Troy Donahue was a journalism student at Columbia University when he began playing in stock productions. He made his film debut in _Man Afraid .
Used his real name, Merle Johnson, for his character in The Godfather: Part II .
Taught acting classes on Holland America cruise ships.
At the time of his death he lived with his fiance, the mezzo-soprano Zheng Cao.
Survived by daughter Janine & 3 grandchildren, as well as a son, Sean .
Starting drinking alcohol in seventh grade (age 13). After being dropped by Warner Brothers in 1966 (age 30) he became an alcoholic. Admitted that he was addicted to pain killers, amphetamines, & cocaine, and used marijuana daily. Joined AA in 1982 (age 46) and turned his life around with his sobriety.
Received his movie name of "Troy Donahue" from the same person who named Rock Hudson : Hollywood press agent Henry Willson.
He toured in a producton of "Bye Bye Birdie" toward the end of his life.
8/30/01: Suffered a heart attack. He never recovered and died at St. Johns Hospital and Medical Center in Santa Monica, CA, 9/2/01.
Former co-star and long-time friend Connie Stevens visited Donahue the day before he died.
Son of Edith (Frederickson), a stage actress, and Merle Johnson Sr., a vice-president at General Motors. His mother was born in New York, to Swedish parents. His father was born in Illinois. Troys paternal grandfather was English.
His admittedly limited talent was slightly chided in the smash Broadway musical "A Chorus Line." The lyric went: "If Troy Donahue could be a movie star, then I could be a movie star!"
After his fathers 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 The Godfather: Part II .
Along with Doug McClure , was the inspiration for "The Simpsons" character "Troy McClure".
During the early 1980s, his personal and professional fortunes had sunk so low that he was literally living on a bench in New Yorks Central Park.
Died just eleven days before his A Summer Place costar, Dorothy McGuire.
1/23/05: Ranked #10 in TV Guides list of "TVs 25 Greatest Teen Idols".
His name was used in the lyrics for the song, "Look at Me, Im Sandra Dee" in the musical, Grease. ("As for you Troy Donahue...").
Underwent successful angioplasty surgery upon his arrival in hospital, but then suffered a second heart attack and was given a heart bypass.
Having migrated to Hollywood after dropping out of Columbia University, the sun-bleached blond was discovered and offered a Universal screen test by director William Asher while munching on a cheeseburger at a beachside diner.
Suffered from arthritis and was taking the arthritis painkiller Vioxx at the time he died of a heart attack.
Talks about his early days at Universal, and the sci-fi movie Monster on the Campus , in the book, "A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde" (McFarland, 2010), by Tom Weaver.
As a recurring guest on Ruth Lyons "The 50/50 Club" , which broadcast at noon from the powerful WLW-T in Cincinnati, in the late 40s through the 50s and 60s, Troy had a huge fan in Ruths teenage daughter Candy Laird Newman, and gave her, as a surprise, a walk-on part in Palm Springs Weekend . It was announced on Ruths show by Candy, and everyone was very excited for her. She was only on for a few seconds, but it was a very big deal for Candy, who died of cancer in the early 1960s at age 20.
The December 1, 1971, issue of Variety, in the Hollywood Production Pulse section, reports the film Without Last Rights (or Rites) starring Troy Donahue, directed by Michael Meola, began filming Nov 12, 1971, in Paterson, NJ. No evidence the film was completed or released.
The January 5, 1972, issue of Variety lists a movie titled Without Last Rights, director Michael Meola, with cast Troy Donahue, Manchester Brooks, Caren Kaye, and others that started filming Nov. 12, 1971, in Paterson, NJ. No evidence the movie was ever finished or released.
