Troy Donahue
Born January 27, 1936 (Age: 90)
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New York City, New York, U.S.
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.
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.
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Filmography
No Image
The Boys Behind the Desk
2000
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as
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Age: 63
Legion
1998
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as Flemming
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Age: 62
Merchants of Venus
1998
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as FBI Agent
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Age: 62
Bimbo Movie Bash
1997
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as Dr. Ackerman (archive footage)
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Age: 61
Showdown
1993
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as Police Captain
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Age: 57
The Pamela Principle
1992
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as Troy
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Age: 56
Double Trouble
1992
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as Leonard
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Age: 56
Deadly Diamonds
1991
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as Matt Plimpton
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Age: 55
Shock 'Em Dead
1991
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as Record Exec
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Age: 55
Nudity Required
1990
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as Jack
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Age: 54
Sexpot
1990
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as Phillip
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Age: 54
Omega Cop
1990
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as Slim
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Age: 54
Cry-Baby
1990
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as Hatchet's Father
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Age: 54
Click: The Calendar Girl Killer
1990
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as Alan
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Age: 54
The Platinum Triangle
1989
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as Harold Farber
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Age: 53
Hot Times at Montclair High
1989
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as Mr. Nichols
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Age: 53
Dr. Alien
1989
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as Dr. Ackerman
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Age: 53
Assault of the Party Nerds
1989
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as Sid Witherspoon
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Age: 53
Terminal Force
1989
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as Slim
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Age: 53
Sounds of Silence
1989
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as Larry Haughton
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Age: 53
Blood Nasty
1989
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as Barry Hefna
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Age: 53
American Rampage
1989
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as Police Psychiatrist
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Age: 52
Deadly Spygames
1989
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as Python
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Age: 52
The Chilling
1989
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as Dr. Miller
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Age: 52
Hawkeye
1988
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as Mayor
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Age: 52
Bad Blood
1988
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as Jack Barnes
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Age: 52
Hard Rock Nightmare
1988
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as Uncle Gary
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Age: 51
Deadly Prey
1987
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as Don Michaelson
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Age: 51
Hollywood Cop
1987
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as Lt Maxwell
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Age: 51
The Drifting Classroom
1987
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as Taggart
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Age: 51
Cyclone
1987
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as Bob Jenkins
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Age: 51
Fight to Win
1987
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as Rosenberg
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Age: 51
Grandview, U.S.A.
1984
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as Donny Vinton
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Age: 48
The Godfather Part II
1974
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as Merle Johnson
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Age: 38
Seizure
1974
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as Mark Frost
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Age: 38
South Seas
1974
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as Steve
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Age: 38
Cockfighter
1974
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as Randall Mansfield
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Age: 38
The Lonely Profession
1969
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as Julian Thatcher
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Age: 33
Split Second to an Epitaph
1968
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as Father Dugan
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Age: 32
My Blood Runs Cold
1965
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as Ben Gunther
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Age: 29
A Distant Trumpet
1964
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as 2nd Lt. Matthew 'Matt' Hazard
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Age: 28
Palm Springs Weekend
1963
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as Jim Munroe
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Age: 27
Rome Adventure
1962
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as Don Porter
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Age: 26
Susan Slade
1961
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as Hoyt Brecker
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Age: 25
Parrish
1961
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as Parrish McLean
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Age: 25
The Crowded Sky
1960
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as McVey
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Age: 24
A Summer Place
1959
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as Johnny Hunter
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Age: 23
Imitation of Life
1959
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as Frankie
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Age: 23
The Perfect Furlough
1958
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as Sgt. Nickles
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Age: 22
Monster on the Campus
1958
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as Jimmy Flanders
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Age: 22
Voice in the Mirror
1958
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as Paul Cunningham
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Age: 22
Wild Heritage
1958
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as Jesse Bascomb
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Age: 22
This Happy Feeling
1958
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as Tony Manza
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Age: 22
Live Fast, Die Young
1958
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as Artie Sanders / Artie Smith
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Age: 22
Summer Love
1958
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as Sax Lewis
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Age: 22