William S. Johnstone

William S. Johnstone (1908 – November 1, 1996) was an American actor whose career spanned stage, radio, film, and television. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, to a Scottish-born father and a German-born mother, Johnstone is perhaps best remembered for his five seasons voicing the title character on the radio program The Shadow from 1938 to 1943. Some newspaper accounts of the time claimed he was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, and immigrated to the United States at the age of three. Before entering the acting profession, he worked as a newspaper reporter.

Johnstone began his stage career with the Theatre Guild, taking on a number of bit parts in his early years. In 1927, he appeared in supporting roles in both Fog-Bound and The Manhatters. The following year brought more substantial stage work: he played the title role in Him, a play written by E.E. Cummings, which marked his Broadway appearance in 1928. Cummings himself later remarked that Johnstone made a marvelously attractive unhero in the production. That same year, Johnstone took a lead role in Kate Clugston's These Days.

His radio career became the defining chapter of his professional life. In 1938, he was chosen from a field of 45 competing actors to replace Orson Welles as the voice of The Shadow, a role he held for five seasons. He also starred as Ben Guthrie in the radio adaptation of The Lineup and accumulated a wide range of supporting roles across numerous programs, establishing himself as one of the most prolific radio actors of his era. His credits in the medium included supporting work on Pursuit, Nick Carter Master Detective, Calamity Jane, and Woman from Nowhere. He appeared in a notable role in the ".22 Rifle for Christmas" episode of Dragnet on radio and later reprised that role when the series moved to television.

On screen, Johnstone portrayed John Jacob Astor IV in the film Titanic and had a supporting role in Down Three Dark Streets. His television work included a long-running role as Judge James T. Lowell on the daytime drama As the World Turns, a part he held from 1956 to 1978.

In his personal life, Johnstone was married to Georgia Brady Johnstone, a former dancer who went on to become a friend and secretary to Agnes Moorehead, Johnstone's co-star from The Shadow.