J.J. Johnston

J.J. Johnston (born James William Johnston, October 24, 1933, Chicago, Illinois) is an American theatre and film actor and boxing historian and writer.

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976-EVIL (1988)

A bullied unpopular high school student named Hoax finds an ad for 976-EVIL, a number that provides daily 'horrorscopes'. But when he calls the number he gains demonic powers, which he uses to seek vengeance against those who bullied him.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Englund
CAST:  Robert Picardo  •  Stephen Geoffreys  •  Jim Metzler  •  Lezlie Deane

A bullied unpopular high school student named Hoax finds an ad for 976-EVIL, a number that provides daily 'horrorscopes'. But when he calls the number he gains demonic powers, which he uses to seek vengeance against those who bullied him.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Englund
CAST:  Robert Picardo  •  Stephen Geoffreys  •  Jim Metzler  •  Lezlie Deane

Beware! The Blob (1972)

A technician brings a frozen specimen of the original Blob back from the North Pole. When his wife accidentally defrosts the thing, it terrorizes the populace-- the local hippies, cops, drunks and bowlers must all face the Blob!  (more)

DIRECTION:  Larry Hagman
CAST:  Robert Walker Jr.  •  Richard Stahl  •  Richard Webb  •  Shelley Berman

A technician brings a frozen specimen of the original Blob back from the North Pole. When his wife accidentally defrosts the thing, it terrorizes the populace-- the local hippies, cops, drunks and bowlers must all face the Blob!  (more)

DIRECTION:  Larry Hagman
CAST:  Robert Walker Jr.  •  Richard Stahl  •  Richard Webb  •  Shelley Berman

Above Suspicion (1995)

Dempsey Cain is an honored cop, a loving husband and father, and mentor to his handsome younger brother. Then a drug dealer's bullet paralyzes him for life and Dempsey's world is shattered. Suddenly, his wife and brother seem to care less about him than for each ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Steven Schachter
CAST:  Christopher Reeve  •  Joe Mantegna  •  Kim Cattrall  •  Edward Kerr

Dempsey Cain is an honored cop, a loving husband and father, and mentor to his handsome younger brother. Then a drug dealer's bullet paralyzes him for life and Dempsey's world is shattered. Suddenly, his wife and brother seem to care less about him than for each ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Steven Schachter
CAST:  Christopher Reeve  •  Joe Mantegna  •  Kim Cattrall  •  Edward Kerr

Things Change (1988)

Jerry, a misfit Mafia henchman, is assigned the low-level job of keeping an eye on Gino, a shoe repairman fingered by the Mob to confess to a murder he didn't commit. But Gino's mistaken for a Mafia boss, and the two are suddenly catapulted to the highest levels of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  David Mamet
CAST:  Don Ameche  •  Joe Mantegna  •  Robert Prosky  •  J.J. Johnston

Jerry, a misfit Mafia henchman, is assigned the low-level job of keeping an eye on Gino, a shoe repairman fingered by the Mob to confess to a murder he didn't commit. But Gino's mistaken for a Mafia boss, and the two are suddenly catapulted to the highest levels of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  David Mamet
CAST:  Don Ameche  •  Joe Mantegna  •  Robert Prosky  •  J.J. Johnston

The Prime Gig (2001)

Pendelton "Penny" Wise is a smooth-talking con-artist who makes a living by scamming people with phoney travel comp vacations over the phone when, desperate for more fast cash, he's called to work for a shady, veteran con businessman, named Kelly Grant, in selling ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gregory Mosher
CAST:  Vince Vaughn  •  Julia Ormond  •  Ed Harris  •  Rory Cochrane

Pendelton "Penny" Wise is a smooth-talking con-artist who makes a living by scamming people with phoney travel comp vacations over the phone when, desperate for more fast cash, he's called to work for a shady, veteran con businessman, named Kelly Grant, in selling ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gregory Mosher
CAST:  Vince Vaughn  •  Julia Ormond  •  Ed Harris  •  Rory Cochrane

Redbelt (2008)

Is there room for principle in Los Angeles? Mike Terry teaches jujitsu and barely makes ends meet. His Brazilian wife, whose family promotes fights, wants to see Mike in the ring making money, but to him competition is degrading. A woman sideswipes Mike's car and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  David Mamet
CAST:  Chiwetel Ejiofor  •  Tim Allen  •  Alice Braga  •  Jose Pablo Cantillo

Is there room for principle in Los Angeles? Mike Terry teaches jujitsu and barely makes ends meet. His Brazilian wife, whose family promotes fights, wants to see Mike in the ring making money, but to him competition is degrading. A woman sideswipes Mike's car and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  David Mamet
CAST:  Chiwetel Ejiofor  •  Tim Allen  •  Alice Braga  •  Jose Pablo Cantillo

Ricky Jay Plays Poker (2007)

This is the companion video to Ricky Jay's selection of poker tunes entitled "Ricky Jay plays poker." It features John C. Riley and other famous people, sitting around a table headed by the incomparable Mr. Jay, discussing poker, sleight of hand, and proposition bets.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jesse Dylan
CAST:  Ricky Jay  •  John C. Reilly  •  J.J. Johnston  •  Willie Garson

This is the companion video to Ricky Jay's selection of poker tunes entitled "Ricky Jay plays poker." It features John C. Riley and other famous people, sitting around a table headed by the incomparable Mr. Jay, discussing poker, sleight of hand, and proposition bets.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jesse Dylan
CAST:  Ricky Jay  •  John C. Reilly  •  J.J. Johnston  •  Willie Garson

Weeds (1987)

A San Quentin inmate, sentenced to life without parole, writes a play that catches the interest of a reporter.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John D. Hancock
CAST:  Nick Nolte  •  Ernie Hudson  •  Rita Taggart  •  Mark Rolston

A San Quentin inmate, sentenced to life without parole, writes a play that catches the interest of a reporter.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John D. Hancock
CAST:  Nick Nolte  •  Ernie Hudson  •  Rita Taggart  •  Mark Rolston

Desert Steel (1994)

Car racing adventure set in Las Vegas.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Glenn Gebhard
CAST:  David Naughton  •  Amanda Wyss  •  Russ Tamblyn  •  Roger Mears

Car racing adventure set in Las Vegas.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Glenn Gebhard
CAST:  David Naughton  •  Amanda Wyss  •  Russ Tamblyn  •  Roger Mears

Dead Man's Run (2001)

Two vacationing couples lend assistance to an injured man. This good deed leads them into their worst nightmare.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Hyatt
CAST:  John Savage  •  Joe Lara  •  Erika Rochane  •  Diana Barton

Two vacationing couples lend assistance to an injured man. This good deed leads them into their worst nightmare.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Hyatt
CAST:  John Savage  •  Joe Lara  •  Erika Rochane  •  Diana Barton

Towing (1978)

An unscrupulous towing company picks up perfectly fine cars and impounds them. It's up to two bar maids to try and stop them.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Maura Smith
CAST:  Jennifer Ashley  •  Sue Lyon  •  Bobby Di Cicco  •  Joe Mantegna

An unscrupulous towing company picks up perfectly fine cars and impounds them. It's up to two bar maids to try and stop them.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Maura Smith
CAST:  Jennifer Ashley  •  Sue Lyon  •  Bobby Di Cicco  •  Joe Mantegna

Crisis in Mid-Air (1979)

The life of a stressed-out air controller falls apart as he battles a court case involving a mid-air collision for which an investigator is trying to hold him responsible.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Walter Grauman
CAST:  George Peppard  •  Desi Arnaz Jr.  •  Michael Constantine  •  Greg Morris

The life of a stressed-out air controller falls apart as he battles a court case involving a mid-air collision for which an investigator is trying to hold him responsible.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Walter Grauman
CAST:  George Peppard  •  Desi Arnaz Jr.  •  Michael Constantine  •  Greg Morris
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