Brad Johnson, a talented screen actor, found his calling in the 1940s and 1950s, specifically in westerns, which were incredibly popular during that era.
As the popularity of westerns began to decline, Johnson's career started to fade away, leaving him to make occasional guest appearances in detective episodes.
However, his brief stint in the spotlight came when he landed the role of Deputy Sheriff Lofty Craig, co-starring with Gail Davis in the lively and heavily fictionalized series Annie Oakley in 1954.
Johnson's ancestry was Swedish-American, and he had a strong educational background, having graduated from the University of Southern California after serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II.
Following his military service, Johnson began his acting career in live theatre, where his rugged good looks caught the attention of Hollywood, leading to a few uncredited bit parts in motion pictures, such as Bedtime for Bonzo in 1951 and The Greatest Show on Earth in 1952.
By 1953, Johnson had discovered his niche playing various deputies or henchmen in TV westerns, and his big break came when he landed a recurring role in Annie Oakley, which he appeared in all 81 episodes.
During his time on the show, Johnson rode his horse Forest and perfected a fast-draw gun act, which was likely tutored by ace markswoman Davis, and he would display this skill in later years at rodeos and county fairs.
Johnson continued to find work on shows like Death Valley Days in 1952, Cheyenne in 1955, and Maverick in 1957 until the mid-1960s.
In later years, Johnson turned down offers to act in spaghetti westerns in Europe and instead chose to pursue a more profitable career in real estate, hanging up his six-shooter for good.
