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Kenneth "Kenny" Johnson (July 13, 1963, Vermont
Vermont

Vermont is a U.S. state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States United States. The state ranks 43rd by land area, , and 45th by total area....
) is an American actor
Actor

An actor or actress is a person who acting in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio programming in that capacity....
 well known for his portrayal of Detective Curtis Lemansky
Curtis Lemansky

Curtis "Lem" Lemansky, more commonly known as "Lem" or "Lemonhead", is a fictional character police detective on the FX original drama The Shield, played by actor Kenny Johnson....
 on the American drama The Shield
The Shield

The Shield was an United States drama television series which aired on FX in the U.S. and other networks internationally. Known for its controversial portrayal of corrupt police officers, it was originally advertised as "Rampart, Los Angeles, California" in reference to the true life Rampart Scandal, which the show's Strike Team was loos...
.

ed in Vermont
Vermont

Vermont is a U.S. state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States United States. The state ranks 43rd by land area, , and 45th by total area....
, Johnson got his start in television commercials, including one of the very first ads for LA Gear
LA Gear

LA Gear is an United States shoe company based in Los Angeles, California. It is owned by ACI International....
. A former champion arm wrestler
Arm wrestling

Arm wrestling is a sport with two participants. Each participant places one arm, both put either the right or left, on a surface, with their elbows bent and touching the surface, and they grip each other's hand....
, he appeared as bit characters in various television programs, such as Family Matters (TV series)
Family Matters (TV series)

Family Matters is an Emmy Award nominated American situation comedy about a middle-class family living in Chicago, Illinois. The series aired from September 22, 1989, to May 9, 1997, on American Broadcasting Company, and moved to CBS from September 19, 1997, to July 17, 1998....
, Grace Under Fire
Grace Under Fire

Grace Under Fire is a television series which ran on American Broadcasting Company from 1993 to 1998. The show starred Brett Butler . It began on September 29, 1993....
, Caroline in the City
Caroline in the City

Caroline in the City is an American Situation comedy that ran from September 21, 1995 to April 26, 1999 on the NBC television network. It starred Lea Thompson as cartoonist Caroline Duffy....
, Pensacola: Wings of Gold
Pensacola: Wings of Gold

Pensacola: Wings of Gold was a syndicated television series based at the famous Naval Air Station Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida. It starred James Brolin and Sandra Hess....
, Sliders
Sliders

Sliders is an United States science fiction television program that ran for five seasons from 1995 in television to 2000 in television. The series focuses on a group of travellers who "slide" between Parallel universe by use of a wormhole referred to as an "Sliders#Vortex."...
, 18 Wheels of Justice, and Just Shoot Me!
Just Shoot Me!

Just Shoot Me! is an United States television Situation comedy that aired for seven seasons on NBC from March 4 1997 to August 16 2003, with 148 episodes produced....
.

In 1998, he appeared in the first several minutes of the first Blade
Blade (film)

Blade is a 1998 in film vampire films action film starring Wesley Snipes and Stephen Dorff, loosely based on the published stories of the fictional Marvel Comics character Blade ....
, as Heatseeking Dennis, who was saved (by Blade) from a vampire played by Traci Lords
Traci Lords

Traci Lords , also known as Traci Elizabeth Lords and Tracy Lords, is an United States actor, Film producer, film director, writer and singer....
.






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Kenneth "Kenny" Johnson (July 13, 1963, Vermont
Vermont

Vermont is a U.S. state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States United States. The state ranks 43rd by land area, , and 45th by total area....
) is an American actor
Actor

An actor or actress is a person who acting in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio programming in that capacity....
 well known for his portrayal of Detective Curtis Lemansky
Curtis Lemansky

Curtis "Lem" Lemansky, more commonly known as "Lem" or "Lemonhead", is a fictional character police detective on the FX original drama The Shield, played by actor Kenny Johnson....
 on the American drama The Shield
The Shield

The Shield was an United States drama television series which aired on FX in the U.S. and other networks internationally. Known for its controversial portrayal of corrupt police officers, it was originally advertised as "Rampart, Los Angeles, California" in reference to the true life Rampart Scandal, which the show's Strike Team was loos...
.

Early career

Raised in Vermont
Vermont

Vermont is a U.S. state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States United States. The state ranks 43rd by land area, , and 45th by total area....
, Johnson got his start in television commercials, including one of the very first ads for LA Gear
LA Gear

LA Gear is an United States shoe company based in Los Angeles, California. It is owned by ACI International....
. A former champion arm wrestler
Arm wrestling

Arm wrestling is a sport with two participants. Each participant places one arm, both put either the right or left, on a surface, with their elbows bent and touching the surface, and they grip each other's hand....
, he appeared as bit characters in various television programs, such as Family Matters (TV series)
Family Matters (TV series)

Family Matters is an Emmy Award nominated American situation comedy about a middle-class family living in Chicago, Illinois. The series aired from September 22, 1989, to May 9, 1997, on American Broadcasting Company, and moved to CBS from September 19, 1997, to July 17, 1998....
, Grace Under Fire
Grace Under Fire

Grace Under Fire is a television series which ran on American Broadcasting Company from 1993 to 1998. The show starred Brett Butler . It began on September 29, 1993....
, Caroline in the City
Caroline in the City

Caroline in the City is an American Situation comedy that ran from September 21, 1995 to April 26, 1999 on the NBC television network. It starred Lea Thompson as cartoonist Caroline Duffy....
, Pensacola: Wings of Gold
Pensacola: Wings of Gold

Pensacola: Wings of Gold was a syndicated television series based at the famous Naval Air Station Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida. It starred James Brolin and Sandra Hess....
, Sliders
Sliders

Sliders is an United States science fiction television program that ran for five seasons from 1995 in television to 2000 in television. The series focuses on a group of travellers who "slide" between Parallel universe by use of a wormhole referred to as an "Sliders#Vortex."...
, 18 Wheels of Justice, and Just Shoot Me!
Just Shoot Me!

Just Shoot Me! is an United States television Situation comedy that aired for seven seasons on NBC from March 4 1997 to August 16 2003, with 148 episodes produced....
.

In 1998, he appeared in the first several minutes of the first Blade
Blade (film)

Blade is a 1998 in film vampire films action film starring Wesley Snipes and Stephen Dorff, loosely based on the published stories of the fictional Marvel Comics character Blade ....
, as Heatseeking Dennis, who was saved (by Blade) from a vampire played by Traci Lords
Traci Lords

Traci Lords , also known as Traci Elizabeth Lords and Tracy Lords, is an United States actor, Film producer, film director, writer and singer....
. In October 2005, he appeared in the Smallville
Smallville (TV series)

Smallville is an Television in the United States series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on the DC Comics fictional character Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster....
 Season 5 episode "Mortal
Smallville (Season 5)

Season five of Smallville, an United States television series, began airing on September 29, 2005. The season concluded on May 11, 2006, after 22 episodes....
" as a metahuman called Tommy Lee. He also appeared in the 2006 Hallmark Channel
Hallmark Channel

The Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts in over 100 countries. They specialize in series and film that are appropriate for the whole family....
 original movie, Desolation Canyon
Desolation Canyon

Desolation Canyon is a 2006 in film Hallmark Channel television movie starring Stacy Keach and Patrick Duffy. The western film was written by Dan Fitzsimons and directed by David S....
, with Stacey Keach and Patrick Duffy
Patrick Duffy

Patrick Duffy is an United States television actor. He is best known for his roles as Bobby Ewing on the immensely popular CBS drama Dallas , and as Frank Lambert on the ABC television sitcom Step by Step ....
 and starred in the 2005 indie film Zzyzx
Zzyzx (film)

Zzyzx is a Thriller set in the Mojave Desert and Las Vegas, Nevada. The film was written by Art D'Alessandro, produced and directed by Richard Halpern, and stars Kenny Johnson, Robyn Cohen, Ryan Fox, and Kayo Zepeda....
, a thriller about two friends who take a detour on their way to Las Vegas.

The Shield

Johnson originally auditioned for the role of ill-fated Terry Crowley
List of characters from The Shield

The following is a list of character summaries from the FX Networks television series, The Shield....
, which ultimately went to Reed Diamond
Reed Diamond

Reed Edward Diamond is an United States actor. He most recently appeared in the NBC series Journeyman as Jack Vasser, the main character's brother....
. Fortunately for Johnson, series creator Shawn Ryan
Shawn Ryan

Shawn Ryan is a writer, and the creator of the FX television series The Shield and CBS series The Unit....
 was so impressed with his audition that the role of Lem was created especially for him.

Johnson's character, Lem, was killed off in the March 21, 2006 episode, titled "Postpartum". Since leaving The Shield, Johnson was cast in the TNT series Saving Grace
Saving Grace (TV series)

Saving Grace is an United States television crime drama series on TNT , which premiered on July 23, 2007 and stars Academy Award-winner Holly Hunter in her first TV series, Kenny Johnson, Bailey Chase, Laura San Giacomo, Leon Rippy, and Bokeem Woodbine....
, as Det. Ham Dewey. He also had recurring roles on Cold Case
Cold Case

Cold Case is an United States police procedural television series revolving around a fictionalized Philadelphia Police Department division in Pennsylvania that specializes in investigating cold cases....
, first as a supposed murder victim, and later as a love interest for Lilly Rush.

Personal life

Johnson has been married to Cathleen Oveson since late 2005. In an "extra behind the screen" episode of The Shield Johnson revealed that he suffers from dyslexia
Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a learning disability that manifests itself primarily as a difficulty with Writing, particularly with Reading . It is separate and distinct from reading difficulties resulting from other causes, such as a non-neurological deficiency with vision or hearing, or from poor or inadequate reading instruction....
 and has someone read his script to him in order to memorize his lines. He and his wife Cathleen Oveson are expecting a first child together.

External links