1/23/05: Ranked #10 in TV Guide's list of "TV's 25 Greatest Teen Idols".
8/30/01: Suffered a heart attack. He never recovered and died at St. John's Hospital and Medical Center in Santa Monica, CA, 9/2/01.
After his father's 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 (1974).
Along with Doug McClure, was the inspiration for "The Simpsons" (1989) character "Troy McClure".
At the time of his death he lived with his fiancée, the mezzo-soprano Zheng Cao.
Died just eleven days before his A Summer Place (1959) costar, Dorothy McGuire.
During the early 1980s, his personal and professional fortunes had sunk so low that he was literally living on a bench in New York's Central Park.
Former co-star and long-time friend Connie Stevens visited Donahue the day before he died.
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.
He toured in a producton of "Bye Bye Birdie" toward the end of his life.
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!"
His name was used in the lyrics for the song, "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee" in the musical, Grease. ("As for you Troy Donahue...").
Received his movie name of "Troy Donahue" from the same person who named Rock Hudson: Hollywood press agent Henry Willson.
Son of Merle Johnson Sr., a vice-president at General Motors, and Edith, a stage actress.
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.
Suffered from arthritis and was taking the arthritis painkiller Vioxx at the time he died of a heart attack.
Survived by daughter Janine & 3 grandchildren, as well as a son, Sean (born 1970).
Talks about his early days at Universal, and the sci-fi movie Monster on the Campus (1958), in the book, "A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde" (McFarland, 2010), by Tom Weaver.
Taught acting classes on Holland America cruise ships.
Underwent successful angioplasty surgery upon his arrival in hospital, but then suffered a second heart attack and was given a heart bypass.