TROY DONAHUE (fue un actor de cine estadounidense)

MERLE JOHNSON, JR., conocido artísticamente como TROY DONAHUE (Nueva York, 27 de enero de 1936 – Santa Mónica, California, 2 de septiembre de 2001) fue un actor de cine estadounidense e ídolo adolescente de finales de la década de 1950 e inicios de la de 1960.

Biografía y carrera
Nacido en Nueva York, su verdadero nombre era Merle Johnson, Jr.. En sus inicios, Donahue fue estudiante de periodismo en la Universidad de Columbia de Nueva York, decidiendo posteriormente trabajar como actor en Hollywood, California, donde fue representado por el agente de Rock Hudson, Henry Willson. Según una biografía de Robert Hofler de 2005, The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson: The Pretty Boys and Dirty Deals of Henry Willson, Willson intentó utilizar sin éxito el nombre Troy con Rory Calhoun y con James Darren, hasta que finalmente se lo dio a Donahue. El joven actor se dio a conocer con papeles sin créditos en The Monolith Monsters y en Man Afraid en 1957, los cuales le abrieron camino a otros de mayor importancia en diversos largometrajes.

Actuó en Monster on the Campus, Live Fast, Die Young, y The Tarnished Angels, todos filmes de 1958. En 1959, junto a la estrella juvenil Sandra Dee, trabajó en A Summer Place, película que le convirtió en una estrella, principalmente entre el público adolescente. Más adelante firmó un contrato con Warner Bros., haciendo varios primeros papeles en producciones como Rome Adventure y A Distant Trumpet. En ambos filmes actuó junto a Suzanne Pleshette, actriz con la que se casó en 1964, y de la que se divorció ese mismo año.

En 1970 actuó en la serie televisiva The Secret Storm, y en 1974 fue elegido para hacer su mejor interpretación, la del prometido de Connie Corleone en El Padrino II. Su personaje fue llamado Merle Johnson, que era el nombre real de Donahue.

Troy Donahue pasó sus últimos años junto a la mezzosoprano Zheng Cao, y falleció a causa de un infarto agudo de miocardio en 2001 en Santa Mónica (California). Tenía 65 años de edad. Sus restos fueron incinerados, y las cenizas entregadas a sus allegados.

MERLE JOHNSON, JR., artistically known as TROY DONAHUE (New York, January 27, 1936 – Santa Monica, California, September 2, 2001) was an American film actor and teen idol of the late 1950s and early from the 1960’s.

Biography and career
Born in New York, his real name was Merle Johnson, Jr.. Initially, Donahue was a journalism student at Columbia University in New York, later deciding to work as an actor in Hollywood, California, where he was represented by agent Rock Hudson, Henry Willson. According to a 2005 biography by Robert Hofler, The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson: The Pretty Boys and Dirty Deals of Henry Willson, Willson tried unsuccessfully to use the name Troy with Rory Calhoun and with James Darren, until he finally gave it to Donahue. . The young actor became known with uncredited roles in The Monolith Monsters and Man Afraid in 1957, both of which paved the way for others of greater importance in various feature films.

He acted in Monster on the Campus, Live Fast, Die Young, and The Tarnished Angels, all films from 1958. In 1959, together with the young star Sandra Dee, he worked in A Summer Place, a film that made him a star, mainly among the teenage audience. Later he signed a contract with Warner Bros., doing several first roles in productions such as Rome Adventure and A Distant Trumpet. In both films he acted alongside Suzanne Pleshette, an actress whom he married in 1964, and from whom he divorced that same year.

In 1970 he acted in the television series The Secret Storm, and in 1974 he was chosen to do his best performance, that of Connie Corleone’s fiancé in The Godfather II. Her character was named Merle Johnson, which was Donahue’s real name.

Troy Donahue spent his last years with the mezzo-soprano Zheng Cao, and died of an acute myocardial infarction in 2001 in Santa Monica, California. He was 65 years old. His remains were cremated, and the ashes given to his relatives.

Filmography
1957 Man Afraid
1957 Man of a Thousand Faces
1957 The Monolith Monsters
1958 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
1959 Imitation to life
1959 A Summer Place
1960 The Crowded Sky
1961 Parish
1961 Susan Slade
1962 Rome Adventure
1963 Palm Springs Weekend
1963 A Distant Trumpet
1965 My Blood Runs Cold
1967 Come Spy with Me
1967 Jules Verne’s Rocket to the Moon
1967 World Hollywood
1969 The Lonely Profession
1970 The Phantom Gunslinger
1971 Sweet Savior
1972 The Last Stop
1974 South Seas
1974 Seizure
1974 Cockfighter
1974 The Godfather II
1977 The Legend of Frank Woods
1977 Outrage
1983 Tin Man
1983 Malibu
1984 Katy the Caterpillar
1984 Grandview, U.S.A.
1986 Low Blow
1987 Fight to Win
1987 Cyclones
1987 The Drifting Classroom
1988 Sex Pot
1988 Nudity Required
1988 Hollywood Cop
1988 Karate Cops
1988 Hard Rock Nightmare
1988 Deadly Prey
1989 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
1990 Omega Cop
1990 Click: The Calendar Girl Killer
1990 Cry Baby
1991 Shock ‘Em Dead
1991 Deadly Diamonds
1992 Double Trouble
1992 The Pamela Principle
1993 Showdown
1993 Bad Blood
1998 Merchants of Venus
1998 Legion
2000 The Boys Behind the Desk.

Créditos: Tomado de Wikipedia
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Donahue