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Known for:	The Godfather: Part II, Rome Adventure, Cry-Baby
Birth name:	Merle Johnson Jr.
Birthday:	27 January 1936, New York, New York, USA
Height:	6' 3" (1.91 m)

Used his real name, Merle Johnson, for his character in The Godfather: Part II. Taught acting classes on Holland America cruise ships. At the time of his death he lived with his fiancée, the mezzo-soprano Zheng Cao. Survived by daughter Janine & 3 grandchildren, as well as a son, Sean (born 1970). 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. Received his movie name of "Troy Donahue" from the same person who named Rock Hudson: Hollywood press agent Henry Wilson. He toured in a producton of "Bye Bye Birdie" toward the end of his life. Suffered a heart attack on Thursday, 30 August, 2001. He never recovered and died at St John's Hospital and Medical Centre in Santa Monica, California (Sunday, 2 September, 2001). Former co-star and long-time friend Connie Stevens visited Donahue the day before he died. Son of Merle Johnson Sr., a vice-president at General Motors, and Edith, a stage actress. 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!" 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. Along with Doug McClure, was the inspiration for The Simpsons character "Troy McClure". 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. Died just eleven days before his A Summer Place costar, Dorothy McGuire. Ranked #10 in TV Guide's list of "TV's 25 Greatest Teen Idols" (23 January 2005 issue).

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