- His mother, Loretta Neumann was an alcoholic who abandoned him as a child. In November 1954, she resurfaced and sued him for nine hundred dollars monthly support. He fought back, saying she did not help raise him so, although he was willing to give her money, she was not entitled to court-ordered support. It was eventually settled out of court and he agreed to pay her four hundred dollars a month.
- The scars from the injury received in a car crash described in his biography are very evident in The Caine Mutiny (1954).
- Lucille Ball was good friends with him for decades. Van guest-starred on her classic television show on one of her "trip to Hollywood" episodes where they dueted on the song "How About You?". Ball later insisted he take a prime role in her film Yours, Mine and Ours (1968) with Henry Fonda.
- He was driving to a special screening of Keeper of the Flame (1942) when he was involved in the road accident that left him with a metal plate in his forehead.
- Has one daughter: Schuyler V. Johnson (born January 6, 1948).
- While on the nightclub act tour in 1963, he was forced to stop after having to undergo operations for skin cancer on his left thigh. A second operation to remove a lymph gland was successful in curbing the disease.
- His wife, Eve, was first married to Keenan Wynn. She married Johnson on the very day of her divorce from Wynn, only four hours after that divorce was finalized. Johnson had spent more a month recuperating from his near-fatal car accident at the Wynn's home (Keenan was his best friend) during his recovery and word got back to Louis B. Mayer that sparks had flown. The film mogul saw this relationship as a way to dispel rumors circulating about Johnson's sexuality. Despite Mayer's earlier attempts at matchmaking (he would arranged dates with Gloria DeHaven, June Allyson and even Sonja Henie without making a love connection) only Evie Wynn appealed to him. Although they were genuinely in love, Mayer cemented the deal by providing unusual career concessions for Keenan: a better contract, no standard 12-week layoffs, and better roles... all areas that would benefit her and her children. He later left her for her male tennis instructor according to her son, Ned Wynn.
- He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6600 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.
- It was Rosalind Russell who helped him overcome his fear of live audiences after goading him into performing in nightclubs. He made his Las Vegas debut in the 1950s.
- Had a character named after him in the movie "Blazing Saddles". The actor portraying the character "Van Johnson" in that movie wore his trademark red socks.
- Was stagestruck himself and was often found with an autograph book in his hand.
- After Van Heflin turned down the role of Elliot Ness on The Untouchables (1959) it was offered to Johnson. He turned it down as well.
- He was Gene Kelly's understudy in the Broadway production of "Pal Joey".
- Stepfather of Ned Wynn and Tracy Keenan Wynn.
- Van is referenced in the song "Prehistoric Man" from the musical On the Town (1949).
- Appears in four Oscar Best Picture nominees: The Human Comedy (1943), Madame Curie (1943), Battleground (1949) and The Caine Mutiny (1954).
- His father was a plumber and later real estate salesman. His mother was a homemaker and had been a dietitian at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
- Was once considered for the lead role on the television series The Untouchables (1959) but turned it down. Robert Stack became a television star as a result.
- He had skin cancer surgery in 1963.
- Appeared as himself on Jack Benny's radio program on March 20, 1949.
- He made his Broadway debut in 1936 in "New Faces of 1936", (an annual revue that had also introduced Imogene Coca and Henry Fonda in 1934). Van would appear in a total of seven Broadway shows to date, including the original cast production of "Pal Joey" in 1940-41 and last appearing in "La Cage aux Folles" in 1987.
- His bobbysoxer popularity was such that he was nicknamed "The Voiceless Sinatra".
- He first received top billing with the musical Two Girls and a Sailor (1944).
- Referenced in the second episode of American Horror Story (2011). Jessica Lange's character says that her husband looked like Van Johnson.
- His mother, Loretta (Snyder) Johnson, was born February 5, 1893, in Tremont, Pennsylvania. She died January 1978 in Palo Alto, California.
- Parents were Loretta (Snyder) and Charles E. Johnson.
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