Biography
Having spent the first part of his career struggling to gain a professional footing while overindulging in drugs and alcohol, actor Don Johnson suffered the indignity of six failed pilots before finally achieving massive success as Det. Sonny Crockett on Michael Mann's trendy cop drama, "Miami Vice" (NBC, 1984-89). More than just a hit show, "Miami Vice" was a cultural watermark that set the trend for pastel Armani suits, three-day beards, and …
Don Johnson SlideShow
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Career Milestones
| After reform school, went to live with father in East Wichita, KS | ||
| Continued theater training at San Francisco's prestigious American Conservatory Theatre (ACT) | ||
| Landed first professional stage role in ACT production of the musical "Your Own Thing," two weeks after arriving in San Francisco | ||
| Moved from Missouri to Wichita when he was six years old | ||
| Performed in plays at the University of Kansas for two years | ||
1969 | Cast in first major stage role in Sal Mineo's Los Angeles production of "Fortune and Men's Eyes," playing the lead role of Smitty | |
1970 | Landed first leading role in a feature film, "The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart" | |
1973 | Co-starred with Tippi Hedren in Ted Post's "Harrad Experiment"; began relationship with Hedren's then-14 year old daughter Melanie Griffith who was an extra on the film | |
1975 | Acted in sci-fi cult classic "A Boy and His Dog" | |
1976 | TV-movie acting debut, "Law of the Land" (NBC) | |
1980 | Co-starred in TV movie "Revenge of the Stepford Wives" (NBC) | |
1980 | Played Jeff Pruitt on NBC drama series "From Here to Eternity"; cancelled after 13 episodes | |
1981 | Portrayed Elvis Presley in NBC movie "Elvis and the Beauty Queen" | |
1984 | Cast in breakthrough role as pastel-wearing Florida detective Sonny Crockett on NBC's "Miami Vice"; also directed several episodes | |
1985 | Cast as a Vietnam veteran haunted by his experience in "Cease Fire" | |
1985 | Played the Paul Newman role in NBC remake of "The Long Hot Summer" | |
1986 | Released debut album Heartbeat | |
1988 | Headlined an ensemble cast in "Sweet Hearts Dance" | |
1989 | Portrayed an LA homicide detective in John Frankenheimer's disappointing "Dead Bang" | |
1991 | Co-starred with Mickey Rourke in "Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man" | |
1991 | Co-starred with then-wife Melanie Griffith in "Paradise" | |
1993 | Acted opposite Griffith and John Goodman in a remake of "Born Yesterday"; fourth and last film (to date) with Griffith | |
1993 | Executive produced CBS movie "In the Company of Darkness" | |
1996 | Played a professional golfer in Ron Shelton's "Tin Cup"; first on-screen pairing with Cheech Marin | |
1996 | Received star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | |
1996 | Returned to series TV, playing the title role of a San Francisco detective on "Nash Bridges" (CBS); again paired with Cheech Marin; also executive produced | |
1998 | Appeared in Roland Joffe's "Goodbye Lover" with Patricia Arquette | |
2006 | Cast in short-lived drama "Just Legal" (The WB) as a jaded lawyer | |
2007 | Made West End debut as Nathan Detroit in "Guys and Dolls" | |
2009 | Played Kristen Bell's character's father in romantic comedy "When in Rome" | |
2010 | Appeared in action thriller "Machete," co-directed by Ethan Maniquis and Robert Rodriguez | |
2011 | Acted opposite Nick Swardson in comedy feature "Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star" | |
2012 | Played a southern plantation owner named 'Big Daddy' opposite Jamie Foxx in "Django Unchained," a Western drama set in Mississippi; film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino | |
Awards
1985 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama in Miami Vice |
1985 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in Miami Vice |
1986 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama in Miami Vice |
1988 | Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Discovery or Rediscovery in The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart |