ragdoll
The Ragdoll is a cat breed with blue eyes and a distinct colorpoint coat. It is a large and muscular semi-longhair cat with a soft and silky coat. Developed by American breeder Ann Baker, it is best known for its docile and placid temperament and affectionate nature...
, The Horrible Dr. Bones and The Vault
The Vault
The Vault is a British music television channel owned and operated by CSC Media Group. It launched in Summer 2003 and shows classic music videos from yesteryear and songs which are between one and five years old. It also plays some music from the eighties and nineties...
.
External links
- Listen to Mel Johnson on Spotlight on Connecticut - Visit http://www.SpotlightonCT.com/2_04_08_Mel_Johnson.html