Troy Donahue
Acting • Born 1936-01-27 – Died 2001-09-02
Biography
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.
Filmography
99 credits
Assault of the Party Nerds
Movie • 1989
Sid Witherspoon
Deadly Prey
Movie • 1987
Don Michaelson
The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959
Movie • 2016
Merle Johnson
Imitation of Life
Movie • 1959
Frankie
Cockfighter
Movie • 1974
Randall Mansfield
Blood Nasty
Movie • 1989
Barry Hefna
Monster on the Campus
Movie • 1958
Jimmy Flanders
American Rampage
Movie • 1989
Police Psychiatrist
Parrish
Movie • 1961
Parrish McLean
Sweet Savior
Movie • 1971
Moon
Seizure
Movie • 1974
Mark Frost
The Chilling
Movie • 1989
Dr. Miller
Palm Springs Weekend
Movie • 1963
Jim Munroe
The Tarnished Angels
Movie • 1957
Frank Burnham
Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon
Movie • 1967
Gaylord Sullivan
Terminal Force
Movie • 1989
Slim
A Summer Place
Movie • 1959
Johnny Hunter
Low Blow
Movie • 1986
John Templeton
A Distant Trumpet
Movie • 1964
2nd Lt. Matthew 'Matt' Hazard
Voice in the Mirror
Movie • 1958
Paul Cunningham
Cyclone
Movie • 1987
Bob Jenkins
Grandview, U.S.A.
Movie • 1984
Donny Vinton
Omega Cop
Movie • 1990
Slim
Susan Slade
Movie • 1961
Hoyt Brecker
The Crowded Sky
Movie • 1960
McVey
Rome Adventure
Movie • 1962
Don Porter
Hard Rock Nightmare
Movie • 1988
Uncle Gary
Bad Blood
Movie • 1988
Jack Barnes
This Happy Feeling
Movie • 1958
Tony Manza
Hot Times at Montclair High
Movie • 1989
Mr. Nichols
My Blood Runs Cold
Movie • 1965
Ben Gunther
Nudity Required
Movie • 1990
Jack
Summer Love
Movie • 1958
Sax Lewis
Fight to Win
Movie • 1987
Rosenberg
Wild Heritage
Movie • 1958
Jesse Bascomb
The Perfect Furlough
Movie • 1958
Sgt. Nickles
Man Afraid
Movie • 1957
Reporter (uncredited)
Hollywood Cop
Movie • 1987
Lt Maxwell
Click: The Calendar Girl Killer
Movie • 1990
Alan
The Boys Behind the Desk
Movie • 2000
Live Fast, Die Young
Movie • 1958
Artie Sanders / Artie Smith
Come Spy with Me
Movie • 1967
Jill Parsons
Dr. Alien
Movie • 1989
Dr. Ackerman
Legion
Movie • 1998
Flemming
Shock 'Em Dead
Movie • 1991
Record Exec
Showdown
Movie • 1993
Police Captain
Tin Man
Movie • 1983
Lester
The Monolith Monsters
Movie • 1957
Hank Jackson
The Godfather Part II
Movie • 1974
Merle Johnson
Hawkeye
Movie • 1988
Mayor
The Phantom Gunslinger
Movie • 1970
Bill
Double Trouble
Movie • 1992
Leonard
South Seas
Movie • 1974
Steve
The Drifting Classroom
Movie • 1987
Taggart
The Platinum Triangle
Movie • 1989
Harold Farber
Sexpot
Movie • 1990
Phillip
The Pamela Principle
Movie • 1992
Troy
Deadly Diamonds
Movie • 1991
Matt Plimpton
Merchants of Venus
Movie • 1998
FBI Agent
Bimbo Movie Bash
Movie • 1997
Dr. Ackerman (archive footage)
Outrage
Movie • 1977
Daniel
Deadly Spygames
Movie • 1989
Python
The Legend of Frank Woods
Movie • 1977
Sheriff John Baxom
Malibu
Movie • 1983
Clint Redman
Man of a Thousand Faces
Movie • 1957
Assistant Director (uncredited)
Cry-Baby
Movie • 1990
Hatchet's Father
The Lonely Profession
Movie • 1969
Julian Thatcher
Sounds of Silence
Movie • 1989
Larry Haughton
Split Second to an Epitaph
Movie • 1968
Father Dugan
Lover, Come Back to Me
Movie • 1983
Mondo Hollywood
Movie • 1967
CHiPs
TV • 1977
77 Sunset Strip
TV • 1958
The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
TV • 1977
Surfside 6
TV • 1960
Sandy Winfield II
Laverne & Shirley
TV • 1976
Hawaiian Eye
TV • 1959
Monsters
TV • 1988
Rawhide
TV • 1959
Buzz Travis
Vega$
TV • 1978
Matt Houston
TV • 1982
The Patty Duke Show
TV • 1963
Bronco
TV • 1958
The Alaskans
TV • 1959
Sugarfoot
TV • 1957
Ken Savage
The Eddie Capra Mysteries
TV • 1978
Maverick
TV • 1957
Dan Jamison
Bourbon Street Beat
TV • 1959
Man on Phone (voice)
The Bob Hope Show
TV • 1950
Self
The Name of the Game
TV • 1968
Norman Hoak
Ellery Queen
TV • 1975
Gilbert Mallory
Ironside
TV • 1967
Father Dugan
77 Sunset Strip
TV • 1958
Sandy Winfield II
The Love Boat
TV • 1977
Mr. Clark
The Ed Sullivan Show
TV • 1948
Self
Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television
TV • 1977
Merle Johnson
Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story
TV • 1991
Rob Kamen
Golden Globe Awards
TV • 1944
Self - Nominee
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self