- Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume One, 1981-1985, pages 627-628. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998.
- Racecar driver; won the 1950 Indianapolis 500.
- Father of fellow racing driver Johnny Parsons Jr..
- In 1949 Johnnie Parsons came in second place in the world famous, Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. Believing Johnnie could win the following year- one week before Johnnie Parsons was to compete again in the Indy 500-Jimmie Jackson used a new technology-the wire recorder-to recorded he and Johnnie having the winning interview in Jimmie's living room as if Johnnie had just won the race-which of course he did go on to win. People were amazed at how Jimmie Jackson was able to interview Johnnie Parsons "live" on the "Memory Lane TV Show" right after the race and "scoop" the major Networks and everyone else.
- Johnnie Parsons has the dubious distinction of being the only race driver to grace the Borg Warner Trophy whose name is misspelled. Instead of his given birth-name the inscriber mistakenly etched Johnny.
- Because, [Barbara Stanwyck was filming scenes for the movie, To Please a Lady (1950) she was on hand at the Indianapolis Speedway for that years 500 miler. After the race there's a famous photograph of the legendary actress taken in Victory Lane giving, Johnnie Parsons an enthusiastic (smack on the lips) congratulatory kiss.
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