Noble Johnson

(aka Noble M. Johnson, Mark Noble)
April 18, 1881 - January 9, 1978
Born Noble Mark Johnson in Marshall, Missouri, USA

See Internet Movie Database Filmography

A Lot of Favorite Memories of Noble Johnson

• As co-founder (with his brother) of the Lincoln Motion Picture Company, and one of the first successful African American film producers.
  
  
• As a lifelong friend of Lon Chaney, growing up with him after moving to Colorado Springs, Colorado, attending the same school, and staying in touch years later in Hollywood.
  
  
• Acting in dozens of early silent films, including the extraordinary science fiction fantasy 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1916), directed by Stuart Paton, and combining elements from the two Jules Verne novels about Captain Nemo. Starring Allen Holubar as Captain Nemo (aka Prince Daaker), with Lois Alexander, Curtis Benton, and Wallace Clarke.
  
  
• As "Conquest" in the silent anti-war drama The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921), directed by Rex Ingram (the famous director, not the Thief of Bagdad genie). Cast includes Rudolph Valentino, Alan Hale, Alice Terry, Nigel De Brulier, Wallace Beery, Jean Hersholt, Ramon Novarro and Bull Montana.
  
  
• As "Friday" in the silent Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1922), with Harry Myers as his Main Man Crusoe.
  
  
• As "The Bronze Man" in the prologue to Cecil B. DeMille's classic silent The Ten Commandments (1923), with Theodore Roberts, Richard Dix, Rod La Rocque, Leatrice Joy, Nita Naldi and Charles Ogle — Edison's Frankenstein Monster!
  
  
• As "The Indian Prince" in the fabulous silent fantasy The Thief of Bagdad (1924), directed by Raoul Walsh, and starring Douglas Fairbanks, Snitz Edwards, Julanne Johnston, Sojin, Anna May Wong, Brandon Hurst, Sam Baker and Sadakichi Hartmann. Produced and co-written by Fairbanks, with production design and art direction by William Cameron Menzies.
  
  
• As "Devil with lash whipping woman" in the silent fantasy in Dante's Inferno (1924). A modern story that brings Gustave Dore's famous illustrations for Dante's "Divine Comedy" to life in a spectacular vision of Hell. Starring Ralph Lewis, Winifred Landis, Pauline Starke, Josef Swickard and Lorimer Johnston.
  
  
• As the cannibal chief in Buster Keaton's silent comedy The Navigator (1924), co-directed with Keaton by Donald Crisp, and featuring Frederick Vroom and Kathryn McGuire.
  
  
• As the "Charioteer" in Cecil B. DeMille's silent epic The King of Kings (1927). Starring H.B. Warner as Jesus, with a supporting cast of truly Biblical proportions including Dorothy Cumming, Ernest Torrence, Joseph Schildkraut (Judas), Victor Varconi (Pilate), Montagu Love, William Boyd, Lionel Belmore, Sojin, Joe Bonomo, Brandon Hurst, Tom London, Josef Swickard, John George, Theodore Lorch, Ayn Rand and Sally Rand!
  
  
• As the "Broker" in Michael Curtiz's directorial venture into DeMille territory, the silent classic Noah's Ark (1929), juxtaposing a modern story with scenes from the Biblical Great Flood story. A great cast (most of them in dual ancient / modern roles) including George O'Brien, Dolores Costello, Noah Beery (Sr.), Louise Fazenda, Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams, Myrna Loy, Anders Randolf, William V. Mong, Nigel De Brulier, Joe Bonomo and John Wayne (as an extra).
  
  
• As "Ahmed" in the adventure classic The Four Feathers (1929), directed a few years before King Kong by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest Schoedsack (with Lothar Menzies), and produced by David O. Selznick. With Richard Arlen, Fay Wray, Clive Brook, William Powell, Noah Beery and Rex Ingram (the Thief of Bagdad genie, not the famous director).
  
  
• As "Li Po" in the early adaptation of Sax Rohmer's Yellow Peril adventure The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu (1929), directed by Rowland V. Lee, starring Warner Oland as the evil genius, with fine support from Neil Hamilton, Jean Arthur, and O.P. Heggie as Inspector Nayland Smith.
  
  
• As "Queequeg" in Moby Dick (1930), directed by Lloyd Bacon, and very loosely based on Herman Melville's masterpiece. Starring John Barrymore as Ahab (his second attempt), Joan Bennett as his beloved (!), Nigel De Brulier (as Elijah), and Walter Long.
  
  
• As "Osman" in East of Borneo (1931), a jungle-hell adventure directed by George Melford, and produced by Melford, Paul Kohner, and Carl Laemmle Jr. — the team responsible for the excellent Spanish-language version of Dracula at Universal. Starring Rose Hobart, Charles Bickford, Georges Renavent, and Lupita Tovar (the heroine "Eva" in the Spanish Dracula)..
  
  
• As "Bobo, a Caribbean Policeman" in Safe in Hell (1931), a sweltering pre-code drama directed by William Wellman. With Dorothy Mackaill, Donald Cook, Ralf Harolde, John Wray, Victor Varconi, Nina Mae McKinney, Charles Middleton, Clarence Muse and Gustav von Seyffertitz.
  
  
• As "Janos," servant of the mad scientist Dr. Mirakle in Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932), directed by Robert Florey and loosely based on the Edgar Allan's Poe's horror / mystery story. Starring Bela Lugosi, Sidney Fox, Leon Ames (as Leon Waycoff), Bert Roach , Brandon Hurst, D'Arcy Corrigan, Arlene Francis, Ted Billings, Torben Meyer, Tempe Pigott, Michael Visaroff, Charles Gemora (as Erik, the Gorilla), and Joe Bonomo (Gemora's stunt double in a difficult athletic scene). Additional dialogue by John Huston, cinematography by Karl Freund, art direction by Charles D. Hall, makeup by Jack P. Pierce, and special effects by John P. Fulton.
  
  
• As "Mudo," murderous mute Indian henchman of the "brains heavy" in the excellent weird western, Mystery Ranch (1932). Starring George O'Brien, Cecilia Parker, Charles Middleton (a great villain), Charles Stevens, Forrester Harvey and Steve Clemente.
  
  
• As "Ivan," the murderous mute Cossack henchman of the mad hunter Count Zaroff in RKO's horror / adventure classic The Most Dangerous Game (1932), directed by Irving Pichel and Ernest B. Schoedsack, produced by Merian C. Cooper and David O. Selznick, and based on the classic short story by Richard Connell. Great cast — Leslie Banks, Joel McCrea, Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong and Steve Clemente — and a terrific score by Max Steiner.
  
  
• As "The Nubian," faithful slave of Ardath Bey, The Mummy (1932), in the classic Universal horror / romance directed by Karl Freund. Starring Boris Karloff and Zita Johann, with David Manners, Arthur Byron, Edward Van Sloan, Bramwell Fletcher and Leonard Mudie. Makeup by Jack P. Pierce, special effects by John P. Fulton, and art direction by Willy Pogany.
  
  
• As the magnificent Chief of the Skull Island natives in RKO's fabulous adventure fantasy King Kong (1933), directed and produced by Ernest B. Schoedsack and Merian C. Cooper (with David O. Selznick as executive producer). Brilliant stop-motion animation by Willis O'Brien, a thrilling score by Max Steiner, and superb production values on every level. The perfect cast includes Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot, Frank Reicher, Sam Hardy, Steve Clemente, James Flavin, Roscoe Ates, Reginald Barlow, producers Cooper and Schoedsack (flying the plane that kills Kong), Dick Curtis, LeRoy Mason, Carlotta Monti, Gil Perkins, Madame Sul-Te-Wan, Jim Thorpe and Victor Wong.
  
  
• As the "Native King" again, back for more big monkey business in RKO's serio-comic sequel The Son of Kong, (1933). Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack, produced by Merian C. Cooper with Schoedsack and Archie Marshek, animated by Willis O'Brien, and scored by Steiner — a rush job this time, far from classic, but still amusing and entertaining. The cast, some reprising their original Kong roles, includes Robert Armstrong, Helen Mack, Frank Reicher, John Marston, Victor Wong, Edward Brady and Steve Clemente.
  
  
• As a torturer in the Eddie Cantor comedy Roman Scandals (1933). With Ruth Etting, Gloria Stuart, David Manners, Verree Teasdale, Edward Arnold, Alan Mowbray, Willard Robertson, Richard Alexander, Lucille Ball, Billy Barty, Harry Cording, Jane Darwell, Stanley Fields, Francis Ford, Paulette Goddard and Michael Mark.
  
  
• As "Ram Singh" in the British Raj adventure The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935), directed by Henry Hathaway. Starring Gary Cooper, Franchot Tone, Richard Cromwell, Sir Guy Standing, C. Aubrey Smith, Kathleen Burke, Douglass Dumbrille, Monte Blue, Akim Tamiroff, J. Carrol Naish, Lumsden Hare and Mischa Auer.
  
  
• As the "Amahaggar Chief" who incurrs the wrath of "She Who Must Be Obeyed," immortal queen of the lost land of Kor, in RKO's romantic fantasy / adventure She (1935). Directed by Irving Pichel and Lansing C. Holden, produced by Merian C. Cooper and Shirley Burden, beautifully scored by Max Steiner, and based on the novel by H. Rider Haggard. Starring Helen Gahagan as "She" (her only film before marrying Melvyn Douglas and entering politics), with great support from Randolph Scott, Helen Mack , Nigel Bruce, Gustav von Seyffertitz, Ray Corrigan, Lumsden Hare, Samuel S. Hinds and Jim Thorpe.
  
  
• As a mean-looking Indian in Cecil B. DeMille's archetypal western The Plainsman (1937). Starring Gary Cooper as Wild Bill Hickok, Jean Arthur as Calamity Jane and James Ellison as Buffalo Bill Cody, with Charles Bickford, Porter Hall, Paul Harvey, Victor Varconi, John Miljan (Custer), Frank McGlynn Sr. (Lincoln), Fred Kohler, Harry Woods, Anthony Quinn, Francis McDonald, George 'Gabby' Hayes, Fuzzy Knight, Richard Alexander, Stanley Andrews, George Cleveland, Franklyn Farnum, Francis Ford, Jonathan Hale, Bud Osborne, Charles Stevens, Chief Thundercloud and Hank Worden.
  
  
• As the leader of the porters on the return journey from Shangri-La in Frank Capra's classic fantasy adventure Lost Horizon (1937). Starring Ronald Colman, Jane Wyatt, John Howard, Margo, Thomas Mitchell, Edward Everett Horton, Isabel Jewell, H.B. Warner and Sam Jaffe (as the ancient High Lama), with a colorful supporting cast including Chief John Big Tree, Neil Fitzgerald, Lawrence Grant, Richard Loo, Leonard Mudie and Victor Wong. Music by Dimitri Tiomkin.
  
  
• As a Sikh policeman in the British Raj adventure Wee Willie Winkie (1937), directed by John Ford, produced by Darryl F. Zanuck, and based on a Rudyard Kipling story. Starring Shirley Temple, Victor McLaglen, C. Aubrey Smith, June Lang, Michael Whalen, Cesar Romero, Brandon Hurst and Willie Fung.
  
  
• As a native sergeant in the mystery adventure Mysterious Mr. Moto (1938), directed by Norman Foster. Starring Peter Lorre (as oriental detective Moto), with Mary Maguire, Henry Wilcoxon, Harold Huber, Leon Ames, Forrester Harvey, Lester Matthews, John Rogers, Reginald Barlow, Billy Bevan, Leyland Hodgson, Adia Kuznetzoff and Leonard Mudie.
  
  
• In an unusually big (and talkative) part as the Indian "Mokuyi," surrogate father, advisor and friend to the hero "Kioga" in the Republic chapterplay Hawk of the Wilderness (1938), directed by William Witney and John English. Starring 1928 Olympic champion shot-putter Herman Brix (later Bruce Bennett), with (Ray) Mala, Monte Blue, William Royle, George Eldredge, Dick Wessel, Fred 'Snowflake' Toones, Chief John Big Tree and Iron Eyes Cody.
  
  
• As "General Regules" in the Warner Bros. biopic Juarez (1939), directed by William Dieterle. Starring Paul Muni, Bette Davis, Brian Aherne, Claude Rains and John Garfield, with Donald Crisp, Joseph Calleia, Gale Sondergaard, Louis Calhern, Montagu Love, Irving Pichel, Monte Blue, Hugh Sothern, Frank Lackteen, Charles Halton, Egon Brecher, Robert Frazer, Holmes Herbert, Frank Reicher, Jason Robards Sr., Michael Visaroff, Robert Warwick and many more fine players.
  
  
• As an Indian shooting a piano in Cecil DeMille's western epic Union Pacific (1939). Starring Barbara Stanwyck, Joel McCrea, Akim Tamiroff, Robert Preston, Lynne Overman and Brian Donlevy, supported by Robert Barrat, Anthony Quinn, Stanley Ridges, Francis McDonald, Willard Robertson, Evelyn Keyes, J.M. Kerrigan, Harry Woods, Ernie Adams, Richard Alexander, Lon Chaney Jr. and many others.
  
  
• As an Indian in the story of pioneer settlers in New York's Mohawk Valley, Drums Along the Mohawk (1939), directed by John Ford. Starring Claudette Colbert and Henry Fonda, with an excellent supporting cast including Edna May Oliver, John Carradine (as the renegade traitor, Caldwell), Arthur Shields, Robert Lowery, Roger Imhof, Francis Ford, Ward Bond, Russell Simpson, Chief John Big Tree and Tom Tyler.
  
  
• As a sinister South American Indian chief in the jungle adventure Green Hell (1940), directed by James Whale, with cinematography by Karl Freund. Cast includes Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Joan Bennett, John Howard, George Sanders, Alan Hale, George Bancroft, a very young Vincent Price, Francis McDonald, Ray Mala and Lupita Tovar. Look for the huge temple prop used again in The Mummy's Hand!
  
  
• As "The Zombie," a genuinely frightening monster character in the atmospheric Bob Hope comedy The Ghost Breakers (1940). With Paulette Goddard, Richard Carlson, Paul Lukas, Willie Best, Pedro de Cordoba, Virginia Brissac (as Mother Zombie), Anthony Quinn and Paul Fix.
  
  
• As "Irate Russian" in the tropical adventure / comedy / drama Seven Sinners (1940), directed by Tay Garnett. Starring Marlene Dietrich and John Wayne, with Albert Dekker, Broderick Crawford , Anna Lee, Mischa Auer, Billy Gilbert, Samuel S. Hinds, Oskar Homolka, Reginald Denny, Vince Barnett, Herbert Rawlinson, Willie Fung, Henry Victor and many others.
  
  
• As "Chief" in Road to Zanzibar (1941), starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and Dorothy Lamour, with Una Merkel, Eric Blore, Douglass Dumbrille, Leigh Whipper, Luis Alberni , Leo Gorcey and Charles Gemora (as a gorilla).
  
  
• As "Native Chief Elan," temporarily terrorized by Lionel Atwill in Universal's The Mad Doctor of Market Street (1942). One of the films in the original SHOCK! package syndicated to television in the late fifties, With Una Merkel, Nat Pendleton, Claire Dodd and Anne Nagel.
  
  
• As "Sikh" in Jungle Book (1942), directed by Zoltan Korda, produced by Alexander Korda, and based on the "Mowgli" stories of Rudyard Kipling. Starring Sabu, Joseph Calleia, John Qualen, Frank Puglia, Rosemary DeCamp, Ralph Byrd. Good special effects and a beautiful score by Miklós Rózsa.
  
  
• As "Carib," assisting the mad hunter of humans for the second time in A Game of Death (1945), a remake of The Most Dangerous Game directed by Robert Wise. Starring John Loder and Audrey Long as the prey and Edgar Barrier as the hunter, with Russell Wade, Russell Hicks, Gene Stutenroth, Jason Robards (Sr.) and Robert Clarke.
  
  
• As the Trustee in Hell who gives Eddie Kagle a few words of introduction in the gangster / comedy / fantasy / romance Angel on My Shoulder (1946), directed by Archie Mayo. Starring Paul Muni as a streetwise gangster and an upright judge, Claude Rains as "Nick," the Devil trying to collect his soul, Anne Baxter, and a fine supporting cast including Onslow Stevens, George Cleveland, James Flavin, Jonathan Hale, Fritz Leiber, and Kurt Katch (in a great small part as Nick's unctuous toady in Hell).
  
  
• As "Hasson" in the "Bowery Boys" programmer Hard Boiled Mahoney (1947), directed by William Beaudine. The usual gang of lovable idiots, including Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Bobby Jordan, Gabriel Dell, Billy Benedict, David Gorcey, and Bernard Gorcey, with Betty Compson, Teala Loring, Dan Seymour, Byron Foulger and Pierre Watkin.
  
  
• As "Big Ottawa Indian" in Cecil B. DeMille's early American epic Unconquered (1947). Starring Gary Cooper (the hero), Paulette Goddard (the heroine) and Howard Da Silva (the villain), with excellent support from a huge cast including Boris Karloff (as a real bad Indian), Cecil Kellaway, Ward Bond, Katherine DeMille, Henry Wilcoxon, C. Aubrey Smith, Mike Mazurki, Alan Napier, Marc Lawrence, Raymond Hatton, Lloyd Bridges, Iron Eyes Cody, Clarence Muse, Richard Alexander, Lex Barker, Chief John Big Tree, Harry Cording, Jeff Corey, Francis Ford , Byron Foulger, Karolyn Grimes, John Harmon, Leyland Hodgson, Olaf Hytten, Francis McDonald, Frank Moran and Ottola Nesmith.
  
  
• As "Chief Red Shirt," leader of the Native American resistance in the "cavalry picture" She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), directed by John Ford, and produced by Merian C. Cooper, Ford, and Lowell Farrell. Boy, does Red Shirt hate the White Man, and John Ford shows his passion (and his wounded dignity) very plainly with a few deft shots. A classic western with a great cast including John Wayne (one of his best), Joanne Dru, John Agar, Ben Johnson , Harry Carey Jr., Victor McLaglen, Mildred Natwick, George O'Brien, Arthur Shields, Chief John Big Tree (Hallelujah!), Tom Tyler, Paul Fix, Francis Ford, Jack Pennick, Harry Woods and Irving Pichel (uncredited narrator).

Last revised May 9 2021 by George "E-gor" Chastain.

Maintained by George "E-gor" Chastain (e-mail: egorschamber@gmail.com)