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Troy Donahue

Troy Donahue

Actor · Died September 2, 2001, aged 65 · New York City, New York, U.S.

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.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 27, 1936
Died
September 2, 2001 (aged 65)
From
New York City, New York, U.S.
Works as
Actor
Titles
37 on MovieCove · 95 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Up 12% in 30 days

What are Troy Donahue's films like?

Across their 24 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Bonds.

Genres

Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 9th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Horror5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 10th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 25th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Survival
27%
Bonds
26%
Morality
22%
Self
17%
Society
5%
Power
3%
Survival9 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence3 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 24 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 10 · Serious 5 · Dark 9

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 11 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 8 · Charged 11 · Intense 5

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 15 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 14 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 4

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 18 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 23 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

12 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 6 of 12 analyzed roles.

Hero
6 of 12
Shadow
2 of 12
Shapeshifter
1 of 12
Threshold guardian
1 of 12
Mentor
1 of 12
Ally
1 of 12
Show the 12 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
19
Absurd
9
Dread
7
Melancholic
9
Romantic
7
Other
13

How their films linger

Bittersweet12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet12
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Troy Donahue's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 18 of their 37 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Troy Donahue's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

95 credits, 37 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Boys Behind the Desk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Actor

  • Legion(1998)

    as Flemming

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Merchants of Venus(1998)

    as FBI Agent

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Bimbo Movie Bash (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Dr. Ackerman (archive footage)

  • Showdown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Police Captain

  • The Pamela Principle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Troy

  • The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Merle Johnson

  • Double Trouble(1992)

    as Leonard

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 2 episodes · as Rob Kamen

  • Deadly Diamonds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Matt Plimpton

  • Shock 'Em Dead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Record Exec

  • Nudity Required (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Jack

  • Sexpot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Phillip

  • Omega Cop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Slim

  • Cry-Baby(1990)

    as Hatchet's Father

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Click: The Calendar Girl Killer(1990)

    as Alan

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • The Platinum Triangle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Harold Farber

  • Hot Times at Montclair High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Mr. Nichols

  • Dr. Alien (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Dr. Ackerman

  • Assault of the Party Nerds(1989)

    as Sid Witherspoon

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Terminal Force(1989)

    as Slim

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Blood Nasty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Barry Hefna

  • Sounds of Silence(1989)

    as Larry Haughton

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • American Rampage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Police Psychiatrist

  • Deadly Spygames (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Python

  • The Chilling(1989)

    as Dr. Miller

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Hawkeye (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Mayor

  • Bad Blood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Jack Barnes

  • Monsters(1988)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Thomas Becker

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Hard Rock Nightmare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Uncle Gary

  • Deadly Prey(1987)

    as Don Michaelson

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Hollywood Cop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Lt Maxwell

  • The Drifting Classroom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Taggart

  • Cyclone(1987)

    as Bob Jenkins

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Fight to Win (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Rosenberg

  • Low Blow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as John Templeton

  • Grandview, U.S.A.(1984)

    as Donny Vinton

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Lover, Come Back to Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Actor

  • Malibu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Clint Redman

  • Tin Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Lester

  • Matt Houston (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Vega$ (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Eddie Capra Mysteries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Fantasy Island(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Jack Terry

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 4 episodes · as Merle Johnson

  • Outrage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Daniel

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Clark

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • CHiPs(1977)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all shows

  • The Legend of Frank Woods(1977)

    as Sheriff John Baxom

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Laverne & Shirley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Ellery Queen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Gilbert Mallory

  • The Godfather Part II(1974)

    as Merle Johnson

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Seizure(1974)

    as Mark Frost

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • South Seas(1974)

    as Steve

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Cockfighter(1974)

    as Randall Mansfield

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Sweet Savior (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Moon

  • The Phantom Gunslinger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Bill

  • The Lonely Profession (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Julian Thatcher

  • Split Second to an Epitaph (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Father Dugan

  • The Name of the Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Norman Hoak

  • Those Fantastic Flying Fools(1967)

    as Gaylord Sullivan

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Mondo Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Actor

  • Ironside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Father Dugan

  • Come Spy with Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Jill Parsons

  • My Blood Runs Cold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Ben Gunther

  • A Distant Trumpet(1964)

    as 2nd Lt. Matthew 'Matt' Hazard

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Palm Springs Weekend(1963)

    as Jim Munroe

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Patty Duke Show(1963)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Rome Adventure(1962)

    as Don Porter

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Susan Slade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Hoyt Brecker

  • Parrish(1961)

    as Parrish McLean

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Surfside 6 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 74 episodes · as Sandy Winfield II

  • The Crowded Sky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as McVey

  • A Summer Place(1959)

    as Johnny Hunter

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Hawaiian Eye (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 24 episodes · as PHilip Barton

  • Bourbon Street Beat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Man on Phone (voice)

  • The Alaskans (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Imitation of Life(1959)

    as Frankie

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Rawhide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Buzz Travis

  • The Perfect Furlough(1958)

    as Sergeant Nickles

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Monster on the Campus(1958)

    as Jimmy Flanders

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • 77 Sunset Strip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Sandy Winfield II

  • Bronco (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Voice in the Mirror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Paul Cunningham

  • Wild Heritage(1958)

    as Jesse Bascomb

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • This Happy Feeling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Tony Manza

  • Live Fast, Die Young(1958)

    as Artie Sanders / Artie Smith

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Summer Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Sax Lewis

  • The Monolith Monsters(1957)

    as Hank Jackson

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Tarnished Angels(1957)

    as Frank Burnham

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Maverick(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Dan Jamison

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Sugarfoot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Ken Savage

  • Man of a Thousand Faces(1957)

    as Assistant Director (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Man Afraid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Reporter (uncredited)

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 95 titles from 1957 to 2000; peak year 1991.

Biggest box office

Grandview, U.S.A. (1984)

$4.7M worldwide

Highest rated

Cockfighter (1974)

Midcredits 75th

Most popular right now

Grandview, U.S.A. (1984)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19572000

Peak 1991 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting95 of 95: 95 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score27th

By decade

1950s21 · acting1960s16 · acting1970s17 · acting1980s25 · acting1990s15 · acting2000s1 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 5% of 20 roles
576282

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Troy Donahue's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 26th percentile, the median of all 31; across their 24 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 23rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

23rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Approval · how many liked their films

18thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Reach · how many have seen their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Midcredits score across 37 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th14

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 37 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Universally Panned2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed16

Most divisive · actor

Merchants of Venus (1998)

85th percentile spread · 43% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Godfather Part II (1974)

Midcredits 99th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the acting 47/100 in their films, across 22 reviewed titles; fans 64, detractors 30. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Troy Donahue's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 46 · moderateMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Troy Donahue work with?

People who share at least 2 of Troy Donahue's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Max Steiner shares the most, 4.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors