Besedka Johnson
Born
Beatrice Vivian Divic

(1925-10-05)October 5, 1925
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
DiedApril 4, 2013(2013-04-04) (aged 87)
Glendale, California, U.S.
Years active2012
Notable workStarlet

Besedka Johnson (October 5, 1925 – April 4, 2013) was an American woman notable for gaining critical praise at the age of 85 in her first and only film, Starlet (2012).

Biography

Born in Detroit in 1925 as Beatrice Vivian Divic, she moved with her family as a teenager to Southern California.

She worked briefly as a model and married a painter whose surname was Johnson. They had three sons together: James (Jim), Marc and Lloyd, before getting divorced. She later married and divorced a second time.

In the 1960s, Johnson took the first name Besedka, after a dress shop that she owned and operated in the San Fernando Valley. Later in life she managed a condo in San Francisco for a time before returning to the Los Angeles area.

In 2011 she had knee surgery and swam at a Hollywood YMCA as part of her rehabilitation. There she was 'discovered' at the age of 85 by an executive film producer seeking an older woman for a role in a movie.[1]

Johnson prepared for an audition and was cast in a lead role in the independent film Starlet (2012), her only movie. In it she forms a relationship with a much younger woman, played by Dree Hemingway.[1][2] Johnson garnered critical praise and multiple awards for her performance.[2]

Johnson died in 2013. She was survived by her three sons and two grandchildren.

Early years

Johnson was born Beatrice Vivian Divic in Detroit, Michigan, on October 5, 1925, one of two children of Milan and Frances Divic. When she was around 17, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a modeling career.

She began using the first name "Besedka" during the 1960s, which came from the name of a dress shop she owned on Ventura Boulevard in Woodland Hills, California, at the time. She took the surname "Johnson" from her first husband.[3] She later opened another Besedka dress store on Riverside Drive in North Hollywood, which she closed in 1981.[1]

Death

Johnson died from complications following surgery for a bacterial infection on April 4, 2013, at Glendale Memorial Hospital in Glendale, California, at the age of 87. Twice divorced, she was survived by her three sons from her first marriage and two grandchildren.[1]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2012 Starlet Sadie first and only film role

Accolades

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref
2012 South by Southwest Film Festival Special Jury Award Starlet Won [4]
2013 Independent Spirit Robert Altman Award Best Ensemble Cast Won [5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Nelson, Valerie J. (April 10, 2013). "Besedka Johnson dies at 87; discovered by Hollywood at age 85". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  2. 1 2 Yardley, William (April 14, 2013). "Besedka Johnson, Late-Blooming Actress, Dies at 87". The New York Times. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  3. ↑ "It's Never Too Late: Beatrice Vivian Divic". March 5, 2015.
  4. ↑ "25 Years of SXSW Film Festival - Sean Baker". SXSW. December 14, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Starlet - Robert Altman Award - 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards". Film Independent. YouTube. February 28, 2013. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
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