J. J. Johnston

James William Johnston (October 24, 1933 – November 4, 2022), known professionally as J. J. Johnston, was an American actor, boxing historian, and writer who worked in theatre and film. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Johnston served eighteen months in prison for drug-related offenses before pursuing a career in acting.

Johnston's connection to playwright David Mamet began early in his stage career, when he appeared in the original 1975 Chicago production of Mamet's American Buffalo. He later brought that association to New York, performing in the 1983 Broadway production of the same play opposite Al Pacino. His work in that production earned him a Theatre World Award for Outstanding New Talent in 1984. His Broadway career spanned from 1983 to 1986 and included three productions: Arsenic and Old Lace, American Buffalo, and Glengarry Glen Ross. His performance in Glengarry Glen Ross was recognized with a 1986 Bay Area Critics Award for Outstanding Supporting Performance by an Actor.

Outside of acting, Johnston was a former amateur boxer who channeled his knowledge of the sport into a writing career. He authored and co-authored several books on boxing history, including Chicago Boxing, produced with Sean Curtin and David Mamet in 2005, and Chicago Amateur Boxing, co-written with Sean Curtin in 2006. He also co-wrote Babyface and Pop with Nick Beck in 2011. Johnston died on November 4, 2022, at the age of 89.