Georgann Johnson (born August 15, 1926, Decorah, Iowa) is a retired American actress of stage, film and television. The tall, statuesque Johnson attended Decorah High School, Luther College and Northwestern University before becoming an actress in 1952. She appeared in films, on stage and on television. She may be best known as Elizabeth Quinn on the Jane Seymour series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, or as Charlotte O'Neill, mother of the title character in The Trials of Rosie O'Neill (played by Sharon Gless).

Biographie

Education and early career roles
A graduate of Decorah High School, Johnson is a graduate of both Luther College and Northwestern University. Her father, George, was a local Decorah area plumbing contractor and an amateur actor. Georgann's specialization has been in the portrayal of the all-American girl/housewife and/or the young comic's sweetheart. She met her first husband, actor/director and future TV producer Stanley Prager, in 1953, when both were appearing briefly as replacements in the Broadway stage revival of "Room Service". In 1954, she appeared with famed TV news journalist/news presenter and TV personality Mike Wallace in the stage comedy, Reclining Figure, a spoof of the art world. Her recurring role as the menacing "Princess Arura" in the noted DuMont Television Network series, Captain Video and His Video Rangers (1949), widened her acceptance as a strong
dramatic artist. Georgann has been notably critical of what she terms the false glamor of the stage.


TV acting roles
Johnson's first major TV role was as Marge Weskit, wife of wise-guy high-school teacher Harvey Weskit (Tony Randall) in the popular early TV sitcom series Mr. Peepers. Georgann played Ellen Grant on NBC daytime soap opers Somerset (1970-1976), with the likes of Michael Nouri, Barry Jenner, George Coe and Marc Alaimo.

Around this time, Georgann also acted on anther popular NBC daytime soap, Another World. In 1980, Georgann appeared in film Health with actress Alfre Woodard and also in Looker opposite Barry Jenner. She acted with Brian Thompson and Ron Perlman in 1985 in Our Family Honor. Two years later, in 1987, she had a role in the film Blind Date with Armin Shimerman, George Coe and John Larroquette. One year later, in 1988, she starred with John Glover in David.

In 1990 Georgann appeared as Helen O'Donnell in Shattered Dreams, acting again opposite Michael Nouri, and from 1990-1992 she played Sharon Gless's mother in the series, The Trials of Rosie O'Neill. In 1992, she acted in Fatal Memories with Dean Stockwell. In 1993 she made an appearance in Father Hood with Adrienne Barbeau of Maude TV series fame, and Brian Bonsall of NBC-TV's Family Ties TV series fame. Also in 1993 she replaced Jane Wyman as Elizabeth Quinn, mother of Jane Seymour's character in Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, making several appearances throughout the series run. She co-starred once again with veteran actor Dean Stockwell, this time in 1996 in the film Twilight Man. In 1999 she co-starred with Olivia d'Abo, Michael Buchman Silver, and Stephanie Er in Seven Girlfriends.