- Born
- Died
- Birth nameMerle Johnson Jr.
- Height1.88 m
- Troy Donahue was a journalism student at Columbia University when he began playing in stock productions. He made his film debut in L'Emprise de la peur (1957) and in 1959 signed as a contract player with Warner Bros., which promoted him to stardom with Ils n'ont que vingt ans... (1959) that year. He was soon a teenage heartthrob, his blond hair and blue eyes appearing frequently on the covers of movie magazines. His most successful film was La soif de la jeunesse (1961), in which he played the title character. A few years after that his career went into a decline; he made only a few television movies between the mid-'60s and his small role in Le Parrain, 2ᵉ partie (1974) (in which his character's name, Merle Johnson, was actually his real name). His later films were almost entirely for the low-budget home video market, e.g., Sexpot (1990) and Recherche comédiennes déshabillées (1989).
On August 30, 2001, Donahue suffered a heart attack and was admitted to the hospital in Santa Monica, California. He died three days later on September 2 at the age of 65.- IMDb mini biography by: Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu>
- SpousesVicky Taylor(March 3, 1979 - 1981) (divorced)Alma Sharpe(November 15, 1969 - 1974) (divorced)Valerie Allen(October 21, 1966 - November 16, 1968) (divorced)Suzanne Pleshette(January 4, 1964 - September 8, 1964) (divorced)
- ParentsMerle Johnson SrEdith Johnson
- During the early 1980s, his personal and professional fortunes had sunk so low that he was literally homeless; sleeping on a bench in New York's Central Park.
- After his father's death, at age 14 Troy was sent to military school. As a cadet, he became friends with a classmate, Francis Ford Coppola. This led to his being cast in Le Parrain, 2ᵉ partie (1974).
- Used his real name, Merle Johnson, for his character in Le Parrain, 2ᵉ partie (1974).
- Along with Doug McClure, was the inspiration for Les Simpson (1989) character "Troy McClure".
- After suffering a heart attack on August 30, 2001, he underwent successful angioplasty surgery upon his arrival at the hospital, but then suffered a second heart attack the following day and was given a heart bypass operation.
- [Discussing his role in Ils n'ont que vingt ans... (1959), with Sandra Dee] What I did basically was knock up Gidget, and you just don't do that!
- By 1968, I had to declare personal bankruptcy and lost my house. I was living like a movie star, but wasn't being paid like one. I lived way over my head and got into great trouble and lost everything. I went from a beautiful home, garden, swimming pool in Beverly Hills to living in shabby apartments in downtown Hollywood. By 1970, I was loaded all the time... I'd wake up about 6:30 in the morning, take three aspirins mixed with codeine, slug down half a pint of vodka and then do four lines of cocaine. That was just so I could get the front door open to peek out and see if I could face the day... I would lie, steal and cheat, all those wonderful things that drunks do to get money. I was crafty. Nobody knew how much I drank then. If a bottle was out on the counter, I'd take a swig when I passed it and quickly put it back.
- I can remember always being exposed to Broadway and theater people. I can remember sitting with Gertrude Lawrence while she read her reviews in 'The King and I'.
- In most of those early films I did for Universal pictures, if you went out for popcorn you missed me.
- It took guts for me to walk out of Hollywood, but it would have been worse to stay. I had a house, seven black Cadillac convertibles, and two wrecked marriages. I already had my head turned; turning back was easy. It doesn't matter if I have a beard or a crew-cut. People respond to me because I have a human quality. I know I'll be put down by Hollywood, but I don't speak to anybody out there anyway... I smoke grass and ride cycles, my lifestyle is casual, but I'm not a dope fiend or a hippie freak. I've found strength in Jesus Christ and he's easier to follow than Zen Buddhism. I'm not strung out. I'm a very reasonable, professional actor.
- Le Parrain, 2ᵉ partie (1975) - $10,000
- Hawaiian Eye (1959) - $3,000 /week
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