Harry Johnson starred in ‘Harry & Louise’, dies at 81

Actor Harry Johnson, whose credits include the renowned “Harry & Louise” advertisements, numerous Dick Wolf programmes, and the original “Battlestar Galactica,” passed away in Los Angeles on January 2 following a lengthy illness, according to Deadline. He was eighty-one. His wife Christiane confirmed his passing to Deadline. Born in Plainfield, New Jersey on December 27, 1942, he went by the stage name Chip Johnson in the 1970s and 80s. He was one of the last contract performers for Universal Studios.

In 1978, Johnson made his television debut in the multi-part pilot episode of “Battlestar Galactica.” He subsequently appeared as a guest star in numerous TV shows, such as “MAS*H,” “Quincy M.E.,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Simon & Simon,” “The Greatest American Hero,” “Highway to Heaven,” “The A-Team,” “Who’s the Boss?,” “Thirtysomething,” “Melrose Place,” “Party of Five,” “Days of Our Lives,” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” He was well-known for doing ADR voice acting, and he appeared in multiple Need for Speed video games. Johnson provided voice-over or looping group work on multiple Dick Wolf episodes spanning over two decades, including all of the ‘Law & Order’ and ‘Chicago’ seasons.

He also acted in TV movies, including “Time Warp,” where he co-starred with Adam West, a veteran of the Batman franchise, and in movies like “Real Genius,” “Warlock,” and “The Spitfire Grill.” Johnson gained notoriety for portraying Harry in a string of ‘Harry & Louise’ radio and television ads that opposed President Bill Clinton’s health care plan in 1993–1994. Funded by the Health Insurance Association of America, the advertisement became so popular—one well-known slogan read, ‘If you let the government choose, we lose’—that subsequent response ads were created by the Democratic National Committee.

Johnson and Louise Claire Clark returned to their roles in election-year advertisements in 2000 and 2004. In 2008, Harry and Louise made a second appearance in an advertisement that aired during the Democratic National Convention. This time, it was for a commercial that promoted President Barack Obama’s new health care proposal. The voiceover for the commercials, which featured Stephen Colbert, the host of The Colbert Report at the time, was mimicked during the 2006 Oscars broadcast.

Johnson went on to write novels using the Harry Castle pen name. In 2013, he released his first book, “Fugitive Romance: The Fictional Memoir of a Hollywood Screenwriter.” His subsequent publication, “Miracles & Misfits,” was a compilation of short stories. Johnson loved to sail, and according to his wife, Deadline, he was well-known among his coworkers for his sense of humour and ability to add levity to situations, which made work more enjoyable. Oliver and Penelope, Johnson’s stepchildren, and Christiane, his 15-year wife, survive him.