Troy Donahue

Acting

Born January 27, 1936 — Died September 2, 2001 New York City, New York, U.S.

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.

Movies(72)

The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959

Merle Johnson

2016

The Boys Behind the Desk

2000

Legion

Flemming

1998

Merchants of Venus

FBI Agent

1998

Bimbo Movie Bash

Dr. Ackerman (archive footage)

1997

Showdown

Police Captain

1993

The Pamela Principle

Troy

1992

Double Trouble

Leonard

1992

Deadly Diamonds

Matt Plimpton

1991

Shock 'Em Dead

Record Exec

1991

Nudity Required

Jack

1990

Sexpot

Phillip

1990

Omega Cop

Slim

1990

Cry-Baby

Hatchet's Father

1990

Click: The Calendar Girl Killer

Alan

1990

The Platinum Triangle

Harold Farber

1989

Hot Times at Montclair High

Mr. Nichols

1989

Dr. Alien

Dr. Ackerman

1989

Assault of the Party Nerds

Sid Witherspoon

1989

Terminal Force

Slim

1989

Blood Nasty

Barry Hefna

1989

Sounds of Silence

Larry Haughton

1989

American Rampage

Police Psychiatrist

1989

The Chilling

Dr. Miller

1989

Deadly Spygames

Python

1989

Hawkeye

Mayor

1988

Bad Blood

Jack Barnes

1988

Hard Rock Nightmare

Uncle Gary

1988

Deadly Prey

Don Michaelson

1987

Hollywood Cop

Lt Maxwell

1987

The Drifting Classroom

Taggart

1987

Cyclone

Bob Jenkins

1987

Fight to Win

Rosenberg

1987

Low Blow

John Templeton

1986

Grandview, U.S.A.

Donny Vinton

1984

Lover, Come Back to Me

1983

Malibu

Clint Redman

1983

Tin Man

Lester

1983

Outrage

Daniel

1977

The Legend of Frank Woods

Sheriff John Baxom

1977

Bob Hope's World of Comedy

Self (archive footage)

1976

The Godfather Part II

Merle Johnson

1974

Seizure

Mark Frost

1974

South Seas

Steve

1974

Cockfighter

Randall Mansfield

1974

Sweet Savior

Moon

1971

The Phantom Gunslinger

Bill

1970

The Lonely Profession

Julian Thatcher

1969

Split Second to an Epitaph

Father Dugan

1968

Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon

Gaylord Sullivan

1967

Mondo Hollywood

1967

Come Spy with Me

Jill Parsons

1967

My Blood Runs Cold

Ben Gunther

1965

A Distant Trumpet

2nd Lt. Matthew 'Matt' Hazard

1964

Palm Springs Weekend

Jim Munroe

1963

Rome Adventure

Don Porter

1962

Susan Slade

Hoyt Brecker

1961

Parrish

Parrish McLean

1961

The Crowded Sky

McVey

1960

A Summer Place

Johnny Hunter

1959

Imitation of Life

Frankie

1959

The Perfect Furlough

Sgt. Nickles

1958

Monster on the Campus

Jimmy Flanders

1958

Voice in the Mirror

Paul Cunningham

1958

Wild Heritage

Jesse Bascomb

1958

This Happy Feeling

Tony Manza

1958

Live Fast, Die Young

Artie Sanders / Artie Smith

1958

Summer Love

Sax Lewis

1958

The Monolith Monsters

Hank Jackson

1957

The Tarnished Angels

Frank Burnham

1957

Man of a Thousand Faces

Assistant Director (uncredited)

1957

Man Afraid

Reporter (uncredited)

1957

Troy Donahue

TV Shows(27)

Movies(72)