As per our current Database, John Lester Johnson has been died on 27 March, 1968 at West Los Angeles, California, USA.
When John Lester Johnson die, John Lester Johnson was 75 years old.
| Popular As | John Lester Johnson |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Age | 75 years old |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Born | August 13, 1893 (Suffolk, Virginia, USA) |
| Birthday | August 13 |
| Town/City | Suffolk, Virginia, USA |
| Nationality | USA |
John Lester Johnson’s zodiac sign is Leo. According to astrologers, people born under the sign of Leo are natural born leaders. They are dramatic, creative, self-confident, dominant and extremely difficult to resist, able to achieve anything they want to in any area of life they commit to. There is a specific strength to a Leo and their "king of the jungle" status. Leo often has many friends for they are generous and loyal. Self-confident and attractive, this is a Sun sign capable of uniting different groups of people and leading them as one towards a shared cause, and their healthy sense of humor makes collaboration with other people even easier.
John Lester Johnson was born in the Year of the Snake. Those born under the Chinese Zodiac sign of the Snake are seductive, gregarious, introverted, generous, charming, good with money, analytical, insecure, jealous, slightly dangerous, smart, they rely on gut feelings, are hard-working and intelligent. Compatible with Rooster or Ox.
John Lester Johnson was born in Suffolk, Virginia (his death certificate states South Carolina) on August 13, 1893. His middle name was Leslie, according to an "Ebony" magazine article about Johnson (January 1960), but he changed it to to Lester when he left Virginia in 1910 for New York City, hoping to make a career in boxing.
He had been fighting since his early teens. Johnson's first professional fight was in 1911 against Joe Jeannette in New York, but he lost the 10-round event on a decision. Described by sportswriters of the time as a "giant of a man" or as "a hulking ton of coal", he really was just a good-sized light-heavyweight.
His fighting weight varied between 173 and 185 pounds. The Harlem Sporting Club in New York City was the scene of what may have been the first integrated professional boxing event, on July 13, 1916. Johnson's opponent was Jack Dempsey, who was still unknown at that time, but had been attracting some attention in the Western states.
During the fight, Johnson proved to be a very worthwhile match against Dempsey, for in the second round, he broke three of Dempsey's ribs. The fight did continue, however, for a total of ten rounds, with no decision.
Some of the sportswriters gave Dempsey the winning title, but Dempsey himself denied winning. He said, "I didn't know how to fight then, and he (Johnson) did. I think he won, and he taught me more that night than I had ever dreamed before".
For the bout, Dempsey was paid $100, Johnson $200. Johnson continued boxing for several more years, eventually making his way to California. Denied his chance at the championship, he drifted into boxing obscurity.
He helped support himself by taking bit parts in motion pictures. He also worked as a night watchman for the Armed Forces General Services Center in Maywood, Los Angeles. John Lester Johnson appeared in many movies of the 1930s and 1940s, in small parts, usually as a doorman, a slave, a criminal, a witch doctor, and at least once as a policeman.
He did have one "starring" role, however, in the Our Gang 1933 short, "The Kid From Borneo". In this movie, he played Bumbo, "The Wild Man from Borneo". As Bumbo, he had a craving for candies, and every time he saw some, he'd say in a low, growling-like voice, "YUM-YUM! EAT' EM UP!" Johnson suffered a series of disabling strokes in the late 1950s, he resided at the Veterans Administration Hospital in West Los Angeles until his death, at age 74, on March 27, 1968.
His wife, the former Lulu Dill, survived. Johnson is interred at the Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles.
