Acting · Flat Creek, Missouri, USA · Born December 15, 1949
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.
TVDoctor Odyssey
2024
as Captain Robert Massey
MovieUnit 234
2024
as Jules
MovieRebel Ridge
2024
as Chief Sandy Burnne
MovieThe Collective
2023
as Liam
MovieBook Club: The Next Chapter
2023
as Arthur
MovieA Little White Lie
2023
as T. Wasserman
MovieCommitment to Life
2023
as Self (archive footage)
MovieHigh Heat
2022
as Ray
MovieNash Bridges
2021
as Nash Bridges
TVKenan
2021
as Rick
TVHome Movie: The Princess Bride
2020
as Prince Humperdinck
MovieKnives Out
2019
as Richard Drysdale
TVWatchmen
2019
as Judd Crawford
MovieVault
2019
as Gerry
MovieDragged Across Concrete
2019
as Chief Lt. Calvert
MovieBook Club
2018
as Arthur
TVSick Note
2017
as Kenny West
MovieBrawl in Cell Block 99
2017
as Warden Tuggs
MovieVengeance: A Love Story
2017
as Jay Kirkpatrick
TVA Series of Unfortunate Events
2017
as Sir
TVBlood & Oil
2015
as Hap Briggs
MovieAlex of Venice
2015
as Roger
MovieCold in July
2014
as Jim Bob
MovieThe Other Woman
2014
as Frank
TVTripTank
2014
as Johnny Bahama (voice)
MovieFrom Dusk Till Dawn: Making the First Season
2014
TVFrom Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
2014
as Earl McGraw
TVLate Night with Seth Meyers
2014
as Self
MovieBlood of 1000 Virgins
2013
as Self (archive footage)
MovieDjango Unchained
2012
as Spencer "Big Daddy" Bennett
MovieBucky Larson: Born to Be a Star
2011
as Miles Deep
MovieA Good Old Fashioned Orgy
2011
as Jerry Keppler (uncredited)
MovieWWE: DX: One Last Stand
2011
as Self (archive footage)
TVConan
2010
as Self
MovieMachete
2010
as Von Jackson
MovieWhen in Rome
2010
as Beth's Dad
TVGlenn Martin, DDS
2009
as Grandpa Whitey (voice)
TVWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
as Self - Guest
TVEastbound & Down
2009
as Eduardo Sanchez
MovieTorno a vivere da solo
2008
as Nico
MovieLong Flat Balls II
2008
as Admiral Burnett
MovieBastardi
2008
as Sante Patene
MovieMoondance Alexander
2007
as Dante
TVThe Graham Norton Show
2007
as Self - Guest
TVJust Legal
2005
as Grant Cooper
MoviePennis from Heaven
2005
as Self
MovieLarry presents: Best of The 80s
2004
as Self
MovieWord of Honor
2003
as Benjamin Tyson
MoviePrachtig 80: Volume 2
2003
as Self
TVThe Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
as Self
TVJimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
as Self
MovieNBC 75th Anniversary Special
2002
as Self
TVRichard & Judy
2001
as Self
TVFriday Night with Jonathan Ross
2001
as Self
MoviePorn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy
2001
as Self (archive footage)
TVJudging Amy
1999
as Defense Attorney
MovieGoodbye Lover
1999
as Ben Dunmore
TVClassic Albums
1997
as Self (archive footage)
MovieTin Cup
1996
as David Simms
TVNash Bridges
1996
as Nash Bridges
TVMADtv
1995
as Self
MovieIn Pursuit of Honor
1995
as Sgt. John Libbey
MovieGuilty as Sin
1993
as David Greenhill
MovieBorn Yesterday
1993
as Paul Verrall
TVRaw
1993
as Self
MovieThe Grand Opening of Euro Disneyland
1992
as Self - Host (US)
MovieParadise
1991
as Ben Reed
MovieHarley Davidson and the Marlboro Man
1991
as Robert Lee Anderson / The Marlboro Man
MovieThe Hot Spot
1990
as Harry Madox
MovieSeriously... Phil Collins
1990
as Self
TVThe Word
1990
MovieMiami Vice: Freefall
1989
as Det. James “Sonny” Crockett
MovieDead Bang
1989
as Jerry Beck
TVClive James' Postcard from
1989
as Self
MovieBob Hope's Jolly Christmas Show
1988
as Self
MovieSweet Hearts Dance
1988
as Wiley Boon
TVLIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
as Self - Guest
MovieMike Tyson vs Larry Holmes
1988
as Self
MovieG.I. Joe: The Movie
1987
as Lt. Falcon (voice)
MovieHeartbeat
1987
as Documentary Filmmaker
MovieCease Fire
1985
as Tim Murphy
TVThe Long Hot Summer
1985
as Ben Quick
MovieThe NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
1985
MovieLive Aid
1985
as Self
MovieMiami Vice: Brother's Keeper
1984
as Det. James “Sonny” Crockett
TVMiami Vice
1984
as James 'Sonny' Crockett
TVMatt Houston
1982
as Terry Spence
Melanie
1982
as Carl
TVChamps-Elysées
1982
as Self
MovieThe Two Lives of Carol Letner
1981
as Bob Howard
MovieSoggy Bottom, U.S.A.
1981
as Jacob Gorch
MovieElvis and the Beauty Queen
1981
as Elvis Presley
MovieRevenge of the Stepford Wives
1980
as Officer Andy Brady
TVBeulah Land
1980
as Bonard Davis
From Here to Eternity
1980
as Jefferson 'Jeff' Davis Prewitt
TVThe Rebels
1979
as Judson Fletcher
TVTales of the Unexpected
1979
as Reeve Baker
MovieAmateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill
1979
as Cowboy
MovieFirst, You Cry
1978
as Daniel Easton
MovieKatie: Portrait of a Centerfold
1978
as Gunther
MovieThe Two-Five
1978
as Charlie Morgan
MovieSki Lift to Death
1978
as Mike Sloan
TVWhat Really Happened to the Class of '65?
1977
as Edgar
TVBig Hawaii
1977
as Gandy
MovieCover Girls
1977
as Johnny Wilson
TVNashville 99
1977
as Mike Watling
TVEight Is Enough
1977
as Doug
MovieThe City
1977
as Sgt. Brian Scott
MovieLaw of the Land
1976
as Quirt
TVSaturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Cameo (uncredited)
MovieReturn to Macon County
1975
as Harley McKay
MovieA Boy and His Dog
1975
as Vic
TVPeople's Choice Awards
1975
as Self - Host
MovieThe Harrad Experiment
1973
as Stanley Cole
TVPolice Story
1973
as Lee Morgan
TVBarnaby Jones
1973
as Wayne Lockwood
TVThe Streets of San Francisco
1972
as Off. Larry Wilson
MovieLollipops and Roses
1971
as Frank
MovieZachariah
1971
as Matthew
MovieThe Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart
1970
as Stanley Sweetheart
MovieFortune and Men's Eyes
1969
as Smitty
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self
TVGolden Globe Awards
1944
as Self (uncredited)
Encore
Southern Discomfort
as Bob Dobson
