Johnson, Lydia


Niche Actresses of the European Cult Movies
Pic-List (list with profile pictures)
Post Reply
User avatar
PeplumParadise
Moderator
Posts: 31097
Joined: 05.02.19
Location: Spain
Name: Nick
Contact:

Johnson, Lydia

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/01/2022, 21:21

screenshot29.jpg
Lydia Johnson, in French Cancan (1955)
Lydia Johnson was a Russian dancer, singer and actress in the theatre and cinema. She appeared in around 20 films, mostly Italian productions, during the 40's and 50's.

She was born Lydia Abramovic on January 6th 1896 in Rostov, Russia.

As a child she studied with the Moscow ballet, but she abandoned classical dance in favour of more populist vaudeville ballet style.

At some point she met and married English dancer Albert Johnson, with whom she had a daughter, Elena, born in 1914 (who, under the name Lucy D'Albert, also appeared in a number of Italian films). She had a second daughter, the actress Gioia Collei.[1]

Following the October Revolution of 1917, Lydia moved with her family first to Kiev, then to Odessa, Baku, Istanbul, America, France and eventually settled in Naples, Italy.

In the twenties she helped popularise jazz in Italy, taking some of the biggest bands on tour around the country with her own dance troupe and she had some notable success as a singer.

Having appeared in 2 films in Odessa in 1916-17, the Italian phase of her film career began in 1938. She appeared in mostly small roles in around 20 films spread over the next 23 years. In films she was frequently credited as "Lidia", but all her publicity shots and, more importantly, her signature, use the "Y" spelling.

Lydia died on April 3rd 1969 in Naples, at the age of 73.

Filmography

1938
  1. Nonna Felicita .... Baroness Michette (poster credit as "Lidia Johnson" - role unconfirmed)

    1941
  2. L'allegro fantasma …. Singing mother (credited)

    1943
  3. Non mi muovo! …. Signora Strabotta (credited as "Lidia Johnson")
  4. T'amerò sempre …. Perfume customer (uncredited)

    1955
  5. French Cancan …. Madame Guibole (uncredited)

    1956
  6. Guardia, guardia scelta, brigadiere e maresciallo …. Madame Yolande (credited as "Lidia Johnson")
  7. Noi siamo le colonne …. Lidia (credited)

    1960
  8. A qualcuna piace calvo …. Gertrude Robinson (credited as "Lidia Johnson")

    1961
  9. Una spada nell'ombra …. Marta (credited as "Lidia Johnson")

Titles to check
  • Doch Anny Kareninoy (1916) IMDb
  • Litso sudby (1917) IMDb
  • Le due madri (1939) ANICA, as the Other mother, ex-variety singer
  • Cento lettere d'amore (1940) ANICA
  • Il re del circo (1941) ANICA
  • La principessa del sogno (1942) ANICA as Friend of the singer lirica
  • La signorina (1942) ANICA
  • Paura d'amare (1942) ANICA as Marchesa
  • La danza del fuoco (1943) ANICA
  • Senza una donna (1943) ANICA as Signora Tromba
  • Il fiore sotto gli occhi (1944) ANICA as Maria Pia
  • Teheran (1946) ANICA
  • Addio Mimí! (1949) IMDb as Opera singer
Notes and sources
1. Dante Lazzaro. Cineguida 1943.
Last edited by PeplumParadise on 18/06/2022, 1:17, edited 11 times in total.

User avatar
PeplumParadise
Moderator
Posts: 31097
Joined: 05.02.19
Location: Spain
Name: Nick
Contact:

Re: Johnson, Lydia

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/01/2022, 21:30

Nonna Felicita (1938) credited on the poster as "Lidia Johnson", as Baroness Michette (role to be confirmed)
30.jpg

User avatar
PeplumParadise
Moderator
Posts: 31097
Joined: 05.02.19
Location: Spain
Name: Nick
Contact:

Re: Johnson, Lydia

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/01/2022, 21:32

L'allegro fantasma (1941) credited, as Singing mother
screenshot3.jpg
screenshot4.jpg
screenshot5.jpg
screenshot6.jpg
screenshot.jpg

User avatar
PeplumParadise
Moderator
Posts: 31097
Joined: 05.02.19
Location: Spain
Name: Nick
Contact:

Re: Johnson, Lydia

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/01/2022, 21:35

Non mi muovo! (1943) credited as "Lidia Johnson", as Signora Strabotta.
Non Mi Muovo - Lydia Johnson1.jpg
Non Mi Muovo - Lydia Johnson2.jpg
Non Mi Muovo - Lydia Johnson3.jpg
Non Mi Muovo - Lydia Johnson4.jpg
Non Mi Muovo - Lydia Johnson5.jpg
Non Mi Muovo - Lydia Johnson6.jpg
Thanks to Johan for providing the images

User avatar
PeplumParadise
Moderator
Posts: 31097
Joined: 05.02.19
Location: Spain
Name: Nick
Contact:

Re: Johnson, Lydia

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/01/2022, 21:38

T'amerò sempre (1943) as Perfume customer
screenshot3.jpg
screenshot5.jpg
screenshot6.jpg
screenshot8.jpg
screenshot9.jpg

User avatar
PeplumParadise
Moderator
Posts: 31097
Joined: 05.02.19
Location: Spain
Name: Nick
Contact:

Re: Johnson, Lydia

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/01/2022, 21:43

French Cancan (1955) as Madame Giubole.

Lydia is curiously uncredited here despite having a quite showy and substantial role, teaching the girls of the Moulin Rouge how to dance. She gets to demonstrate that, at the age of 59, she was still able to do high kicks and the splits!
screenshot12.jpg
screenshot14.jpg
screenshot17.jpg
screenshot21.jpg
screenshot24.jpg
screenshot26.jpg
screenshot27.jpg

User avatar
PeplumParadise
Moderator
Posts: 31097
Joined: 05.02.19
Location: Spain
Name: Nick
Contact:

Re: Johnson, Lydia

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/01/2022, 21:49

Guardia, guardia scelta, brigadiere e maresciallo (1956) credited as "Lidia Johnson", as Madame Yolande
screenshot5.jpg
screenshot8.jpg
screenshot10.jpg
screenshot15.jpg
screenshot22.jpg
screenshot23.jpg
screenshot24.jpg

User avatar
PeplumParadise
Moderator
Posts: 31097
Joined: 05.02.19
Location: Spain
Name: Nick
Contact:

Re: Johnson, Lydia

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/01/2022, 21:52

Noi siamo le colonne (1956) credited, as Lidia, an old flame of Alfredo (Vittorio Di Sica)
Noi Siamo Colonne - Lydia Johnson1.jpg
Noi Siamo Colonne - Lydia Johnson2.jpg
Noi Siamo Colonne - Lydia Johnson3.jpg
Noi Siamo Colonne - Lydia Johnson4.jpg
Noi Siamo Colonne - Lydia Johnson5.jpg
Noi Siamo Colonne - Lydia Johnson6.jpg
Thanks to Johan for providing the images

User avatar
PeplumParadise
Moderator
Posts: 31097
Joined: 05.02.19
Location: Spain
Name: Nick
Contact:

Re: Johnson, Lydia

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/01/2022, 21:56

A qualcuna piace calvo (1960) credited as "Lidia Johnson", as Gertrude Robinson
screenshot76.jpg
screenshot80.jpg
screenshot83.jpg
screenshot85.jpg
screenshot86.jpg
screenshot87.jpg
screenshot89.jpg
screenshot70.jpg

User avatar
PeplumParadise
Moderator
Posts: 31097
Joined: 05.02.19
Location: Spain
Name: Nick
Contact:

Re: Johnson, Lydia

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/01/2022, 22:00

Una spada nell'ombra (1961) credited as "Lidia Johnson", as Marta.

This appears to have been Lydia's final film appearance.
vlcsnap-2022-01-25-15h35m18s712.jpg
vlcsnap-2022-01-25-15h36m11s354.jpg
vlcsnap-2022-01-25-15h36m40s908.jpg
vlcsnap-2022-01-25-15h43m46s636.jpg
vlcsnap-2022-01-25-15h57m00s183.jpg
vlcsnap-2022-01-25-16h04m04s310.jpg
vlcsnap-2022-01-25-16h05m11s031.jpg
vlcsnap-2022-01-25-14h42m30s234.jpg

Post Reply