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.
Filmography · 98
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 · Self
The Love Boat
1977 · Mr. Clark
Ironside
1967 · Father Dugan
Golden Globe Awards
1944 · Self - Nominee
The Godfather Part II
1974 · Merle Johnson
Maverick
1957 · Dan Jamison
Fantasy Island
1978 · Jack Terry
Rawhide
1959 · Buzz Travis
Bourbon Street Beat
1959 · Man on Phone (voice)
Laverne & Shirley
1976
Hawaiian Eye
1959
The Name of the Game
1968 · Norman Hoak
The Bob Hope Show
1950 · Self
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948 · Self
Vega$
1978
Monsters
1988 · Dr. Thomas Becker
Surfside 6
1960 · Sandy Winfield II
Matt Houston
1982
The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
1977
Sugarfoot
1957 · Ken Savage
77 Sunset Strip
1958
Ellery Queen
1975 · Gilbert Mallory
Bronco
1958
The Patty Duke Show
1963
CHiPs
1977
Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television
1977 · Merle Johnson
The Alaskans
1959
A Summer Place
1959 · Johnny Hunter
Cry-Baby
1990 · Hatchet's Father
The Eddie Capra Mysteries
1978
Imitation of Life
1959 · Frankie
Double Trouble
1992 · Leonard
Bimbo Movie Bash
1997 · Dr. Ackerman (archive...
The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980
1992 · Merle Johnson
Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story
1991 · Rob Kamen
The Perfect Furlough
1958 · Sergeant Nickles
The Monolith Monsters
1957 · Hank Jackson
The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959
2016 · Merle Johnson
Grandview, U.S.A.
1984 · Donny Vinton
Merchants of Venus
1998 · FBI Agent
Man of a Thousand Faces
1957 · Assistant Director (un...
A Distant Trumpet
1964 · 2nd Lt. Matthew 'Matt'...
Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon
1967 · Gaylord Sullivan
Seizure
1974 · Mark Frost
The Chilling
1989 · Dr. Miller
Deadly Prey
1987 · Don Michaelson
Susan Slade
1961 · Hoyt Brecker
Rome Adventure
1962 · Don Porter
Parrish
1961 · Parrish McLean
Cyclone
1987 · Bob Jenkins
South Seas
1974 · Steve
Dr. Alien
1989 · Dr. Ackerman
The Tarnished Angels
1957 · Frank Burnham
Cockfighter
1974 · Randall Mansfield
Monster on the Campus
1958 · Jimmy Flanders
Malibu
1983 · Clint Redman
The Pamela Principle
1992 · Troy
Assault of the Party Nerds
1989 · Sid Witherspoon
The Crowded Sky
1960 · McVey
This Happy Feeling
1958 · Tony Manza
Palm Springs Weekend
1963 · Jim Munroe
Mondo Hollywood
1967
Man Afraid
1957 · Reporter (uncredited)
Bad Blood
1988 · Jack Barnes
Summer Love
1958 · Sax Lewis
Deadly Spygames
1989 · Python
The Drifting Classroom
1987 · Taggart
Live Fast, Die Young
1958 · Artie Sanders / Artie...
Hard Rock Nightmare
1988 · Uncle Gary
Outrage
1977 · Daniel
Legion
1998 · Flemming
Terminal Force
1989 · Slim
Shock 'Em Dead
1991 · Record Exec
My Blood Runs Cold
1965 · Ben Gunther
Wild Heritage
1958 · Jesse Bascomb
Split Second to an Epitaph
1968 · Father Dugan
Hollywood Cop
1987 · Lt Maxwell
Come Spy with Me
1967 · Jill Parsons
Omega Cop
1990 · Slim
Low Blow
1986 · John Templeton
The Phantom Gunslinger
1970 · Bill
Voice in the Mirror
1958 · Paul Cunningham
The Platinum Triangle
1989 · Harold Farber
American Rampage
1989 · Police Psychiatrist
The Lonely Profession
1969 · Julian Thatcher
Lover, Come Back to Me
1983
Blood Nasty
1989 · Barry Hefna
Hot Times at Montclair High
1989 · Mr. Nichols
Nudity Required
1990 · Jack
Fight to Win
1987 · Rosenberg
Hawkeye
1988 · Mayor
Sounds of Silence
1989 · Larry Haughton
Showdown
1993 · Police Captain
The Legend of Frank Woods
1977 · Sheriff John Baxom
Click: The Calendar Girl Killer
1990 · Alan
Sweet Savior
1971 · Moon
Sexpot
1990 · Phillip
Deadly Diamonds
1991 · Matt Plimpton