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This article is about the American actor Kurt Johnson. For the American race car driver, see Kurt_Johnson
==== Kurt Johnson, '''(October 5, 1952 - February 12, 1986), was an American stage and film actor. Johnson was best known for his dramatic roles in thriller/chiller/spook films of the 1980's such as Ghost_Story_(1981_film), The_Fan_(1981_film) and Sole_Survivor_(1984_film). He also played Victor, in the Merchant/Ivory film Jane Austen in Manhattan (1981). On February 12, 1986, Kurt passed away from Auto-Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), in Los Angeles, California. He was 33 years old.'''====

Early Life
Kurt Johnson was born Robert Johnson in Pasadena, California on October 5, 1952.

Acting Career
Johnson started his career in the theater, performing in at least four Broadway plays including A Chorus Line (1975), and The Stitch In Time (1981). Some of his early theater training can be seen in the film, The Fan. The Fan stars Lauren_Bacall, in the role of Sally Ross, an aging star of the theater and film. Sally becomes the object of unrequited obsession by a psychopathic record salesman named Douglas Breen, played effectively by Michael_Biehn. Douglas begins writing letters to Sally, but her assistant, Belle Goldman (Maureen_Stapleton), has been retrieving them and does not reveal this to Sally until later when it becomes apparent to Belle that his obsession with Sally has gone too far. Douglas' frustration grows, and discovers that the responses to his letters have been by Belle, and that she has been keeping his letters to Sally a secret. This angers Douglas and he attacks her with a straight edge razor, slashing her face.

Kurt famously portrayed the young Edward "Ned" Wanderley in Ghost Story (1981), alongside an impressive ensemble cast in the ghost story based on the Peter Straub novel of the same name. The cast boasts of legendary actors John Houseman, Melvin Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Fred Astaire, Patricia Neal, and Jacqueline Brookes. The contemporary cast included Alice Krige (playing duel roles), Craig Wasson (playing duel roles), Ken Olin (This Is Us), Tim Choate, and Mark Chamberlin. The film released to mixed reviews from critics, but was well-received by some horror/chiller fans, and has earned a somewhat cult classic status.