Donald Wayne Johnson (born December 15, 1949) is an American actor, producer, director, singer, and songwriter. He's best known for his role as Det. James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s television series Miami Vice, winning a Golden Globe for his work in the role. In 1984, after more then a decade of acting on television, Johnson landed a starring role as undercover police detective Sonny Crockett in the Michael Mann/Universal Television cop series, Miami Vice (1984-1990). Miami Vice made him "a major international star." According to Rolling Stone, "No one had more swagger in the Reagan era than Don Johnson." His work on Miami Vice earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Drama, in 1986, and he was nominated for the same award in 1987. He was also nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1985. Between seasons on Miami Vice, he gained further renown through TV miniseries such as the 1985 remake of The Long, Hot Summer. In 1996, he had a supporting role in Tin Cup, along with Kevin Costner, Rene Russo, and Cheech Marin. Johnson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1996. He later starred in the 1996–2001 CBS-TV police drama Nash Bridges with Cheech Marin, Jeff Perry, Jaime P. Gomez, Kelly Hu, Wendy Moniz, Annette O'Toole, Jodi Lyn O'Keefe as his daughter Cassidy, and James Gammon as his father Nick. In October 2010, he began appearing on the HBO series Eastbound & Down, playing Kenny Powers' long-lost father, going by the alias "Eduardo Sanchez." He also reprised his role as Sonny Crockett for a Nike commercial with LeBron James in which the NBA player contemplates acting and appears alongside Johnson on Miami Vice. He had a supporting role in the 2012 Quentin Tarantino film Django Unchained, playing a southern plantation owner named Spencer "Big Daddy" Bennett. In 2014, Johnson starred as the character "Jim Bob" opposite Sam Shepard and Michael C. Hall in Jim Mickle's critically acclaimed crime film, Cold in July. In 2014, he had a supporting role in the film The Other Woman as Cameron Diaz's character's father. In 2015, Johnson began starring in the ABC prime time soap opera Blood & Oil. In 2018, he starred as the character of Arthur, the love interest of Vivian, played by Jane Fonda in Bill Holderman's romantic-comedy Book Club. In 2019, Johnson played the role of Richard Drysdale in Rian Johnson's murder-mystery Knives Out; and starred as Police Chief Judd Crawford in the HBO series Watchmen. In 2021, he co-starred on Kenan, until its cancellation in May 2022. He also appeared in a Nash Bridges television film, with co-star Cheech Marin, on the USA Network in 2021.
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man
(Robert Lee Anderson / The Marlboro Man)
Tin Cup
(David Simms)
The Harrad Experiment
(Stanley Cole)
Bob Hope's Jolly Christmas Show
(Self)
A Boy and His Dog
(Vic)
Dead Bang
(Jerry Beck)
Guilty as Sin
(David Greenhill)
Long Flat Balls II
(Admiral Burnett)
Machete
(Von Jackson)
Moondance Alexander
(Dante)
Return to Macon County
(Harley McKay)
Nash Bridges
(Nash Bridges)
The Hot Spot
(Harry Madox)
Larry presents: Best of The 80s
(Self)
Born Yesterday
(Paul Verrall)
Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star
(Miles Deep)
Paradise
(Ben Reed)
Django Unchained
(Spencer "Big Daddy" Bennett)
Goodbye Lover
(Ben Dunmore)
Sweet Hearts Dance
(Wiley Boon)
Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy
(Self (archive footage))
WWE: DX: One Last Stand
(Self (archive footage))
Melanie
(Carl)
Soggy Bottom, U.S.A.
(Jacob Gorch)
Torno a vivere da solo
(Nico)
The Rebels
(Judson Fletcher)
Revenge of the Stepford Wives
(Officer Andy Brady)
In Pursuit of Honor
(Sgt. John Libbey)
Mike Tyson vs Larry Holmes
(Self)
Unit 234
The Other Woman
(Frank)
The City
(Sgt. Brian Scott)
Cease Fire
(Tim Murphy)
Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold
(Gunther)
Book Club: The Next Chapter
(Arthur)
Cold in July
(Jim Bob)
Alex of Venice
(Roger)
First, You Cry
(Daniel Easton)
Miami Vice: Brother's Keeper
(Det. James “Sonny” Crockett)
Cover Girls
(Johnny Wilson)
Elvis and the Beauty Queen
(Elvis Presley)
NBC 75th Anniversary Special
(Self)
The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart
(Stanley Sweetheart)
High Heat
(Ray)
The Two-Five
(Charlie Morgan)
Heartbeat
(Documentary Filmmaker)
The Two Lives of Carol Letner
(Bob Howard)
Zachariah
(Matthew)
Prachtig 80: Volume 2
(Self)
The Collective
(Liam)
Seriously... Phil Collins
(Self)
Law of the Land
(Quirt)
Encore
Ski Lift to Death
(Mike Sloan)
Word of Honor
(Benjamin Tyson)
Blood of 1000 Virgins
(Self (archive footage))
Brawl in Cell Block 99
(Warden Tuggs)
Vengeance: A Love Story
(Jay Kirkpatrick)
Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill
(Cowboy)
Dragged Across Concrete
(Chief Lt. Calvert)
Book Club
(Arthur)
Live Aid
(Self)
Lollipops and Roses
(Frank)
Knives Out
(Richard Drysdale)
Bastardi
(Sante Patene)
Vault
(Gerry)
G.I. Joe: The Movie
(Lt. Falcon (voice))
When in Rome
(Beth's Dad)
A Good Old Fashioned Orgy
(Jerry Keppler (uncredited))
Pennis from Heaven
(Self)
Rebel Ridge
(Chief Sandy Burnne)
A Little White Lie
(T. Wasserman)
Miami Vice: Freefall
(Detective James Crockett)
Nash Bridges
(Nash Bridges)
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
(Self)
Judging Amy
(Defense Attorney)
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
(Self)
Tales of the Unexpected
(Reeve Baker)
The Streets of San Francisco
(Off. Larry Wilson)
Kenan
(Rick)
Nashville 99
(Mike Watling)
Just Legal
(Grant Cooper)
Richard & Judy
(Self)
MADtv
(Self)
Eight Is Enough
(Doug)
From Here to Eternity
(Jefferson 'Jeff' Davis Prewitt)
Police Story
(Lee Morgan)
Sarge
(Deloy Coopersmith)
Matt Houston
(Terry Spence)
Glenn Martin, DDS
(Grandpa Whitey (voice))
Beulah Land
(Bonard Davis)
Big Hawaii
(Gandy)
What Really Happened To the Class Of '65?
(Edgar)
Miami Vice
(Sonny Crockett)
From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
(Earl McGraw)
The Long Hot Summer
(Ben Quick)
Blood & Oil
(Hap Briggs)
Late Night with Seth Meyers
(Self)
A Series of Unfortunate Events
(Sir)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
(Self)
Sick Note
(Kenny West)
Home Movie: The Princess Bride
(Prince Humperdinck)
Eastbound & Down
(Eduardo Sanchez)
TripTank
(Johnny Bahama (voice))
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
(Self - Guest)
WWE Raw
(Self)
Doctor Odyssey
(Captain Robert Massey)
Saturday Night Live
(Self - Cameo (uncredited))
Classic Albums
(Self (archive footage))
Champs-Elysées
(Self)
The Graham Norton Show
(Self - Guest)
Watchmen
(Judd Crawford)
Conan
(Self)
Golden Globe Awards
(Self (uncredited))
Golden Globe Awards
(Self - Winner)