Don Johnson
Born: 1949-12-15 in Flat Creek, Missouri, USA
Known For: Acting
Biography
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.
Filmography
2024
- Doctor Odyssey as Captain Robert Massey
- Rebel Ridge as Chief Sandy Burnne
- Unit 234 as Jules
2023
- Book Club: The Next Chapter as Arthur
- The Collective as Liam
- A Little White Lie as T. Wasserman
- Commitment to Life as Self (archive footage)
2022
- High Heat as Ray
2021
- Kenan as Rick
- Nash Bridges as Nash Bridges
2020
- Home Movie: The Princess Bride as Prince Humperdinck
2019
- Knives Out as Richard Drysdale
- Watchmen as Judd Crawford
- Dragged Across Concrete as Chief Lt. Calvert
- Vault as Gerry
2018
- Book Club as Arthur
2017
- A Series of Unfortunate Events as Sir
- Sick Note as Kenny West
- Vengeance: A Love Story as Jay Kirkpatrick
- Brawl in Cell Block 99 as Warden Tuggs
2015
- Blood & Oil as Hap Briggs
- Alex of Venice as Roger
2014
- Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self
- From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series as Earl McGraw
- The Other Woman as Frank
- TripTank as Johnny Bahama (voice)
- Cold in July as Jim Bob
- From Dusk Till Dawn: Making the First Season
2013
- Blood of 1000 Virgins as Self (archive footage)
2012
- Django Unchained as Spencer "Big Daddy" Bennett
2011
- Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star as Miles Deep
- A Good Old Fashioned Orgy as Jerry Keppler (uncredited)
- WWE: DX: One Last Stand as Self (archive footage)
2010
- Conan as Self
- Machete as Von Jackson
- When in Rome as Beth's Dad
2009
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
- Eastbound & Down as Eduardo Sanchez
- Glenn Martin, DDS as Grandpa Whitey (voice)
2008
- Bastardi as Sante Patene
- Torno a vivere da solo as Nico
- Long Flat Balls II as Admiral Burnett
2007
- The Graham Norton Show as Self - Guest
- Moondance Alexander as Dante
2005
- Just Legal as Grant Cooper
- Pennis from Heaven as Self
2004
- Larry presents: Best of The 80s as Self
2003
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show as Self
- Word of Honor as Benjamin Tyson
- Prachtig 80: Volume 2 as Self
2002
- NBC 75th Anniversary Special as Self
2001
- Richard & Judy as Self
- Friday Night with Jonathan Ross as Self
- Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy as Self (archive footage)
1999
- Judging Amy as Defense Attorney
- Goodbye Lover as Ben Dunmore
1997
- Classic Albums as Self (archive footage)
1996
- Nash Bridges as Nash Bridges
- Tin Cup as David Simms
1995
- The Marshal ... (Director)
- MADtv as Self
- In Pursuit of Honor as Sgt. John Libbey
1993
- Raw as Self
- Guilty as Sin as David Greenhill
- Born Yesterday as Paul Verrall
- In the Company of Darkness ... (Executive Producer)
1992
- The Grand Opening of Euro Disneyland as Self - Host (US)
1991
- Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man as Robert Lee Anderson / The Marlboro Man
- Paradise as Ben Reed
1990
- The Hot Spot as Harry Madox
- Seriously... Phil Collins as Self
1989
- Dead Bang as Jerry Beck
- Clive James' Postcard from as Self
- Miami Vice: Freefall as Det. James “Sonny” Crockett
1988
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Self - Guest
- Sweet Hearts Dance as Wiley Boon
- Mike Tyson vs Larry Holmes as Self
- Bob Hope's Jolly Christmas Show as Self
1987
- G.I. Joe: The Movie as Lt. Falcon (voice)
- Heartbeat as Documentary Filmmaker
1985
- The Long Hot Summer as Ben Quick
- Live Aid as Self
- Cease Fire as Tim Murphy
- The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
1984
- Miami Vice as James 'Sonny' Crockett
- Miami Vice: Brother's Keeper as Det. James “Sonny” Crockett
1982
- Champs-Elysées as Self
- Matt Houston as Terry Spence
- Melanie as Carl
1981
- Soggy Bottom, U.S.A. as Jacob Gorch
- Elvis and the Beauty Queen as Elvis Presley
- The Two Lives of Carol Letner as Bob Howard
1980
- Beulah Land as Bonard Davis
- From Here to Eternity as Jefferson 'Jeff' Davis Prewitt
- Revenge of the Stepford Wives as Officer Andy Brady
1979
- Tales of the Unexpected as Reeve Baker
- The Rebels as Judson Fletcher
- Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill as Cowboy
1978
- Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold as Gunther
- Ski Lift to Death as Mike Sloan
- First, You Cry as Daniel Easton
- The Two-Five as Charlie Morgan
1977
- Eight Is Enough as Doug
- What Really Happened to the Class of '65? as Edgar
- Big Hawaii as Gandy
- The City as Sgt. Brian Scott
- Nashville 99 as Mike Watling
- Cover Girls as Johnny Wilson
1976
- Law of the Land as Quirt
1975
- Saturday Night Live as Self - Cameo (uncredited)
- People's Choice Awards as Self - Host
- A Boy and His Dog as Vic
- Return to Macon County as Harley McKay
1973
- Barnaby Jones as Wayne Lockwood
- Police Story as Lee Morgan
- The Harrad Experiment as Stanley Cole
1972
- The Streets of San Francisco as Off. Larry Wilson
1971
- Zachariah as Matthew
- Lollipops and Roses as Frank
1970
- The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart as Stanley Sweetheart
1969
- Fortune and Men's Eyes as Smitty
1962
1944
- Golden Globe Awards as Self (uncredited)