How did 'High School Musical' impact Bart Johnson's career? Actor opens up

Bart Johnson, best known for playing Coach Jack Bolton in High School Musical, has opened up about how the film impacted his career.

In an interview with TMZ, Johnson stated the movie “f***** up his career at first, despite the fame he gained by starring as Troy Bolton’s (Zac Efron) dad in the Disney film. He told the outlet that he was “put out to pasture” and it took a decade to get his career back on track.

Not only professionally, but High School Musical also impacted Johnson’s personal life. He stated in his interview that his kids' elementary school barred him from dropping them off because his presence caused excessive distractions from fans.

However, he has been successful in securing film opportunities again, including roles in Yellowstone and the Taylor Sheridan series Landman. In Yellowstone, Johnson portrays Aaron, and in Landman, he plays Patrick Ramsey, a representative for one of M-Tex Oil's partners.

Continue to read for more information.

All about the career of Bart Johnson

Bart Johnson has built a versatile career spanning decades in film, television, and directing.

He was born in Hollywood in 1970 to his hairstylist mother, Charlene, who worked on the sets of The Brady Bunch and Charlie's Angels. He moved from Hollywood to Utah at the age of fifteen, graduated from the University of Utah with a B.S., and then studied drama at Yale University to pursue acting professionally.

Bart Johnson’s first acting experience came when he starred in a high school production of West Side Story. He initially entered the TV with minor roles on shows like Clueless and Babylon 5.

He entered the film industry in the mid-1990s, making his debut in the 1995 film My Family, where he played a Young Officer. After landing a recurring role in the TV series Hyperion Bay, he also guest-starred on shows like Diagnosis: Murder, Walker, Texas Ranger, JAG, and others.

After Bart Johnson’s breakthrough role as Coach Jack Bolton in the High School Musical franchise, he started being perceived as a Disney dad by producers and casting directors. In an interview with TV Insider, Johnson opened up about how the massive success of the Disney film adversely affected his career.

He said that it made it difficult for his agents to pitch him for more edgier roles. He told the outlet that it took ten years to come back onto the right path:

“Honestly, and I think a lot of people have a hard time believing this, but I’d say it took about 10 years.I had already done a TV series with Warner Brothers and some really cool movies. Then I got this job and the movie was so big."

He continued:

"Imagine an agent trying to pitch this really cool show for HBO and saying, “hey, we got the dad from High School Musical.” They may be like, “well, we’re interested in the kids and new talent. Tell us about those guys.” They didn’t want the dad, so I think some time had to pass or maybe I went to actor jail for a decade or so.”

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Bart Johnson then added that after his High School Musical role, he did smaller movies for a long time, mainly in recurring roles and guest appearances.

He also ventured into directing on an independent scale, including the short film The Run, which he wrote and starred in. Additionally, he co-wrote and directed the short documentary 6 Bucks and a Bottle, chronicling a hitchhiking adventure with his brothers from Hollywood to Cabo San Lucas, Baja, Mexico.

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