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Candy Johnson was an American singer and dancer who appeared in several films in the 1960s.
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Candy Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Vicki Jane Husted February 8, 1944 San Gabriel, CA, USA |
| Died | October 20, 2012 (aged 68) |
| Occupation(s) | Singer; Dancer |
| Years active | 1963–1968 |
| Known for | Dancing in the Beach Party films |
Candy was born Vicki Jane Husted on February 8, 1944, in San Gabriel, California, to Jeannette (Rathmann) and Clarence Husted. After her mother remarried, she took her stepfather's surname of Johnston. In her San Gabriel High School yearbooks she was listed as "Candy Johnston." When she entered the entertainment world she changed her name to Candy Johnson.
Johnson's most notable films are several beach party productions by American International Pictures, in which she plays Candy, a girl who could dance so hard it would literally knock the guys off their feet. In Beach Party (1963) she is credited as the "perpetual motion dancer." She remained a part of the series for the next three films, with her final appearance being in 1964 in Pajama Party, where she had a small cameo role.[1]
She also recorded under the name "Candy Johnson's Exciters." The Exciters were a band her agent (and future husband) Red Gilson managed and partnered her with. The recordings of Candy and the Exciters were released by Canjo Records, a private label started by Johnson and Gilson in 1964 to capitalize on her club and film appearances. Canjo was in business for about a year, releasing two albums and six singles.
The group performed across the country, including famous venues like the El Mirador Hotel in Palm Springs and the Thunderbird Lounge in Las Vegas.
Candy also appeared solo at the 1964 World's Fair.[citation needed] After seeing her perform there, the New York group The Strangeloves were inspired to write "I Want Candy," which became their biggest hit, reaching #11 on the Billboard "Hot 100" and #12 on the Cash Box "Top 100" in the summer of 1965.[citation needed] The song would be covered by dozens of artists over the years, from The Tremeloes, to Bow Wow Wow and Aaron Carter.[citation needed]
Candy retired from performing in 1968, eventually settling in Corona, California. At the request of friends, she attended a special showing of Muscle Beach Party at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles on June 10, 2008. When the movie ended, the event's organizer announced to the crowd that Candy was in attendance. She rose to take a bow and received a standing ovation.
After being diagnosed with brain cancer in May 2012, Johnson moved to a Corona convalescent hospital, where she died at age 68 on October 20, 2012. She was cremated and her remains brought to outer space on June 21, 2013, by the Houston-based, extraterrestrial-burial company called Celestis.[2]
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