# Johnny Belinda

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-belinda/605138>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 5, 2011, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-belinda/605138 "2011-12-05T16:43:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-belinda/605138/1 "2011-12-05T16:43:23Z")

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The 1948 film “Johnny Belinda” is scheduled for TCM. When I looked for a synopsis of the film, I learned everything I needed to know about it, except why it’s called “Johnny Belinda”. The main character is named Belinda, and she has a kid, but I don’t know if his name was Johnny. What gives?

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**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-belinda/605138/2 "2011-12-05T17:16:18Z")

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[The TCM synopsis](http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/578/Johnny-Belinda/) says the baby’s name is Johnny.

In looking this up, I found Wyman’s obituary. Didn’t know that the Actress Oscar-Divorce curse happened to her too. She and Reagan divorced the year she won the Oscar. According to the obit, Ronnie quipped “Maybe I should have named Johnny Belinda as co-respondent.”

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**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-belinda/605138/3 "2011-12-07T23:55:25Z")

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I happened to see this movie quite a few years ago. It’s really good, I’m a little surprised it isn’t better known, especially since Jane Wyman won the Oscar for it.

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**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-belinda/605138/4 "2011-12-08T01:33:27Z")

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I watch it almost any time it’s on. I’m not a huge Jane Wyman fan, but I loved her in this movie.