Troy Donahue’s Life Takes a Shocking Turn—You Won’t Believe What Happened Next

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…

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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.

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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.’”

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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.

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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.

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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.

Do You Recognize this Vintage Kitchen Tool?

The advancement of culinary arts has made a number of incredibly useful kitchen tools and gadgets available to the general public. On the other hand, antique kitchenware has a very endearing and reassuring quality. Some, like the retro meatball maker, may not even be recognizable after undergoing numerous design changes.

Though frequently linked to Italian cooking, it’s thought that Rome is where the first meatballs were created. Long ago, in addition to the more well-known Sweden, there were also versions in ancient China, Turkey, and Persia.

Some had different proportions of meat and rice or meat and lentils, while others had different ingredients. Meatballs can be a meal on their own or added to pasta dishes, soups, salads, and sandwiches.

Meatball Maker

Meatballs are a very simple and versatile staple dish. As a result, it is easy to understand why they have a prominent place in cuisine around the globe. It is challenging to precisely and consistently size and shape them by hand each time. Therefore, the meatball maker is a handy kitchen appliance that has long been in demand.

First off, a meatball maker is a useful tool for consistency, as was already mentioned. not only guarantees even cooking but also enhances the dish’s overall appearance. Secondly, kids will love using the meatball maker, especially the classic style. Finally, families can be surprisingly adaptable, giving them an additional reason to spend more time together.

Although the meatball maker’s primary function was to shape meatballs, it can also be used to create flawless falafel or hush puppies. In the meantime, the more contemporary designs of today make it possible to do things like make the ideal cake pop or cookie dough scoop.

Meatball Maker

You can find antique or vintage meatball makers at thrift stores and antique stores. As an alternative, you can find a variety of contemporary meatball makers online or in kitchen supply stores. Certain pieces bear a striking resemblance to those timeless and endearing vintage pieces, even though their shapes and functions differ greatly.

Modern Meatball Maker Designs

The meatball master, for instance, is a meatball shaper that can hold 32 identically sized and perfectly formed meatballs at once. The meatballs can be kept on this plastic tray until you’re ready to cook them. However, as one person astutely pointed out, “the amount of time it takes makes it easier to do by hand,” so their kids use it for play-dough.

This meatball maker is a well-liked kitchen appliance for people who have big families or frequently host guests.Similarly, the ‘Mind Reader Magic Meatball Maker‘ makes 16 perfectly round meatballs and stores them in a plastic container until it’s time to cook the perfect, mouthwatering bite size meatball, cake pop, or dumpling.

Resembling Vintage Designs

The typical “Meat Baller” is another well-liked meatball maker. There are finger slots that have an old-fashioned look or resemble scissors. It is actually comparable to the previous version in nearly every aspect. Today’s model, on the other hand, has polished stainless steel that is “non-stick,” non-slip padded handles, and produces a flawlessly presented ball of food.

The Spring Chef Cookie Scoop is an additional choice with a somewhat different design; while it’s not intended to be a meatball maker, it can still be used for that purpose and has a cute appearance. It can be squeezed together to resemble a pair of locked pliers and has a silicone-padded handle.

In contrast, the LEEFONE Meatball scoop lacks padded handles, making it closely resemble the vintage model. On the other hand, it is composed of polished stainless steel noonstick.

A useful and adaptable kitchen tool, meatball makers are used to make the ideal meatballs, which are a staple of many ancient recipes. The meatballs are surprisingly versatile, making them an excellent bite-sized appetizer for dinner parties or a great complement to a variety of dishes, such as pasta and soups. Both the chef and the diner will undoubtedly have a better experience with the meatball maker.

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