Johnny Smith (The Dead Zone)
John Smith is a fictional character and the protagonist of Stephen King's 1979 novel The Dead Zone. He possesses psychic abilities that allow him to see moments of the future and past, usually triggered by touching objects or a person related to that future. He is portrayed by Christopher Walken in the 1983 film and Anthony Michael Hall in the 2002 television series. Paste Magazine has ranked Johnny Smith the sixth out of eight creepiest Christopher Walken performances.
| Johnny Smith | |
|---|---|
Walken portraying Smith | |
| Created by | Stephen King (novel) Michael Piller (TV adaptation) |
| Portrayed by | Christopher Walken (film) Anthony Michael Hall (TV series) Evan Smith (as a child, TV series) Kai-Read Friedman (as a child, TV series) |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | John Smith |
| Occupation | Psychic detective Former schoolteacher Tutor |
| Family | Herbert Smith (father) Vera Smith (mother) J.J. Bannerman (son in TV series) |
In the novel, the "dead zone" is the part of Johnny Smith's brain that is damaged beyond repair, causing dormant parts to awaken in order to compensate, leading to psychic abilities; when information in his visions is obstructed, Johnny says it exists in the dead zone. In the movie adaptation starring Walken, a "dead zone" is a blind spot that only appears in precognitive visions, representing that the future can be altered. In the TV series starring Hall, the "dead zone" is not his brain damage but instead the previously dormant part of Johnny's brain that awakens and activates his psychic abilities.