Besedka Johnson
Besedka Johnson (October 5, 1925 – April 4, 2013) was an American film actress and former businessperson. Johnson was discovered a film executive producer while working out at a Hollywood YMCA when she was 85 years old.[1] She was subsequently cast in a starring role in her only movie, the 2012 independent film Starlet.[1][2] Johnson earned excellent reviews and several awards for her portrayal of "Sadie," opposite actress Dree Hemingway.[2]
Johnson was born Beatrice Vivian Divic in Detroit, Michigan, on October 5, 1925.[1] She began using the first name "Besedka" during the 1960s, which came from the name of a dress shop she owned on Ventura Boulevard in Woodland Hills, California, at the time.[1]
Johnson died at from complications following surgery for a bacterial infection on April 4, 2013, at Glendale Memorial Hospital in Glendale, California, at the age of 87.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e Nelson, Valerie J. (2013-04-10). "Besedka Johnson dies at 87; discovered by Hollywood at age 85". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2013-05-02.
- ^ a b Yardley, William (2013-04-14). "Besedka Johnson, Late-Blooming Actress, Dies at 87". New York Times. Retrieved 2013-05-02.