John William Wactor III (August 31, 1986 – May 25, 2024) was an American actor known for playing Brando Corbin on the series General Hospital and Johnny on the NBC series Siberia. He also had roles in the series Army Wives and the films USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage and Supercell. On May 25, 2024, Wactor was killed when three men tried to steal his catalytic converter in downtown Los Angeles, at age 37.
Johnny Wactor | |
|---|---|
 Wactor in 2012 | |
| Born | John William Wactor III August 31, 1986 |
| Died | May 25, 2024 (aged 37) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Gunshot wound |
| Alma mater | College of Charleston |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2007–2024 |
| Notable work | General Hospital Siberia |
Early life
editJohn William Wactor III was born on August 31, 1986, in Charleston, South Carolina.[1] He has two brothers, Lance and Grant.[2] He grew up in Summerville, South Carolina, where he graduated from Summerville High School in 2004. Wactor then graduated from the College of Charleston with a Bachelor of Science in business administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish in May 2009.[3][4]
Career
editWactor moved to Los Angeles to work as an actor.[4] He made his television debut with Army Wives in 2007.[5] Wactor played Brando Corbin on the series General Hospital from 2020 to 2022.[6][7][8] He also played Johnny on the series Siberia, and had roles in the films USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage, and Supercell.[7] Wactor had a voice role in the video game Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021).[9]
Personal life
editWactor was engaged to actress and director Tessa Farrell, whom he dated from 2013, but their relationship ended in the late 2010s.[10] Wactor was rumored to be dating the woman behind his fan page Johnny Wactor World.
Murder
editAfter finishing a bartending shift, Wactor was killed on May 25, 2024. He was at the corner of Pico Boulevard and Hope Street in downtown Los Angeles, when he encountered three men who were trying to steal a catalytic converter from his Toyota Prius.[4][8] Wactor was walking a co-worker to her car when he saw the men, and reportedly initially believed they were towing his car. According to his brother, once Wactor realized what was happening, he shielded his co-worker with his body, and was shot by one of the men attempting to steal the converter.[11]
The three men subsequently fled the scene, and Wactor was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.[7][12] Wactor's funeral was held at the Summerville Baptist Church in Summerville, South Carolina, on June 16, 2024, three weeks after he was killed.[13]
On August 15, 2024, four men were arrested in connection with Wactor's death.[14] Four days later, prosecutors charged two of the men, associated with a South Los Angeles street gang, with murder; the two other men were charged on lesser charges.[15]
Johnny's Mile Foundation
editJohnny's Mile Foundation was established by the family and friends of Johnny Wactor to honor his legacy and continue his passion for helping others. The foundation aims to support families facing tragedy and provide resources for those in need. Johnny's Mile has applied for 501(c)(3) status as a public charity non-profit organization, making contributions tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
The foundation organizes various events, including the annual Johnny's Mile Golf Classic, to raise funds and awareness. These events not only celebrate Johnny's life, but also bring the community together in support of a common cause. Through its efforts, Johnny's Mile Foundation strives to make a positive impact and keep Johnny's spirit alive.[16]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Director(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | The Grass Is Never Greener | Johnny | Alex Vivian | Short film |
| Lover's Speed | Johnny | Candace Infuso | Short film | |
| 2011 | GoldenBox | Tucker | Matt MacDonald | Short film |
| Snap Judgment | Orderly | Trevor Erickson | ||
| Roundhay Hall | Ethan | Rob Wood | Short film | |
| Synchronicity | Kevin | Monique Thomas | Short film | |
| 2012 | The Con-Artist | Journalist | Luis F. Pazos | Short film |
| The Proposal | Bobby | Jason Federici | Short film | |
| Mr. and Mrs. Kill | Eloped Husband | Doc Vidal, Ryan Kibby | Short film: Voice role | |
| 2014 | Menthol | John | Micah Van Hove | |
| Ever | John | Josh Beck | ||
| Life, Perfected | Howie | Tyler Seiple | Short film | |
| 2015 | Flyover States | Mike | Alexander Malt | Short film |
| A Most Suitable Applicant | Johnny Baker | Krystal White | Short film | |
| 2016 | The Interrogation | Troy | Michael B. Silver | Short film |
| USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage | Connor | Mario Van Peebles | ||
| 2017 | F***, Marry, Kill | Jacob | Scott Donovan | Short film |
| 2018 | Cold Soldiers | Orderly | Nick Smith | |
| Boy Crazy | Troy | Tessa Farrell | Short film | |
| 2019 | Anything for You, Abby | Tom | Jamin Bricker | Short film |
| 2020 | The Relic | Marcus | J.M. Logan | Short film |
| 2022 | Broken Riders | Moxin | Robert Benson | Short film |
| 2023 | Trapper's Edge | Billy | Johnny Hickey, Jimmy Scanlon | |
| Supercell | Martin | Herbert James Winterstern | ||
| 2024 | Dead Talk Tales: Volume 1 | Marcus | John Vizaniaris |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–2009 | Army Wives | Airman Byers, PFC Kantor, Soldier | 3 episodes |
| 2010–2016 | Hollywood Girl | Shane Hudson | 8 episodes |
| 2013 | Siberia | Johnny | 11 episodes |
| 2015 | Agent X | John's Father | Episode: "Truth, Lies and Consequences" |
| 2016 | Vantastic | Beyanna BamBam | 3 episodes |
| Animal Kingdom | MP #1 | Episode: "Man In" | |
| 2017 | Training Day | Greg | Episode: "Code of Honor" |
| Criminal Minds | Trey Gordon | Episode: "In the Dark" | |
| Sisters of the Groom | Tim | Television film | |
| Struggling Servers | Actor | Episode: "The Move" | |
| 2017–2018 | Age Appropriate | Jake | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | Disillusioned | Jared | Television film |
| 2019 | NCIS | Navy Lieutenant Ross Johnson | Episode: "The Last Link" |
| The OA | EMT 2 | Episode: "Angel of Death" | |
| 2020 | Westworld | Gunny Thompson | 2 episodes |
| The Passenger | Horace Parker | 3 episodes | |
| 2020–2022 | General Hospital | Brando Corbin | 164 episodes |
| 2023 | Station 19 | Lt. Cooper | Episode: "Even Better Than the Real Thing" |
| Barbee Rehab | Star Trek Ken | 7 episodes |
Video game
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Call of Duty: Vanguard | Additional Voice | Voice role |
References
edit- ^ Sun, Michael (May 27, 2024). "Johnny Wactor: General Hospital actor shot dead in suspected robbery". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on May 31, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ "Johnny Wactor, 'General Hospital' actor, fatally shot in L.A." NBC. May 27, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
- ^ "Wactor graduates from College of Charleston". The Post and Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. July 20, 2009. Archived from the original on May 27, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ a b c Winton, Richard; Briscoe, Tony (May 26, 2024). "'General Hospital's' Johnny Wactor killed in catalytic converter heist in downtown L.A., police say". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 26, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
- ^ Avila, Pamela (May 26, 2024). "Johnny Wactor, 'General Hospital' actor, shot and killed at 37: Reports". USA Today. Archived from the original on May 27, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ Papadatos, Markos (October 31, 2020). "Chatting with Johnny Wactor: Brando Corbin on 'General Hospital' (Includes interview)". Digital Journal. Archived from the original on May 27, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ a b c Tinoco, Armando (May 26, 2024). "Johnny Wactor Dies: 'General Hospital' & 'Siberia Actor' Was 37". Deadline. Archived from the original on May 26, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
- ^ a b Zee, Michaela (May 26, 2024). "Johnny Wactor, 'General Hospital' Actor, Shot and Killed During Suspected Theft Attempt". Variety. Archived from the original on May 26, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
- ^ Dick, Jeremy (May 26, 2024). "Johnny Wactor, General Hospital Actor, Killed During Robbery Attempt". CBR. Archived from the original on May 26, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ "Johnny Wactor's ex-fiancee Tessa Farrell pleads for information on his death". The Express Tribune. May 29, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
- ^ Evans, Greg (May 27, 2024). "'General Hospital' Actor Johnny Wactor Was Shielding Female Co-Worker When Fatally Shot – Report". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 27, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
- ^ Turner, Austin (May 26, 2024). "Johnny Wactor of 'General Hospital' shot and killed in downtown Los Angeles". KTLA. Archived from the original on May 26, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
- ^ "'General Hospital' star Johnny Wactor's funeral held in South Carolina after his fatal shooting in Los Angeles". Fox News. June 16, 2024. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
- ^ Coleman, Ryan (August 15, 2024). "4 arrested in killing of General Hospital star Johnny Wactor". Entertainment Weekly. United States: Dotdash Meredith. ISSN 1049-0434. OCLC 21114137. Archived from the original on August 16, 2024. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
- ^ Winton, Richard (August 19, 2024). "Men charged with murder in Johnny Wactor's death implicated themselves in jailhouse talk, sources say". Los Angeles Times. United States. Archived from the original on August 19, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
- ^ "Johnny's Mile About". Johnny's Mile. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
Further reading
edit- Arger, Alex (May 28, 2024). "Fundraiser for slain 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor takes off as family looks for answers". Scripps News.
- Asperin, Alexa Mae (May 28, 2024). "New details released in murder of 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor". Fox 11 Los Angeles.
- Segarra, Edward; Avila, Pamela (May 29, 2024). "'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor's cause of death revealed". USA Today.
External links
edit