Bonanza Boomers

Although many did not know him by name, Chubby Johnson's lined face and homespun voice were familiar to the television and theater audiences of the 1950's and 1960's, often as the comical stagecoach driver or deputy. A veteran of more than 80 film appearances, Johnson did not begin acting until he was nearly 50, following successful careers as a journalist and radio announcer.

Charles Rutledge Johnson was born August 13, 1903, in Terre Haute, Indiana. He made his film debut in the Randolph Scott film Abilene Town (1946), followed by the Errol Flynn horse opera, Rocky Mountain (1950). After that, he began making regular appearances on the small screen in Rocky Lane and Sky King.

Johnson appeared as a supporting character in several feature films throughout the 1950's, including Cattle Queen of Montana (1954), with Barbara Stanwyck; Bend of the River (1953), with James Stewart; and High Noon (1952) with Gary Cooper.

After a regular stint on the short lived series Frontier Doctor (1958), Johnson continued regular appearances on several television Westerns, including Gunsmoke, The Rifleman, Rawhide, and Death Valley Days.
Johnson made nine appearances on Bonanza: The Ride (1962); Desert Justice (1962); Gallagher's Sons (1962); The Last Haircut (1963); Hound Dog (1965); Ponderosa Explosion (1967); The Gold Detector (1967); Terror At 2:00 (1971); and Search In Limbo (1972).

He is arguably best remembered among Bonanza fans for the delightfully improvised dialogue he exchanged with Pernell Roberts at the beginning of The Ride:
Along with Bonanza, Johnson combined large and small screen appearances throughout the 1960's and 1970's in Support Your Local Sheriff (1969), with James Garner; Sam Whiskey (1969), with Burt Reynolds; Lassie, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and The Big Valley.
Chubby Johnson died October 31, 1974, in Hollywood, California, at the age of 71, and was laid to rest at Woodlawn Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Sources:
Charles "Chubby" Johnson at imdB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0424793/