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.

Cast

Assault of the Party Nerds

(Sid Witherspoon)

Deadly Prey

(Don Michaelson)

The Godfather 1901–1959: The Complete Epic

(Merle Johnson)

Imitation of Life

(Frankie)

Blood Nasty

(Barry Hefna)

Cockfighter

(Randall Mansfield)

Monster on the Campus

(Jimmy Flanders)

American Rampage

(Police Psychiatrist)

Parrish

(Parrish McLean)

Sweet Savior

(Moon)

Seizure

(Mark Frost)

The Chilling

(Dr. Miller)

Palm Springs Weekend

(Jim Munroe)

The Tarnished Angels

(Frank Burnham)

Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon

(Gaylord Sullivan)

Terminal Force

(Slim)

A Summer Place

(Johnny Hunter)

A Distant Trumpet

(2nd Lt. Matthew 'Matt' Hazard)

Low Blow

(John Templeton)

Voice in the Mirror

(Paul Cunningham)

Cyclone

(Bob Jenkins)

Grandview, U.S.A.

(Donny Vinton)

Omega Cop

(Slim)

Susan Slade

(Hoyt Brecker)

The Crowded Sky

(McVey)

Rome Adventure

(Don Porter)

Katy Caterpillar

(Gilbert (voice, English version))

Hard Rock Nightmare

(Uncle Gary)

Bad Blood

(Jack Barnes)

This Happy Feeling

(Tony Manza)

Hot Times at Montclair High

(Mr. Nichols)

My Blood Runs Cold

(Ben Gunther)

Nudity Required

(Jack)

Summer Love

(Sax Lewis)

Fight to Win

(Rosenberg)

Wild Heritage

(Jesse Bascomb)

The Perfect Furlough

(Sgt. Nickles)

Man Afraid

(Reporter (uncredited))

Hollywood Cop

(Lt Maxwell)

Click: The Calendar Girl Killer

(Alan)

The Boys Behind the Desk

Live Fast, Die Young

(Artie Sanders / Artie Smith)

Come Spy with Me

(Jill Parsons)

Dr. Alien

(Dr. Ackerman)

Legion

(Flemming)

Shock 'Em Dead

(Record Exec)

Showdown

(Police Captain)

Tin Man

(Lester)

The Monolith Monsters

(Hank Jackson)

The Godfather Part II

(Merle Johnson)

Hawkeye

(Mayor)

The Phantom Gunslinger

(Bill)

Double Trouble

(Leonard)

South Seas

(Steve)

The Drifting Classroom

(Taggart)

The Platinum Triangle

(Harold Farber)

Sexpot

(Phillip)

The Pamela Principle

(Troy)

Deadly Diamonds

(Matt Plimpton)

Merchants of Venus

(FBI Agent)

Bimbo Movie Bash

(Dr. Ackerman (archive footage))

Outrage

(Daniel)

Deadly Spygames

(Python)

The Legend of Frank Woods

(Sheriff John Baxom)

Malibu

(Clint Redman)

Man of a Thousand Faces

(Assistant Director (uncredited))

Cry-Baby

(Hatchet's Father)

The Lonely Profession

(Julian Thatcher)

Sounds of Silence

(Larry Haughton)

Split Second to an Epitaph

(Father Dugan)

Lover, Come Back to Me

CHiPs

77 Sunset Strip

The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries

Surfside 6

(Sandy Winfield II)

Laverne & Shirley

Hawaiian Eye

Monsters

Rawhide

(Buzz Travis)

Vega$

Matt Houston

The Patty Duke Show

Bronco

The Alaskans

Sugarfoot

(Ken Savage)

The Eddie Capra Mysteries

Maverick

(Dan Jamison)

Bourbon Street Beat

(Man on Phone (voice))

The Bob Hope Show

(Self)

The Name of the Game

(Norman Hoak)

Ellery Queen

(Gilbert Mallory)

Ironside

(Father Dugan)

77 Sunset Strip

(Sandy Winfield II)

The Love Boat

(Mr. Clark)

The Ed Sullivan Show

(Self)

Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television

(Merle Johnson)

Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story

(Rob Kamen)