About

Known credits:
90
Birthday:
1949-12-15
Place of birth:
Flat Creek, Missouri, USA
Website:
N/A

Don Johnson

Overview

Donald Wayne Johnson (born December 15, 1949) is an American actor, producer, director, singer, and songwriter. He's best known for his role as Det. James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s television series Miami Vice, winning a Golden Globe for his work in the role.

In 1984, after more then a decade of acting on television, Johnson landed a starring role as undercover police detective Sonny Crockett in the Michael Mann/Universal Television cop series, Miami Vice (1984-1990). Miami Vice made him "a major international star." According to Rolling Stone, "No one had more swagger in the Reagan era than Don Johnson."

His work on Miami Vice earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Drama, in 1986, and he was nominated for the same award in 1987. He was also nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1985. Between seasons on Miami Vice, he gained further renown through TV miniseries such as the 1985 remake of The Long, Hot Summer. In 1996, he had a supporting role in Tin Cup, along with Kevin Costner, Rene Russo, and Cheech Marin. Johnson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1996.

He later starred in the 1996–2001 CBS-TV police drama Nash Bridges with Cheech Marin, Jeff Perry, Jaime P. Gomez, Kelly Hu, Wendy Moniz, Annette O'Toole, Jodi Lyn O'Keefe as his daughter Cassidy, and James Gammon as his father Nick.

In October 2010, he began appearing on the HBO series Eastbound & Down, playing Kenny Powers' long-lost father, going by the alias "Eduardo Sanchez." He also reprised his role as Sonny Crockett for a Nike commercial with LeBron James in which the NBA player contemplates acting and appears alongside Johnson on Miami Vice.

He had a supporting role in the 2012 Quentin Tarantino film Django Unchained, playing a southern plantation owner named Spencer "Big Daddy" Bennett. In 2014, Johnson starred as the character "Jim Bob" opposite Sam Shepard and Michael C. Hall in Jim Mickle's critically acclaimed crime film, Cold in July. In 2014, he had a supporting role in the film The Other Woman as Cameron Diaz's character's father. In 2015, Johnson began starring in the ABC prime time soap opera Blood & Oil.

In 2018, he starred as the character of Arthur, the love interest of Vivian, played by Jane Fonda in Bill Holderman's romantic-comedy Book Club. In 2019, Johnson played the role of Richard Drysdale in Rian Johnson's murder-mystery Knives Out; and starred as Police Chief Judd Crawford in the HBO series Watchmen.

In 2021, he co-starred on Kenan, until its cancellation in May 2022. He also appeared in a Nash Bridges television film, with co-star Cheech Marin, on the USA Network in 2021.

Known for

Acting

2024 Doctor Odyssey Actor Captain Robert Massey 70
Good
2024 Unit 234 Actor 59
Average
2024 Rebel Ridge Actor Chief Sandy Burnne 66
Fair
2023 The Collective Actor Liam 58
Average
2023 Book Club: The Next Chapter Actor Arthur 59
Average
2023 A Little White Lie Actor T. Wasserman 58
Average
2022 High Heat Actor Ray 58
Average
2021 Nash Bridges Actor Nash Bridges 59
Average
2021 Kenan Actor Rick 69
Fair
2019 Knives Out Actor Richard Drysdale 77
Good
2019 Vault Actor Gerry 58
Average
2019 Dragged Across Concrete Actor Chief Lt. Calvert 63
Fair
2018 Book Club Actor Arthur 60
Fair
2017 Brawl in Cell Block 99 Actor Warden Tuggs 67
Fair
2017 Vengeance: A Love Story Actor Jay Kirkpatrick 57
Average
2015 Blood & Oil Actor Hap Briggs 67
Fair
2015 Alex of Venice Actor Roger 59
Average
2014 Cold in July Actor Jim Bob 63
Fair
2014 The Other Woman Actor Frank 63
Fair
2013 Blood of 1000 Virgins Actor Self (archive footage) 59
Average
2012 Django Unchained Actor Spencer "Big Daddy" Bennett 81
Very good
2011 Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star Actor Miles Deep 54
Average
2011 A Good Old Fashioned Orgy Actor Jerry Keppler (uncredited) 58
Average
2011 WWE: DX: One Last Stand Actor Self (archive footage) 59
Average
2010 Machete Actor Von Jackson 62
Fair
2010 When in Rome Actor Beth's Dad 59
Average
2008 Torno a vivere da solo Actor Nico 57
Average
2008 Long Flat Balls II Actor Admiral Burnett 58
Average
2008 Bastardi Actor Sante Patene N/A
N/A
2007 Moondance Alexander Actor Dante 59
Average
2005 Just Legal Actor Grant Cooper N/A
N/A
2005 Pennis from Heaven Actor Self N/A
N/A
2004 Larry presents: Best of The 80s Actor Self N/A
N/A
2003 Word of Honor Actor Benjamin Tyson 59
Average
2003 Prachtig 80: Volume 2 Actor Self N/A
N/A
2002 NBC 75th Anniversary Special Actor Self N/A
N/A
2001 Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy Actor Self (archive footage) 58
Average
1999 Goodbye Lover Actor Ben Dunmore 58
Average
1996 Tin Cup Actor David Simms 59
Average
1996 Nash Bridges Actor Nash Bridges 67
Fair
1995 In Pursuit of Honor Actor Sgt. John Libbey 58
Average
1993 Guilty as Sin Actor David Greenhill 58
Average
1993 Born Yesterday Actor Paul Verrall 58
Average
1991 Paradise Actor Ben Reed 59
Average
1991 Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man Actor Robert Lee Anderson / The Marlboro Man 60
Fair
1990 The Hot Spot Actor Harry Madox 60
Fair
1990 Seriously... Phil Collins Actor Self N/A
N/A
1989 Miami Vice: Freefall Actor Det. James “Sonny” Crockett N/A
N/A
1989 Dead Bang Actor Jerry Beck 59
Average
1988 Bob Hope's Jolly Christmas Show Actor Self N/A
N/A
1988 Sweet Hearts Dance Actor Wiley Boon 58
Average
1988 Mike Tyson vs Larry Holmes Actor Self 59
Average
1987 G.I. Joe: The Movie Actor Lt. Falcon (voice) 59
Average
1987 Heartbeat Actor Documentary Filmmaker 59
Average
1985 Cease Fire Actor Tim Murphy 59
Average
1985 The Long Hot Summer Actor Ben Quick 67
Fair
1985 Miami Vice: The Prodigal Son Actor Det. James “Sonny” Crockett 60
Fair
1985 Live Aid Actor Self 60
Fair
1985 Miami Vice: Calderone's Return Actor Det. James "Sonny" Crockett 60
Fair
1984 Miami Vice: Brother's Keeper Actor Det. James “Sonny” Crockett 59
Average
1984 Miami Vice Actor Sonny Crockett 74
Good
1982 Melanie Actor Carl 59
Average
1981 The Two Lives of Carol Letner Actor Bob Howard N/A
N/A
1981 Soggy Bottom, U.S.A. Actor Jacob Gorch 59
Average
1981 Elvis and the Beauty Queen Actor Elvis Presley 58
Average
1980 Revenge of the Stepford Wives Actor Officer Andy Brady 58
Average
1980 Beulah Land Actor Bonard Davis 69
Fair
1980 From Here to Eternity Actor Jefferson 'Jeff' Davis Prewitt 69
Fair
1979 The Rebels Actor Judson Fletcher N/A
N/A
1979 Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill Actor Cowboy 58
Average
1978 First, You Cry Actor Daniel Easton N/A
N/A
1978 Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold Actor Gunther 58
Average
1978 The Two-Five Actor Charlie Morgan N/A
N/A
1978 Ski Lift to Death Actor Mike Sloan N/A
N/A
1977 Cover Girls Actor Johnny Wilson 59
Average
1977 The City Actor Sgt. Brian Scott 59
Average
1976 Law of the Land Actor Quirt 59
Average
1975 Return to Macon County Actor Harley McKay 59
Average
1975 A Boy and His Dog Actor Vic 60
Fair
1973 The Harrad Experiment Actor Stanley Cole 58
Average
1971 Sarge Actor Deloy Coopersmith 69
Fair
1971 Lollipops and Roses Actor Frank N/A
N/A
1971 Zachariah Actor Matthew 58
Average
1970 The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart Actor Stanley Sweetheart 59
Average
Encore Actor N/A
N/A
Miami vice: golden triangle Actor James Crockett N/A
N/A

Writing

1987 Heartbeat Writing Writer 59
Average

Production

2024 Unit 234 Production Executive Producer 59
Average
2021 Nash Bridges Production Executive Producer 59
Average
1993 In the Company of Darkness Production Executive Producer 59
Average