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Isabel Johnston

1898 – 1981

American screenwriter

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About Isabel Johnston

Lived 1898 – 1981 (aged 82–83). Isabel Johnston was a screenwriter and journalist.

Isabel Johnston (1898–1981) was an American screenwriter active during Hollywood's silent era. She also worked as a journalist and writer of short stories.

Biography Johnston was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Isabel McElheny and John Parry Johnson. Her work is often confused with that of her mother's, as her mother—a journalist—also wrote a few scenarios and was credited under her married name, Isabel M. Johnston. Her older sister, Agnes Christine, was a screenwriter in Hollywood.

As a teenager she began reading scripts for Vitagraph, and after graduating from Vassar in 1919, she returned to the film industry to write a string of films between 1920 and 1923.

After working in Hollywood, she moved back to London for a few years to work with producers over there. She'd also write short stories for several decades.

Johnston, who never married, died in New York in 1981.

Selected filmography

Swords and the Woman (1923) Heroes of the Street (1922) Nineteen and Phyllis (1920) Peaceful Valley (1920) 45 Minutes from Broadway (1920) Love's Harvest (1920) Molly and I (1920) A Woman Who Understood (1920) Her Elephant Man (1920)

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Important facts

Birth century
Died
1981
Education
Vassar College

Family & relationships

Parent
Isabel M. Johnston

People in Isabel Johnston's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Isabel Johnston's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Isabel Johnston?

American screenwriter (1898–1981)

When was Isabel Johnston born?

Isabel Johnston was born on 16 July 1898.

When did Isabel Johnston die?

Isabel Johnston died in 1981.

What was Isabel Johnston's occupation?

Isabel Johnston was a screenwriter and journalist.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Isabel Johnston

· Wikidata: Q60560709

· DBpedia: Isabel Johnston

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Isabel Johnston. https://biography.guide/isabel-johnston/

MLA: "Isabel Johnston." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/isabel-johnston/.

Chicago: "Isabel Johnston." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/isabel-johnston/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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