- Troy Donahue
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Troy Donahue Born Merle Johnson, Jr.
January 27, 1936
New York City, New York, U.S.Died September 2, 2001 (aged 65)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.Occupation Actor Years active 1957–2000 Spouse Alma Sharp
Suzanne Pleshette (1964)
Valerie Allen (1966–1968)
Vicky Taylor (1979–1981)Troy Donahue (January 27, 1936 – September 2, 2001) was an American actor, who was active between the late 1950s and late 1990s.
Contents
Life and career
Born Merle Johnson, Jr., Donahue was initially a journalism student at Columbia University in New York City before he decided to become an actor in Hollywood, where he was represented by Rock Hudson's agent, Henry Willson. According to Robert Hofler's 2005 biography, The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson: The Pretty Boys and Dirty Deals of Henry Willson, Willson tried out the name Troy on Rory Calhoun and James Darren, with no success before it finally stuck to Donahue. The blond heartthrob established himself with uncredited roles in The Monolith Monsters and Man Afraid in 1957, leading to larger parts in several films.
He starred in Monster on the Campus, Live Fast, Die Young, and The Tarnished Angels, all in 1958, and opposite fellow teen idol Sandra Dee in A Summer Place in 1959. The latter made him a star, especially among teenage audiences. He signed a contract with Warner Bros. and played several successive leading roles in films such as Rome Adventure and A Distant Trumpet. The two co-starred Suzanne Pleshette, whom he married in 1964, but divorced later that same year.
After the release of My Blood Runs Cold (1965), Donahue's contract with Warner Bros. ended. He later struggled to find new roles and had problems with drug addiction and alcoholism. He was married again in 1966 to actress Valerie Allen, but they divorced in 1968. In 1969 he appeared in an episode of the long running TV western The Virginian. In 1970 he appeared in the daytime drama The Secret Storm. In 1974 he was cast in his most high-profile role, a small part in The Godfather Part II as the fiancé of Connie Corleone. His character was called Merle Johnson, Donahue's real name.
Donahue starred with Van Williams from 1960 to 1962 in the ABC television series Surfside 6, set in Miami, Florida. After Surfside 6, Donahue joined the cast of Hawaiian Eye for its last season, 1962–1963, in the role of hotel director Philip Barton.
Personal life
After the breakup of his brief second marriage to actress Suzanne Pleshette, Donahue married actress Valerie Pamela Allen (born 1940) on October 21, 1966, in Dublin, Ireland. The union ended two years later when Allen claimed in divorce proceedings that Donahue was constantly late for dinner and ignored her. No alimony was granted, but Donahue agreed to pay Allen $14,000 in monthly installments of $800 each.[1]
Donahue spent his last few years with his fiancée, mezzo-soprano Zheng Cao. He died of a heart attack at the age of 65 on September 2, 2001. His A Summer Place and Susan Slade co-star Dorothy McGuire died the following week (Sep 13th).
In popular culture
- Donahue guest-starred in the second episode, "Operation: Tonsils," of the third season of The Patty Duke Show, which aired on September 22, 1965.
- Donahue is referenced in the line "As for you, Troy Donahue, I know what you wanna do" from the song "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee" in Grease.
- He is also referenced in the Broadway musical A Chorus Line in the song "Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love". In it the character Bobby sings the line: "If Troy Donahue could be a movie star, then I could be a movie star." A similarly scathing reference occurs in the movie The Life and Death of Peter Sellers when - after a furious row between Peter Sellers and director Blake Edwards - Edwards comments to the camera that all actors are difficult, with the exception of "Troy Donahue", the implication being only those with talent are trouble to a director.
- In the Badly Drawn Boy song "One Last Dance" the line "I'll be your Troy Donahue, if you'll be my Sandra Dee" appears.
- In the Ruben Blades song "Ligia Elena" the line (in Spanish) "what shocks me the most of that ungrateful girl is that I thought she was going to give me a little grandson with blond hair and blond teeth, just like Troy Donahue. And she goes and leaves with this lowlife. Oh no! These youth!" appears.
- Donahue was one of the inspirations for The Simpsons character Troy McClure, along with Doug McClure and a measure of the character's voice actor Phil Hartman.[2]
Filmography
- Man Afraid (1957)
- Man of a Thousand Faces (1957)
- The Monolith Monsters (1957)
- The Tarnished Angels (1958)
- Summer Love (1958)
- Live Fast, Die Young (1958)
- Flood Tide (1958)
- This Happy Feeling (1958)
- Voice in the Mirror (1958)
- Wild Heritage (1958)
- The Perfect Furlough (1958)
- Monster on the Campus (1958)
- Imitation of Life (1959)
- A Summer Place (1959)
- The Crowded Sky (1960)
- Parrish (1961)
- Susan Slade (1961)
- Rome Adventure (1962)
- Palm Springs Weekend (1963)
- A Distant Trumpet (1964)
- My Blood Runs Cold (1965)
- The Patty Duke Show, "Operation: Tonsils" (1965) (guest appearance)
- Come Spy with Me (1967)
- Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon (1967)
- Mondo Hollywood (1967) (documentary)
- The Lonely Profession (1969)
- The Phantom Gunslinger (1970)
- Sweet Savior (1971)
- The Last Stop (1972)
- South Seas (1974)
- Seizure (1974)
- Cockfighter (1974)
- The Godfather: Part II (1974)
- The Legend of Frank Woods (1977)
- Outrage (1977)
- Tin Man (1983 )
- Malibu (1983)
- Katy the Caterpillar (1984) (voice in English-dubbed version)
- Grandview, U.S.A. (1984)
- Low Blow (1986)
- Fight to Win (1987)
- Cyclone (1987)
- The Drifting Classroom (1987)
- Sexpot (1988)
- Nudity Required (1988)
- Hollywood Cop (1988)
- Karate Cops (1988)
- Hard Rock Nightmare (1988)
- Deadly Prey (1988)
- Sounds of Silence (1989)
- The Platinum Triangle (1989)
- Hot Times at Montclair High (1989)
- Deadly Spygames (1989)
- The Chilling (1989)
- Blood Nasty (1989)
- Assault of the Party Nerds (1989)
- Terminal Force (1989)
- American Rampage (1989)
- Dr. Alien (1989)
- Omega Cop (1990)
- Click: The Calendar Girl Killer (1990)
- Cry-Baby (1990)
- Shock 'Em Dead (1991)
- Deadly Diamonds (1991)
- Double Trouble (1992)
- The Pamela Principle (1992)
- Showdown (1993)
- Bad Blood (1993)
- Merchants of Venus (1998)
- Legion (1998)
- The Boys Behind the Desk (2000)
References
- ^ "Donahue Arrives Late, Gets Divorce", Baton Rouge Morning Advocate, November 16, 1968, p. 1
- ^ The Simpsons Season 2 DVD, Episode: Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment
External links
Categories:- 1936 births
- 2001 deaths
- American film actors
- American television actors
- Deaths from myocardial infarction
- New York Military Academy alumni
- People from New York City
- People from Los Angeles, California
- People from Santa Monica, California
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