×
Loading in progress
  • BIRTH 27/01/1936
  • DEATH 02/09/2001
  • Country United States
  • SHOWS 3
  • MOVIES 30

Troy Donahue

Troy Donahue (born Merle Johnson Jr., January 27, 1936 – September 2, 2001) was an American film and television actor and singer. He was a popular sex symbol in the 1950s and 1960s.

His father was Merle Johnson, the manager of the motion-picture department of General Motors. His mother, Edith Johnson, was a retired stage actress. Donahue attended a New York military academy, where he met Francis Ford Coppola. When Donahue was 18, he moved to New York and got a job as a messenger in a film company founded by his father. He was fired, he says, because he was too young to join the union. He attended Columbia University and studied journalism. He trained briefly with Ezra Stone, and then moved to Hollywood.

The big break of Donahue's career came when he was cast opposite Sandra Dee in A Summer Place, made by Warner Bros. in 1959. The director was Delmer Daves. Warner signed him to a long-term contract. They put him to work guest-starring in episodes of their Western TV series, such as Colt .45 (1959), Maverick (1959), Sugarfoot (1959), The Alaskans (1960), and Lawman (1960).

In 1968, Donahue signed a long-term contract with Universal Studios for films and TV. This lasted a year and saw him get four roles: guest shots on Ironside (1968), The Name of the Game (1968), and The Virginian (1969), and an appearance in the TV movie The Lonely Profession (1969).

Donahue declared bankruptcy in 1968 and eventually lost his home. In 1969, Donahue moved from Los Angeles to New York City. By this time, Donahue's drug addiction and alcoholism had ruined him financially. In May 1982, he joined Alcoholics Anonymous, which he credited for helping him achieve and maintain sobriety.

Donahue continued to act in films throughout the 1980s and into the late 1990s. Donahue's final film role was in the 2000 comedy film The Boys Behind the Desk, directed by Sally Kirkland.

On August 30, 2001, Donahue suffered a heart attack and was admitted to Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica. He died three days later, on September 2, at the age of 65.

Troy Donahue

Shows (3)

The Love Boat
The Love Boat
Mr. Clark
Rawhide
Rawhide
Buzz Travis
The Name of the Game
The Name of the Game
Norman Hoak

Movies (30)

The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Part II
Merle Johnson
Cry-Baby
Cry-Baby
Hatchet's Father
Grandview, U.S.A.
Grandview, U.S.A.
Donny Vinton
Deadly Prey
Deadly Prey
Don Michaelson
Imitation of Life
Imitation of Life
Frankie
Double Trouble
Double Trouble
Leonard
Summer Love
Summer Love
Sax Lewis
Hollywood Cop
Hollywood Cop
Lt Maxwell
Seizure
Seizure
Mark Frost
The Perfect Furlough
The Perfect Furlough
Sgt. Nickles
Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story
Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love…
Rob Kamen
Katy, la oruga
Katy, la oruga
Gilbert (voice, English version)
Assault of the Party Nerds
Assault of the Party Nerds
Sid Witherspoon
Wild Heritage
Wild Heritage
Jesse Bascomb
A Summer Place
A Summer Place
Johnny Hunter
Omega Cop
Omega Cop
Slim
Dr. Alien
Dr. Alien
Dr. Ackerman
The Tarnished Angels
The Tarnished Angels
Frank Burnham
Cyclone
Cyclone
Bob Jenkins
Sounds of Silence
Sounds of Silence
Larry Haughton
A Distant Trumpet
A Distant Trumpet
2nd Lt. Matthew 'Matt' Hazard
Monster on the Campus
Monster on the Campus
Jimmy Flanders
The Monolith Monsters
The Monolith Monsters
Hank Jackson
Hawkeye
Hawkeye
Mayor
Cockfighter
Cockfighter
Randall Mansfield
Legion
Legion
Flemming
Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon
Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon
Gaylord Sullivan
漂流教室
漂流教室
Taggart
Parrish
Parrish
Parrish McLean
恋人よ、われに帰れ
恋人よ、われに帰れ