Johnson is best known for his role on the sitcom Soap, in which he played ventriloquist Chuck Campbell and his dummy Bob. Chuck treated Bob as though he were real, and, when performing as Bob, displayed a rude and sarcastic personality that would often provoke violence against the dummy.
In addition to his role on Soap, Johnson has also appeared as a celebrity guest on many game shows and hosted two series of his own, So You Think You Got Troubles (1983) and Celebrity Charades (1979).
He starred in Broken Badges (1990), a Stephen CannellCBS television production in which he played Stanley Jones, a depressed police officer who was also a ventriloquist.
In 1999, he reprised his role of Chuck (and Bob) Campbell in an episode of That '70s Show. Post-2000 appearances include the 2001 TV Movie What's Up, Peter Fuddy?, an appearance on Reno 911!, and the role of Christopher Davis—biological father of "The Miniature Killer" Natalie Davis—in the CSI: episode "Living Doll".
Live theaterEdit
Jay Johnson: The Two & Only! written and performed by Jay Johnson, opened on Broadway to rave reviews at the Helen Hayes Theatre on September 28, 2006. This was preceded by an acclaimed off-Broadway run at the Atlantic Theatre Company in New York. The show also performed at the Zero Arrow Theatre, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the Brentwood and Colony Theater Company in Los Angeles, California. The Cambridge performance garnered the New England Critics Award, and in Los Angeles, Johnson received the 2006 Ovation Award for Best Solo Performance.
The show deconstructs and demonstrates Johnson's lifelong obsession with the art of ventriloquism. The show is a Valentine, not only to the art, but also to his mentor and friend Arthur Sieving, who created Johnson's first professional puppet. The show is aided and abetted by a cast of ventriloquated characters, including his Soap alter ego, Bob. Johnson won the 2007 Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event for the show. He is the only ventriloquist to ever be nominated and win an American Theatre Wing Tony Award or an Ovation Award.
The show was filmed on September 15, 2012, in Thalian Hall in Wilmington, North Carolina. Johnson enlisted film and stage director Bryan W. Simon to direct the film adaptation of the performance. Johnson first met Simon in 2009 when he starred in the comedy documentary I'm No Dummy,[1][2] directed by Bryan W. Simon.
The original Bob puppet featured on Soap was added to the entertainment collection at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History in May 2007. He currently uses a replica Bob for Jay Johnson: The Two & Only! and other appearances.
Playbill article: Jay Johnson: 'The Two & Only!' Plays Burbank Prior to Broadway
Extended audio interview with Jay Johnson about Soap
BroadwayWorld.com interview with Jay Johnson, June 6, 2007
October 22, 2023
johnson, ventriloquist, this, article, includes, list, references, related, reading, external, links, sources, remain, unclear, because, lacks, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, february, 2008, lear. This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations February 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message Jay Johnson born July 11 1949 is an American ventriloquist and actor best known for playing Chuck and Bob Campbell on Soap Jay JohnsonBorn 1949 07 11 July 11 1949 age 74 Lubbock Texas U S OccupationVentriloquistYears active1977 present Contents 1 Early life 2 Television 3 Live theater 4 References 5 External linksEarly life EditThis section needs expansion You can help by adding to it December 2021 Johnson was born in Lubbock Texas and raised in Richardson Texas He attended Richardson High School Television EditJohnson is best known for his role on the sitcom Soap in which he played ventriloquist Chuck Campbell and his dummy Bob Chuck treated Bob as though he were real and when performing as Bob displayed a rude and sarcastic personality that would often provoke violence against the dummy In addition to his role on Soap Johnson has also appeared as a celebrity guest on many game shows and hosted two series of his own So You Think You Got Troubles 1983 and Celebrity Charades 1979 He performed in an episode of Mrs Columbo playing a ventriloquist who finds his dummy is acting independently of his will and kills the man who carved it Other post Soap TV credits include appearances on The Love Boat Gimme a Break Simon amp Simon The Facts of Life Empty Nest reuniting him with his father from Soap Richard Mulligan and Dave s World He starred in Broken Badges 1990 a Stephen Cannell CBS television production in which he played Stanley Jones a depressed police officer who was also a ventriloquist In 1999 he reprised his role of Chuck and Bob Campbell in an episode of That 70s Show Post 2000 appearances include the 2001 TV Movie What s Up Peter Fuddy an appearance on Reno 911 and the role of Christopher Davis biological father of The Miniature Killer Natalie Davis in the CSI episode Living Doll Live theater EditJay Johnson The Two amp Only written and performed by Jay Johnson opened on Broadway to rave reviews at the Helen Hayes Theatre on September 28 2006 This was preceded by an acclaimed off Broadway run at the Atlantic Theatre Company in New York The show also performed at the Zero Arrow Theatre Cambridge Massachusetts and the Brentwood and Colony Theater Company in Los Angeles California The Cambridge performance garnered the New England Critics Award and in Los Angeles Johnson received the 2006 Ovation Award for Best Solo Performance The show deconstructs and demonstrates Johnson s lifelong obsession with the art of ventriloquism The show is a Valentine not only to the art but also to his mentor and friend Arthur Sieving who created Johnson s first professional puppet The show is aided and abetted by a cast of ventriloquated characters including his Soap alter ego Bob Johnson won the 2007 Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event for the show He is the only ventriloquist to ever be nominated and win an American Theatre Wing Tony Award or an Ovation Award The show was filmed on September 15 2012 in Thalian Hall in Wilmington North Carolina Johnson enlisted film and stage director Bryan W Simon to direct the film adaptation of the performance Johnson first met Simon in 2009 when he starred in the comedy documentary I m No Dummy 1 2 directed by Bryan W Simon The original Bob puppet featured on Soap was added to the entertainment collection at the Smithsonian Institution s National Museum of American History in May 2007 He currently uses a replica Bob for Jay Johnson The Two amp Only and other appearances References Edit I m No Dummy IMDb com I m No Dummy digitalcinemareport com Digital Cinema Report 9 June 2009 External links EditJay Johnson The Two amp Only Official Broadway website Jay Johnson s official site Jay Johnson at IMDb IBDB Playbill article Jay Johnson The Two amp Only Plays Burbank Prior to Broadway Extended audio interview with Jay Johnson about Soap BroadwayWorld com interview with Jay Johnson June 6 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jay Johnson ventriloquist amp oldid 1180600821, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
