Julanne Johnston (May 1, 1900 – December 26, 1988[1]) was an American silent film actress.
Biography
Johnston was born and educated in Indianapolis, Indiana, then her family moved to Hollywood, where she took dancing lessons at the Denishawn School and acted with Neely Dickson's Hollywood Community Theatre for two years. She also attended the Hollywood School for Girls.[2]
Johnston began her career as a solo dancer and toured with Ruth St. Denis during summer vacations from school.[3] In 1924, she was selected to be a WAMPAS Baby Star.[4]
Douglas Fairbanks saw Johnston dance in a theater before the premiere of his film Robin Hood, and this exposure resulted in his signing her to be the leading lady in The Thief of Bagdad,[3] with Anna May Wong in 1924.[5] The same year, she was on William Randolph Hearst's yacht the Oneida during the weekend in November 1924 when film director and producer Thomas Ince later died of apparent heart failure (many conspiracy theories exist about Ince's death).[citation needed]
Johnston married David W. Rust, and they lived in Detroit, Michigan. They had one child, David Wendell Rust. Johnston lost her 62-year-old husband and her 29-year-old son within the space of six years.[citation needed]
