- Born
- Died
- Height5′ 4″ (1.63 m)
- Zita Johann was born on July 14, 1904 in Temesvar, Austria-Hungary [now Timisoara, Timis, Romania]. She was an actress, known for The Mummy (1932), The Sin of Nora Moran (1933) and Luxury Liner (1933). She was married to Bernard Edward Shedd (Schetnitz), John McCormick and John Houseman. She died on September 20, 1993 in Nyack, New York, USA.
- SpousesBernard Edward Shedd (Schetnitz)(April 18, 1941 - 195?) (divorced)John McCormick(July 9, 1935 - August 18, 1938) (divorced)John Houseman(October 5, 1929 - September 13, 1933) (divorced)
- In February 1933, the car Johann was driving was hit by John Huston and she sustained minor injuries. A little over 6 months later, Huston was involved in another accident that killed dancer Tosca Roulien.
- Her first husband, John Houseman, was a grain dealer when she married him, but his business career was wiped out by the Wall Street Crash only a short time after their wedding. It was her idea that he should try to make a new career for himself by following her into the theatre and the movies.
- During WWII, she raised money for war-related charities, and organized shows for American soldiers. In later years, she worked with disturbed children and gave private acting lessons.
- She was given an MGM contract with a script approval clause but turned down every script offered to her. She reportedly said to production head Irving Thalberg, "Why do you make these awful pictures?".
- She turned down the lead in the 1929 version of "Showboat" in favor of appearing in a Broadway play along with Clark Gable.
- [on Boris Karloff] He had the saddest eyes I'd ever seen. Whatever his pain was, it was very deep and very real.
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