| This article is out of universe from Left Behind. |
| This subject has been distinguished as part of the real world and should not be taken as part of the fictional universe of the Left Behind franchise. |
Brad William Johnson (October 24, 1959 – February 18, 2022) was an American actor, model, real estate agent, and Marlboro Man. He played Rayford Steele in all three Left Behind films of the original trilogy. He passed away at the age of 62 due to complications of COVID-19.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Johnson was born in Tucson, Arizona, the son of Grove and Virginia Johnson. The family moved to Grants Pass, Oregon, and later, Dallas, Texas, where Johnson graduated high school in 1977. After competing in rodeos as a youth, he began his professional rodeo career in 1984 and was discovered by a movie scout looking for cowboys to star in a beer commercial. This led to his stint as the Marlboro Man and modeling gigs for Calvin Klein before he started acting. His first role was in a 1986 episode of the CBS soap opera Dallas.
His first film credit was in the low-budget biker film Nam Angels (1989), and shortly after he had his first co-starring role, in Steven Spielberg's 1989 film Always. Other films included Flight of the Intruder, Philadelphia Experiment II, The Birds II: Land's End, Copperhead and Supergator. He played Rayford Steele in the Left Behind film series and played Dr. Dominick O'Malley on Melrose Place.
His work as an actor and as a Marlboro Man — one of a succession used by the brand — brought Johnson and his wife, Laurie, to California. Johnson was married to his wife Laurie, a former model, for 35 years. They had eight children : Shane, Bellamy, Rachel, Eliana, Eden, Rebekah, Annabeth and William. They eventually moved their family to a ranch in New Mexico and the Colorado mountains before settling in North Texas.
Death[]
Johnson died from complications of COVID-19 in Fort Worth, on February 18, 2022, at age 62. His death was publicly announced four months later by his former agent Linda McAlister.
External links[]
Trivia[]
- He was the second actor from the Left Behind films to pass away.