Don Johnson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Don Johnson
Johnson in 2019
Born	Don Wayne Johnson (1949-12-15) December 15, 1949 (age 75) Flat Creek, Missouri, U.S.
Occupation	Actor producer singer
Years active	1969–present
Spouse(s)	Unknown spouse ​ (annul.)​ Another unknown spouse ​ (annul.)​ Melanie Griffith ​ ​ (m. 1976; div. 1976)​ ​ ​ (m. 1989; div. 1996)​ Kelley Phleger ​ (m. 1999)​
Partner(s)	Patti D'Arbanville (1981–1985)
Children	5, including Jesse and Dakota

Don Wayne Johnson (born December 15, 1949) is an American actor and singer. He is famous for playing James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s TV show Miami Vice. For this role, he won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Primetime Emmy Award. He also starred as the main character in the 1990s series Nash Bridges. In 1996, Don Johnson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Johnson has appeared in many movies. Some of these include A Boy and His Dog (1975), Tin Cup (1996), Machete (2010), Django Unchained (2012), and Knives Out (2019). As a singer, he released two albums: Heartbeat (1986) and Let It Roll (1989). His song "Heartbeat" became a big hit, reaching number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart.

Early Life and Education

Don Johnson was born on December 15, 1949. His birthplace was Flat Creek, Missouri. His mother, Nell, was a beautician. His father, Fredie Wayne Johnson, was a farmer. When he was born, his parents were quite young. Don grew up in a family that faced financial challenges. They moved to Wichita, Kansas, when he was six years old.

He went to Wichita South High School. There, he was very active in the school's theater program. In his final year, he played the main role of Tony in the musical West Side Story. After finishing high school in 1967, he studied theater at the University of Kansas. However, he left after one year. He then moved to San Francisco, California. There, he continued his acting studies at the American Conservatory Theater.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting in Acting

Don Johnson's first important acting job was in 1969. He played the lead role of Smitty in a stage play called Fortune and Men's Eyes in Los Angeles. For many years, Johnson worked in plays, movies, and on television. He kept trying to become a well-known actor.

Miami Vice and Becoming a Star

Don Johnson in 1986

In 1984, Don Johnson got a starring role. He played undercover police detective Sonny Crockett in the TV show Miami Vice. The show was very popular and ran from 1984 to 1990. Miami Vice made Johnson a huge international star. His character, Sonny Crockett, was known for his cool style. He often wore expensive suits over bright T-shirts. He drove a Ferrari and wore fancy watches. He even lived on a yacht with his pet alligator, Elvis.

Miami Vice was also famous for its unique use of music and filming styles. It brought a new, flashy look to police dramas. In the show, Crockett's partner was Ricardo Tubbs, played by Philip Michael Thomas. Don Johnson's work on Miami Vice earned him a Golden Globe Award in 1986. He was also nominated for an Emmy Award in 1985.

Between seasons of Miami Vice, Johnson also starred in a TV miniseries. This was The Long Hot Summer (1985). He also created a music video program related to his first album, Heartbeat.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Johnson appeared in several films. These included Sweet Hearts Dance (1988) with Susan Sarandon. He also played a sheriff in Dead Bang (1989). He worked with his then-wife, Melanie Griffith, in Paradise (1991) and Born Yesterday (1993).

Nash Bridges and Later Roles

After Miami Vice, Johnson starred in another police drama. This was Nash Bridges, which aired from 1996 to 2001 on CBS-TV. He played the main character, Nash Bridges. Nash was an inspector for the San Francisco Police Department. In this show, Johnson's character also drove a cool car, a yellow 1971 Plymouth Barracuda. His co-stars included Cheech Marin and Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, who played his daughter.

Don Johnson with Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher in 2006

In 2005, Johnson briefly starred in a TV show called Just Legal. He played a lawyer. In 2007, he performed in a play in London called Guys and Dolls. He also appeared in the Norwegian comedy Lange Flate Ballær 2 (2008).

Johnson had a supporting role in the 2010 film Machete. He played a border vigilante. From 2010 to 2012, he was on the HBO series Eastbound & Down. He played the main character's long-lost father. He even appeared in a Nike commercial with LeBron James.

Recent Acting Work

In 2012, Don Johnson had a supporting role in the Quentin Tarantino film Django Unchained. He played a plantation owner. In 2014, he starred in the crime film Cold in July. From 2015, Johnson starred in the ABC show Blood & Oil.

In 2018, he was in the romantic comedy Book Club with Jane Fonda. In 2019, Johnson played a role in the mystery film Knives Out. He also starred as Police Chief Judd Crawford in the HBO series Watchmen.

More recently, Johnson co-starred in the TV show Kenan from 2021 to 2022. He also appeared in a Nash Bridges TV movie in 2021. In 2024, it was announced that Johnson would star in a new TV drama series called Doctor Odyssey.

Music Career

Don Johnson released two pop music albums in the 1980s. His first album, Heartbeat, came out in 1986. His second album, Let It Roll, was released in 1989. The song "Heartbeat" from his first album was a big hit. It reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

He also had a hit song called "Till I Loved You". This was a duet with singer Barbra Streisand, whom he was dating at the time. It was released in 1988 and became a top 40 hit.

Personal Life

Relationships and Family

Don Johnson in 1989

Don Johnson has been married five times to four different women. He has five children. One daughter is with Melanie Griffith, and three children are with Kelley Phleger. He also has one son with Patti D'Arbanville.

His first two marriages were very short and ended quickly. The names of his first two wives are not publicly known.

In 1972, Johnson met actress Melanie Griffith. She was the daughter of his co-star, Tippi Hedren. They started living together when Melanie was 15. They got married in 1976 but divorced that same year. They later got married again in 1989 and had a daughter, Dakota Johnson (born 1989). They divorced again in 1996.

From 1981 to 1985, Johnson lived with model Patti D'Arbanville. They had a son together, Jesse Wayne Johnson (born 1982).

On April 29, 1999, Don Johnson married Kelley Phleger. She was a teacher from San Francisco. They have three children together: a daughter, Atherton Grace (born 1999), and two sons, Jasper Breckinridge (born 2002), and Deacon (born 2006).

Don Johnson was also very good friends with journalist Hunter S. Thompson. His daughter Dakota saw Thompson as a "godfather figure."

Powerboat Racing

Don Johnson also enjoyed powerboat racing. He sometimes raced with other famous people like Kurt Russell and Chuck Norris. In 1986, Johnson won his first motor sport race. He won a long powerboat race up the Mississippi River. In 1988, Johnson became the American Power Boat Association's World Champion.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Music Albums

Studio Albums

Compilation Albums

Singles

Featured Singles

Videography

• 1987: Heartbeat - Full Length Video (VHS) - (Release date: May 10, 1987)

Awards and Achievements

See also

In Spanish: Don Johnson para niños