Scarce and beautiful vintage 7.5 x 9.5-inch matte-finish black and white portrait, boldly signed in black fountain pen in the 1930s. In good condition, with trimmed borders; light mounting remnants on  the verso; and faint silvering in the background, which is not visible when the photo is viewed head-on. Charming leading lady Rita Johnson was memorable in Edison, the Man (1940), Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941), The Major and the Minor (1942), My Friend Flicka (1943), and The Big Clock (1948), among other classic films. In 1948, her career came to a screeching halt when a hair dryer fell on her head, resulting in irreparable brain damage. A number of extensive surgeries were performed, but, thereafter, her screen time was quite limited. She died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1965, aged only 52 years.  

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