Rafer Johnson

Rafer Johnson
Johnson in 2016
Personal information
Full nameRafer Lewis Johnson
Born(1934-08-18)August 18, 1934
Hillsboro, Texas, U.S.
DiedDecember 2, 2020(2020-12-02) (aged 86)
Sherman Oaks, California, U.S.
Height6 ft 3 in (1.90 m)
Weight201 lb (91 kg)
Spouse
Elizabeth Thorsen
(m. 1971)
Sport
SportAthletics
EventDecathlon
ClubSouthern California Striders, Anaheim
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)100 m – 10.3 (1957)
220 yd – 21.0 (1956)
400 m – 47.9 (1956)
110 mH – 13.8 (1956)
HJ – 1.89 m (1955)
PV – 4.09 m (1960)
LJ – 7.76 m (1956)
SP – 16.75 m (1958)
DT – 52.50 m (1960)
JT – 76.73 m (1960)
Decathlon – 8392 (1960)[1]
Medal record
Representing  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1960 Rome Decathlon
Silver medal – second place 1956 Melbourne Decathlon
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1955 Mexico City Decathlon

Rafer Lewis Johnson (August 18, 1934 – December 2, 2020) was an American decathlete and film actor. He was the 1960 Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon, having won silver in 1956. He had previously won a gold at the 1955 Pan American Games. Johnson was the U.S. team's flag bearer at the 1960 Olympics and lit the Olympic cauldron at the Los Angeles Games in 1984.

In 1968, Johnson, football player Rosey Grier, and journalist George Plimpton tackled Sirhan Sirhan moments after he had fatally shot Robert F. Kennedy.

After he retired from athletics, Johnson turned to acting, sportscasting, and public service and was instrumental in creating the California Special Olympics. His acting career included appearances in The Sins of Rachel Cade (1961), the Elvis Presley film Wild in the Country (1961), Pirates of Tortuga (1961), None but the Brave (1965), two Tarzan films with Mike Henry, The Last Grenade (1970), Soul Soldier (1970), Roots: The Next Generations (1979), the James Bond film Licence to Kill (1989), and Think Big (1990).

  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Rafer Johnson". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020.

Rafer Johnson

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