Troy Donahue was a famous actor and singer in the 1950s and 1960s, known for his good looks and charm.
However, the pressure from his fame and fans weighed heavily on him throughout most of his life.
In the end, his story took an unexpected turn that no one saw coming…
Whenever I hear the song “Summer Place,” I think of Troy Donahue. I remember watching the movie as a kid and thinking he was so handsome!
In the 1950s and 60s, Troy Donahue was seen as the ideal American heartthrob: young, blond, blue-eyed, and very good-looking. He had many young female fans because of his appearance.
Even though Troy was only a Hollywood star for a few years, many people still recognize his name, even if they might not remember him well.
Even though Troy Donahue was famous, he didn’t make much money from his career. His life started to fall apart, and things only began to improve when he reconnected with his teenage son.
Troy was born Merle Johnson in New York City. He was inspired by his mother, who was a stage actress, and wanted to be an actor from a young age. In a 1984 interview with People magazine, he said:
“I always grew up around Broadway and theater people. I remember sitting with Gertrude Lawrence while she read her reviews for ‘The King and I.’”
Troy Donahue went to Columbia University to study journalism, but he kept acting in local theater productions on the side. When he started appearing in movies, he had a new name, an agent, and was working with studio executives.
He said, “At first, they wanted to name me Paris, like the lover of Helen of Troy. But they changed it because there was already a Paris, France, and Paris, Illinois.”
Troy made his film debut in *Man Afraid*. Just two years later, he signed with Warner Bros, who saw his potential.
He recalled, “They asked me to light a cigarette, and when I did, they were so surprised, they fell down.”
In 1959, Troy starred in *A Summer Place*, which made him a big star and a popular teen heartthrob. He often played the good guy alongside a beautiful blonde actress. Despite his fame, he didn’t make much money.
Troy Donahue admitted that he was living like a movie star but not getting paid like one. He said, “I lived way over my head and got into a lot of trouble.”
In the late 1950s, Troy and Sandra Dee were known as a romantic movie couple. Over his life, Troy was married four times: first to Suzanne Pleshette, then to Valerie Allen, Alma Sharpe, and Vicky Taylor. All of these marriages ended in divorce.
As his love life fell apart, Troy began struggling with substance abuse. His unhealthy habits made things worse for his acting career.
By the end of the 1960s, his life was in a mess. He said, “I was loaded all the time. I’d wake up around 6:30 in the morning, take three aspirins with codeine, drink half a pint of vodka, and then do four lines of cocaine.”
Despite his struggles, Troy claimed that his addiction never affected his work. He insisted he was never drunk or impaired while working and that his drinking problems were not caused by his career.
Troy Donahue immediately believed the news when he learned he had a son, Sean. He saw a lot of himself in the boy and was relieved to find they got along well. Sean’s mother did not ask for child support, and they set up visitations so Sean could get to know his father. Donahue had been kept away from Sean earlier because of his struggles with drugs and alcohol.
His addiction problems also affected his career. By this time, he was no longer getting big roles and was working in smaller films like “Cry-Baby,” “Bad Blood,” and “Assault of the Party Nerds.”
In 1998, Donahue mentioned in an interview that he was not worried about his career shift to B-films. He felt his career was nearing its end but still considered himself a talented actor despite the critics.
Sadly, Donahue passed away from a heart attack in 2001 at age 65. By then, he had cleaned up his life and built a strong relationship with his son.
Troy was known for his good looks and charm on screen. Although he faced many struggles, he left behind many memorable performances.
JOHN TRAVOLTA’S DAUGHTER THANKS HIM FOR MAKING EVERY DAY BETTER AND SAYS SHE HOPES TO BE HALF AS GOOD A PARENT AS HE IS.
Sometimes, dads don’t get as much credit as moms in parenting. But the truth is, a father’s role in a child’s life is just as important, and they deserve the same love. Ella Travolta wanted to appreciate her dad, John Travolta, for everything he does, and she shared some heartfelt words.
At Bright Side, we believe that sharing kind words strengthens bonds, so we want to share this sweet exchange with our audience. Ella honored John on his special day.
The 21-year-old actress posted a picture on her Instagram with her dad and brother. In the caption, she said her dad is her “best friend” and someone who brings joy to her in both good times and bad.
She revealed that even though parenting is not easy, John makes it look like it is. He somehow makes every day better than the previous one for his kids. Ella also added that she hopes to be half as good a parent as John someday.
John himself shared a message for the kids.
John Travolta feels really happy and lucky to be the dad of his two children. He loves encouraging and treating his kids well. He recently shared that his daughter Ella will be in a new version of Alice in Wonderland. And of course, he proudly mentioned that he’s a “very proud dad.” He’s been keeping his family strong since last year.
Last year, John Travolta’s wife, Kelly Preston, passed away after they were married for 29 years. She was 57 years old and had been fighting breast cancer. After she passed away, John took a break to cope with the sadness and support his children. Before this, he also experienced the loss of his oldest son, Jett, in 2009.
What’s the sweetest thing your dad has done for you? And you for him? We’d love to see your photos together in the comments below!
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