Troy Donahue, known for his good looks, charm, and acting ability, was a heartthrob actor in the 1950s and 1960s who starred in several films during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Let’s take a look at the film career of Troy Donahue and explore some of his most famous movies.
Troy Donahue was born Merle Johnson Jr. on January 27, 1936, in New York City. He grew up in a troubled home and was sent to military school at the age of 14. After completing high school, he moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in acting. Columbia Pictures producer William Asher and director James Sheldon spotted Donahue in a Malibu diner. They offered the handsome lad a screen test, however they were unimpressed with his acting ability.
Later, Donahue met an actress who introduced him to a Hollywood agent, Henry Willson, the same agent who represented Rock Hudson. Before Willson agreed to sign him, he insisted he change his given name, Merle Johnson, to something sexier and more memorable. The name “Troy” was taken from the story of Helen of Troy.
In the fall of 1956, Troy Donahue signed a contract with Universal Studios and was granted small parts in several films that were released in 1957, including Man Afraid, Man of a Thousand Faces, Above All Things, The Monolith Monsters, and The Tarnished Angels. The following year, he took on slightly larger roles in Live Fast, Die Young, Man Without a Gun, Summer Love, and Monster of a Campus. In the 1959 film, Imitation of Life, Donahue played a white man who reacts violently when he learns that his girlfriend is black. This was the first role that challenged Donahue’s acting chops and he earned positive reviews for his performance.
However, Troy Donahue struggled to find roles that challenged him as an actor. He was often typecast as a good-looking, young man who was more of a romantic lead than a serious actor. Donahue’s first significant role was in the 1959 film, A Summer Place, where he played a troubled teenager who falls in love with a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, played by Sandra Dee. The film was a box-office hit and established Donahue as a rising star of Hollywood’s Golden Era.
After the success of A Summer Place, Donahue became one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood. He appeared in several films in the early 1960s, including Parrish, Rome Adventure, and Susan Slade, which were all box-office hits. In the 1961 Parrish, Donahue played a young man who works in a tobacco field and falls in love with a wealthy girl. The film showcased Donahue’s range as an actor. In the 1962 film, Susan Slade, Donahue’s character falls in love with a girl who is terminally ill. The film was a box-office success and showcased Donahue’s range as an actor.
Despite his success, Donahue was often criticized for his acting ability. Some critics felt that he was more of a pretty face than a serious actor. However, Donahue brushed off the criticism and continued to work hard at his craft. He was so eager to shed his pretty-boy persona that he accepted the role of a psychotic killer in the 1965 film My Blood Runs Cold, which also starred actress Joey Heatherton. The film was not well received, and the studio terminated Donahue’s contract.
By the late 1960s, Donahue’s career had started to decline. The film industry was changing, and Donahue, who was getting older, was finding it harder to get roles that suited him. He appeared in several low-budget films in the 1970s, but none of them were successful.
Donahue’s personal life was also in turmoil. He had been struggling with alcoholism. He made several attempts to revive his career but was never able to recapture the success he had enjoyed in the 1950s and 1960s. He married actress Suzanne Pleschette, his co-star in two films, in 1964, but the couple soon divorced.
He married again in 1966, this time to actress Valerie Allen. The next year, Allen left him and filed for divorce, claiming Donahue was cruel to her. He had two more brief marriages, in 1969 to Alma Sharpe and in 1979 to Vicki Taylor.
Troy Donahue fathered a son during a casual fling in 1969, but didn’t learn about the child until 1984 when he accidentally ran into his former lover. She chatted with Donahue for a few moments and then pointed to her 13-year-old son, Sean, sitting across the room. Donahue was immediately struck by how much the boy looked like he did at that age. After reconnecting with his son, Donahue built a relationship with him.
Donahue passed away on September 2, 2001, at the age of 65. He left behind a legacy as one of the most popular actors of the 1950s and 1960s, more so because he was handsome, blond, and tan, than because he was a talented performer. Was Troy Donahue simply a pretty face? Some of his film roles showcased his acting skills, however he was often the victim of typecasting based on his all-American good looks.