# Kenny Johnson **Kenny Johnson** (Kenneth [Allen Johnson](https://www.edgepedia.org/allen-johnson), born 1963) is an American film and television actor best known for playing Detective Curtis "Lemonhead" Lemansky on the FX police drama *The Shield*, and Officer Dominique Luca on CBS's *S.W.A.T.*[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=kenneth-kenny-johnson) • [2](https://www.metacritic.com/person/kenny-johnson/) | Key fact | Detail | |---|---| | Full name / birth | Kenneth Allen Johnson, born 1963 in New Haven, Connecticut[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kenny-johnson/) | | Signature role | Detective Curtis "Lemonhead" Lemansky on *The Shield* (2002–08), a Golden Globe and Peabody Award-winning series[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=kenneth-kenny-johnson) | | Other series regular roles | Ham Dewey in *Saving Grace*, Danny Voss in *Secrets and Lies*, Matt Webb in *Prime Suspect*, Caleb Calhoun in *Bates Motel*[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=kenneth-kenny-johnson) | | Long-running current role | Officer Dominique Luca on *S.W.A.T.* (2017– )[2](https://www.metacritic.com/person/kenny-johnson/) | | Notable guest roles | Herman Kozik for two seasons on *Sons of Anarchy*, Lt. Tommy Welch on *Chicago Fire*, U.S. Marshal Max Clayton on *Dexter*, Tyler Gray on *Burn Notice*[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=kenneth-kenny-johnson) | | Athletic background | Competitive arm wrestler; ranked in the top five globally in his weight class and won the 2012 World Amateur Arm Wrestling Championship[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=kenneth-kenny-johnson) | | Education | Central Connecticut State University, where he played football and baseball on scholarship[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=kenneth-kenny-johnson) | ## Early life and athletics Johnson was born in [New Haven, Connecticut](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-haven-connecticut), and raised in Vermont on a family farm; his CBS biography describes the farm as 30 acres, while a TV Insider profile describes it as 40 acres[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=kenneth-kenny-johnson) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kenny-johnson/). TV Insider reports that his father was Swedish and his mother Latvian[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kenny-johnson/). He attended Central Connecticut State University on scholarship, playing football and baseball[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=kenneth-kenny-johnson). **Arm wrestling.** Alongside acting, Johnson competed seriously in arm wrestling. Neil Bell, an Australian arm wrestling champion who was the uncle of actor [Heath Ledger](https://www.edgepedia.org/heath-ledger), introduced him to the sport and served as his mentor; Johnson then placed among the world's five best arm wrestlers in his weight class and took the 2012 World Amateur Arm Wrestling Championship title.[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=kenneth-kenny-johnson) TV Insider dates his official competition years through 1995, during which he was ranked second in the world in his weight class[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kenny-johnson/). ## Television career Johnson's early television work consisted of guest parts through the 1990s, including episodes of *Grace Under Fire*, *Caroline in the City*, *Sliders*, and *Just Shoot Me*, and a regular role as Lt. Butch "Burner" Barnes on *Pensacola: Wings of Gold* from 1998 to 2000[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kenny-johnson/). **The Shield.** In 2002 Johnson was cast as Detective Curtis "Lemonhead" Lemansky on the new FX crime drama *The Shield*, a member of the Farmington District's Strike Team led by Vic Mackey ([Michael Chiklis](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-chiklis)). TV Insider describes Lem as the conscience of the team, and notes that when the character was killed off, fans reacted strongly enough to contact the network[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kenny-johnson/). The series won a Golden Globe and a Peabody Award[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=kenneth-kenny-johnson). **Later series roles.** After *The Shield*, Johnson starred as Ham Dewey opposite [Holly Hunter](https://www.edgepedia.org/holly-hunter) in TNT's *Saving Grace* (2007–10), played Matt Webb on the American remake of *Prime Suspect* opposite [Maria Bello](https://www.edgepedia.org/maria-bello), and played Danny Voss on *Secrets and Lies* with [Juliette Lewis](https://www.edgepedia.org/juliette-lewis)[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=kenneth-kenny-johnson) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kenny-johnson/). His guest roles include Herman Kozik for two seasons on *Sons of Anarchy*, firefighter Lt. Tommy Welch on *Chicago Fire*, James Decker in *Covert Affairs*, U.S. Marshal Max Clayton on *Dexter*, and CIA operative Tyler Gray on *Burn Notice*[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=kenneth-kenny-johnson). On A&E's *Bates Motel*, Johnson played Caleb Calhoun, uncle of [Norman Bates](https://www.edgepedia.org/norman-bates), opposite [Vera Farmiga](https://www.edgepedia.org/vera-farmiga) and [Freddie Highmore](https://www.edgepedia.org/freddie-highmore)[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=kenneth-kenny-johnson). Since 2017 he has played Officer Dominique Luca on CBS's *S.W.A.T.*[2](https://www.metacritic.com/person/kenny-johnson/), and he appears as Charlie in *Mayor of Kingstown* (2021)[2](https://www.metacritic.com/person/kenny-johnson/). ## Film work Johnson began his screen career with feature film roles including *Blade* (1998), opposite [Wesley Snipes](https://www.edgepedia.org/wesley-snipes); *Major League: Back to the Minors*, with [Scott Bakula](https://www.edgepedia.org/scott-bakula); and *At Home with the Webbers*, alongside [Jennifer Tilly](https://www.edgepedia.org/jennifer-tilly)[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=kenneth-kenny-johnson). His later film work includes Afonso Poyart's thriller *Solace*, opposite Anthony Hopkins, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Abbie Cornish, and the 2016 film *Run the Tide*, opposite Taylor Lautner and Constance Zimmer[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=kenneth-kenny-johnson). ## References 1. [Kenneth "Kenny" Johnson biography, Paramount Press Express, CBS Entertainment](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=kenneth-kenny-johnson) 2. [Kenny Johnson credits and Metascores, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/kenny-johnson/) 3. [Kenny Johnson – Actor, Producer, Model, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kenny-johnson/) --- *Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Jo to Kl* *Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026* *Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.* License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license