Whose idea was Van Frickin’ Johnson?

I just assume there was a Man Shortage during the war, and there was some kind of fake publicity campaign — TCM has been running some clip of him crediting his career to the bobbysoxers.

But it’s Van Johnson Day on TCM today and holy hell WTF?

PS: I’m sick of asking “Isn’t there a better print of The Last Time I Saw Paris out there” and starting to think that’s just how shitty the movie has always looked.