Born in Oklahoma, Ben Johnson was a ranch hand and rodeo performer when, in 1940, Howard Hughes hired him to take a load of horses to California. He decided to stick around (the pay was good), and for some years was a stunt man, horse wrangler, and double for such stars as John Wayne, Gary Cooper and James Stewart. His break came when John Ford noticed him and gave him a part in an upcoming film, and eventually a star part in Wagon Master (1950). He left Hollywood in 1953 to return to rodeo, where he won a world roping championship, but at the end of the year he had barely cleared expenses. The movies paid better, and were less risky, so he returned to the west coast and a career that saw him in over 300 movies.
Peggy Rea was born on March 31, 1921 in Los Angeles, California, USA as Margaret Rea. She is known for her work on Grace Under Fire (1993), Made in America (1993) and Love Field (1992). She died on February 5, 2011 in Toluca Lake, California.
Michael Lembeck was born in Brooklyn, New York, USA to Harvey Lembeck and Caroline Lembeck, both in show business. He graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1966 and his classmates in a drama course included Rob Reiner, Albert Brooks and Richard Dreyfuss.
