Name: Don Johnson
Date of Birth: 15 December 1949 Went to Wichita South High School. 1971 graduate of University of Kansas in Lawrence KS on a full drama scholarship. Made his professional debut in the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, in "Your Own Thing," a rock musical modeled after William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night." Made five pilots for NBC early in his career that were all rejected. Got his big break into stardom by starring in the controversial off-Broadway play "Fortune and Men's Eyes", which was directed by and starred Sal Mineo. The play, which featured a realistic rape scene in a men's prison, generated plenty of press reviews due to the once taboo subject of homosexuality in the arts. ... Scored three hits on the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts with "Heartbeat" (US #6, 1986), "Heartache Away" (US #56, 1986) and the Barbra Streisand duet "Til I Loved You" (US #25, 1989). Children: Atherton Grace Johnson (born December 28, 1999 at 7 lbs. 15 oz.) Jasper Breckenridge Johnson (born June 6,2002 in Los Angeles, California) and Deacon James Johnson (born April 29, 2006 at 27.5 inches, 7 pounds Los Angeles, California) (with wife Kelley Phleger); 'Dakota Mayi Johnson' (born October 4, 1989) (with ex-girlfriend 'Melanie Griffith); 'Jesse Wayne Johnson' (born December 7, 1982) (with ex-girlfriend 'Patti D'Arbanville'). He and "Miami Vice" (1984) co-star John Diehl were investors in the boxing career of Mark Breland. Co-wrote a two-hour movie with his neighbor Hunter S. Thompson. The movie was not picked up, but CBS bought the story and turned it into "Nash Bridges" (1996). Ex-son-in-law of Tippi Hedren and Peter Griffith. Has a family in Colorado with whom he used to celebrate Christmas. 1998: Engaged to Kelley Phleger. Popular Finnish music group Don Johnsson Big Band is named after him. The creators of "Miami Vice" (1984) were originally against casting him. Before "Vice," he had starred in four failed TV pilots. Third child with his wife Kelley, son Deacon, born on April 29, 2006 at a Los Angeles hospital. The baby measured 27.5 inches long and weighed 7 pounds. In the 1970s, he co-wrote songs with former The Allman Brothers Band guitarist/singer Dickey Betts, several of which were recorded by the band. Mentioned in Walter Kirn's novel "Thumbsucker". Auditioned for the part of Sonny Crockett in Miami Vice while he was in Miami working on a low-budget film about Vietnam called Cease Fire (1985). Loves the Tuscany area of Italy and has vacationed there often. In 1985 during the height of Miami Vice, he had made a trip to Germany to personally order a 959 Porsche from the factory in Stuttgart. He is a devotee of the culture of Vietnam and he owns a small island off the south coast. He honeymooned there with his wife, Kelley, in May 1999. Before hitting it big on TV's "Miami Vice" (1984), appeared on "The Dating Game" (1965) as one of the "three eligible bachelors" and was not chosen. Considered for the part of John McClane in Die Hard (1988). Was considered for Tom Sizemore's role in Heat (1995). To maintain his perpetual two-day stubble on "Miami Vice" (1984), he shaved with a sideburn trimmer. Was considered for the lead role of Eliot Ness in The Untouchables (1987). Johnson's good pal Kevin Costner got the part, which turned out to be his big breakthrough. Won the 1988 APBA Offshore World Cup in the Superboat class. During pre-production of "Miami Vice" (1984), he wanted Sonny Crockett to be "more of a cowboy", and suggested "a lot of denim, V-neck sweaters and cowboy boots". He was really unsure about how the heavy use of pastel and bright colors would fit the macho, no-nonsense persona of his character, but producer Michael Mann and costume designer Jodie Lynn Tillen managed to convince him. They saw Crockett more in the lines of a beach bum. Johnson relented and as a result became one of the biggest fashion symbols of the 1980s. He and Tom Cruise were the premier faces of the Ray Ban brand of sunglasses during the 1980s. None of them took part in any official campaigns, but simply by clever product placement strategies both helped boost Ray Ban's sales enormously. Johnson wore many different models on "Miami Vice" (1984), most notably a pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers (Model L2052, Mock Tortoise) which increased sales of Ray Ban's to 720,000 units in 1984 alone. Legendary fashion designer Gianni Versace cited Don Johnson and his alter-ego Sonny Crockett as inspirations. Versace once said: "The first person I dressed in Miami was Don Johnson.". Was given a Ferrari Testarossa by Enzo Ferrari as an appreciation of his work on "Miami Vice" (1984). Galco designed a special shoulder holster especially for him to use on "Miami Vice" (1984). It was called the "Miami Classic". In the Galco Gunleather headquarters, there is a large display that contains the Miami Vice shoulder holster rig that Johnson wore, accompanied by an autographed photo of him. Good friends with Bruce Willis, Kevin Costner, Sylvester Stallone, Robert Wagner and Jack Nicholson. Was the cause of much media frenzy and an uproar when he didn't wear socks to a meeting with then U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Johnson said in his defense: "I've always said that for me, a sports jacket over a t-shirt is good enough for meeting anyone, except the Queen. As for the socks, well, I must confess that I simply don't own a pair anymore. See, I live in Miami.". Considered for David Caruso's role on "CSI: Miami" (2002). Considered for the part of Ed Deline on "Las Vegas" (2003). James Caan got the part. Was the director's first choice for the role of Tom Wingo in The Prince of Tides (1991). Is a cigar aficionado. Starred in, co-created and owned a percentage of "Nash Bridges" (1996). In the late 1980s, he was working on a film project titled "The Pro", which he hoped to direct. According to Johnson, Jack Nicholson was going to star as the Pro - a wizard who brings a boy into the world of professional golfing. He often arrived at the set of "Miami Vice" (1984) in his own power boat, called "My Vice". Considers himself to be done with cop shows, but doesn't rule out joining a show "if it were international in scope and global in nature". Wellcraft let him design his own offshore power-boat, called The 43 ft Scarab Don Johnson Signature Series, and he raced a similar one. Beat out Nick Nolte, Jeff Bridges, Richard Dean Anderson, Mark Harmon, Larry Wilcox and Gary Cole for the role of Sonny Crockett on "Miami Vice" (1984). Best known by the public for his starring roles as Det. Sonny Crockett in "Miami Vice" (1984), and the title character in "Nash Bridges" (1996). Came up with the idea for "Las Vegas" (2003), and was planning to produce and star in it himself. The show was going to be called "Casino Eye". He is a lifelong Democrat. Former "Nash Bridges" (1996) co-star, Jaime Gomez dated Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, both in real-life and on the show. [1998]. Good friend of Nick Nolte. Read more Don Johnson movies (actor)User Comments |
