David G. Johnson

Johnson grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana and is a 1978 graduate of Yale College where he studied economics. While at Yale he was a leader in the Yale Political Union and Chairman on the constituent Independent Party. He graduated Harvard Law School in 1981. He is married to Suzanne Nora Johnson.

Johnson is founder of Act 4 Entertainment,{{Cite web|url=http://www.act4entertainment.com/team/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20111017162259/http://www.act4entertainment.com/team/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-10-17|title=Act4 Entertainment » Team|date=2011-10-17|website=archive.is|access-date=2019-12-10}} a Los Angeles-based{{Cite web|url=http://www.interiordesign.net/article/542288-High_Contrast.php|title=High Contrast|last=|first=|date=2011-11-26|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111126152624/http://www.interiordesign.net/article/542288-High_Contrast.php|archive-date=2011-11-26|access-date=2019-12-10}} filmed entertainment and new media content company to inspire and motivate audiences toward social action. Act 4 is in development on approximately 20 feature film, television and new media projects, as well as a live stage musical production.

Johnson most recently produced the live stage musical version of American Psycho at the Almeida Theatre in London.{{Cite web|url=https://almeida.co.uk/whats-on/american-pyscho/3-dec-2013-1-feb-2014|title=American Psycho|website=Almeida Theatre|language=en|access-date=2019-12-10}} He executive produced Angels in Exile,{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2518930/ |title=Angels In Exile (2013) - IMDb |website=IMDb |accessdate=27 February 2014}} a feature-length documentary about street kids of Durban, South Africa narrated by Charlize Theron and executive produced The People Speak,"Credits." The People Speak. The People Speak, n.d. Web. 31 July 2012. . a feature-length documentary about America's struggles with war, class, race and women's rights with Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Morgan Freeman, Sean Penn, and Bruce Springsteen, among others. Johnson produced The New York Times Critics Pick{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/23/movies/man-nobody-knew-documentary-about-william-colby-review.html?_r=0|title = Son Takes His Famous Father Out of the Shadows|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 23 September 2011|last1 = Webster|first1 = Andy}} The Man Nobody Knew,{{cite web |url=http://themannobodyknew.com/ |title=The Man Nobody Knew |accessdate=19 August 2012}} a feature-length documentary about the career and family life of highly controversial CIA Director William Colby.

Act 4 past, current and future projects include but are not limited to:

• The People Speak (documentary feature film)
• The Man Nobody Knew (documentary feature film)
• Angels In Exile (documentary feature film)
• American Psycho{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0144084/ |title=American Psycho (2000) - IMDb |website=IMDb |accessdate=19 August 2012}} (musical stage play)
• Burying the Ex{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1262121/ |title=Burying the Ex (2008) - IMDb |website=IMDb |accessdate=19 August 2012}} (narrative feature film)
• Patriotic Treason{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2013/11/giancarlo-esposito-ed-harris-patriotic-treason-john-brown-frederick-douglass-639575/ |title=Giancarlo Esposito To Direct & Star In Slavery Drama 'Patriotic Treason'; Ed Harris To Play Abolitionist John Brown |date=20 November 2013 |access-date=3 March 2014}} (narrative feature Film)
• Florence Of Arabia{{cite web |url=http://act4entertainment.com/projects/florence-of-arabia/ |title=Florence of Arabia |accessdate=3 March 2014}} (narrative feature film)

Johnson is also a current (as of August 2012) board member and former chairperson of the Public Counsel Law Center,"About Us - Board." Public Counsel Law Center. Public Counsel Law Center, n.d. Web. 31 July 2012. . the nation's largest public interest pro bono law firm.

Johnson founded the Public Counsel Law Center's Impact Litigation Project,{{cite web |url=http://www.publiccounsel.org/practice_areas?id=0009 |title=Impact Litigation - Practice Areas - Public Counsel Law Center |accessdate=19 August 2012}} the first in the nation to recognize that the economic divide is also a legal issue and one that can be addressed in the courts. The Impact Litigation Project addresses economic justice through large-scale litigation—helping thousands and changing the law itself. In 2011 Public Counsel won Reed v. the State of California,"Judge Approves Landmark Settlement in Reed v. State of California." ACLU of Southern California. ACLU, 21 Jan 2011. Web. 31 July 2012. . a groundbreaking lawsuit preventing the disproportionate layoffs of teachers at the most economically challenged schools in Los Angeles, California.

Additionally, in the areas of social justice, Johnson serves on the boards of trustees as the Chair Emeritus for the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA);"About Us » People." MOCA. Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, n.d. Web. 31 July 2012. . Children Now,"Meet » Board of Directors." Children Now. Children Now, n.d. Web. 31 July 2012. . a national child policy and advocacy organization; the Dream Foundation,"Board of Directors." Dream Foundation. Dream Foundation, n.d. Web. 31 July 2012. . a wish-granting organization for terminally ill adults; and Human Rights Watch (California),"California Committee South." Cities » LA » Committees | Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch, n.d. Web. 31 July 2012. <{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/cities/la/committee |title=California Committee South | Human Rights Watch |accessdate=July 18, 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002134649/http://www.hrw.org/cities/la/committee |archivedate=October 2, 2013 }}>. one of the world's leading organizations dedicated to defending human rights.

Johnson is a member of the Los Angeles Economy and Jobs Committee.

In 2000, Johnson founded Agility Capital, LLC,{{cite web |url=http://www.agilitycap.com/ |title=Agility Capital, LLC |accessdate=19 August 2012}}"David Johnson." Los Angeles Economy & Jobs Committee. Los Angeles Economy & Jobs Committee, n.d. Web. 31 July 2012. . a venture fund for early stage companies, and had previously served as senior executive vice president at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. (MGM). Prior to MGM, he was a partner of the international law firm White & Case.

In 2012, Congressional Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) presented Johnson with Public Counsel Law Center's Founders Award for his commitment to the organization.

{{reflist}}

• {{YouTube|HhNkPGjyZJ0|Legal, Art, and Film Leaders Honor David Johnson}}
• [http://www.act4entertainment.com/ Act 4 Entertainment]
• [http://www.moca.org/ Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles]
• [http://www.publiccounsel.org/ Public Counsel Law Center]
• [http://www.whitecase.com/ White and Case LLP International Law Firm, Global Practice]
• [http://www.mgm.com/ Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.]
• [https://www.hrw.org/ Human Rights Watch]
• [http://www.dreamfoundation.org/ Dream Foundation]
• [http://www.childrennow.org/index.php/ Children Now]
• [http://www.agilitycap.com/ Agility Capital, LLC]
• [http://www.aclu-sc.org American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California]

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Category:American film studio executives

Category:1956 births

Category:Living people

Category:Harvard Law School alumni

Category:Yale College alumni

Category:People from Fort Wayne, Indiana

Category:Film producers from Indiana