Don Johnson

Acting

Don Johnson

Born December 15, 1949Flat Creek, Missouri, USA123 credits

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

Filmography

Doctor Odyssey
2024Doctor Odyssey
as Captain Robert MasseyTV
Unit 234
2024Unit 234
as JulesMovie
Rebel Ridge
2024Rebel Ridge
as Chief Sandy BurnneMovie
The Collective
2023The Collective
as LiamMovie
A Little White Lie
2023A Little White Lie
as T. WassermanMovie
High Heat
2022High Heat
as RayMovie
Nash Bridges
2021Nash Bridges
as Nash BridgesMovie
Kenan
2021Kenan
as RickTV
Home Movie: The Princess Bride
2020Home Movie: The Princess Bride
as Prince HumperdinckTV
Knives Out
2019Knives Out
as Richard DrysdaleMovie
Watchmen
2019Watchmen
as Judd CrawfordTV
Vault
2019Vault
as GerryMovie
Dragged Across Concrete
2019Dragged Across Concrete
as Chief Lt. CalvertMovie
Book Club
2018Book Club
as ArthurMovie
Sick Note
2017Sick Note
as Kenny WestTV
Brawl in Cell Block 99
2017Brawl in Cell Block 99
as Warden TuggsMovie
Vengeance: A Love Story
2017Vengeance: A Love Story
as Jay KirkpatrickMovie
Blood & Oil
2015Blood & Oil
as Hap BriggsTV
Alex of Venice
2015Alex of Venice
as RogerMovie
Cold in July
2014Cold in July
as Jim BobMovie
The Other Woman
2014The Other Woman
as FrankMovie
TripTank
2014TripTank
as Johnny Bahama (voice)TV
Blood of 1000 Virgins
2013Blood of 1000 Virgins
as Self (archive footage)Movie
Django Unchained
2012Django Unchained
as Spencer "Big Daddy" BennettMovie
A Good Old Fashioned Orgy
2011A Good Old Fashioned Orgy
as Jerry Keppler (uncredited)Movie
WWE: DX: One Last Stand
2011WWE: DX: One Last Stand
as Self (archive footage)Movie
Conan
2010Conan
as SelfTV
Machete
2010Machete
as Von JacksonMovie
When in Rome
2010When in Rome
as Beth's DadMovie
Glenn Martin, DDS
2009Glenn Martin, DDS
as Grandpa Whitey (voice)TV
Eastbound & Down
2009Eastbound & Down
as Eduardo SanchezTV
Long Flat Balls II
2008Long Flat Balls II
as Admiral BurnettMovie
Bastardi
2008Bastardi
as Sante PateneMovie
Just Legal
2005Just Legal
as Grant CooperTV
Word of Honor
2003Word of Honor
as Benjamin TysonMovie
Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy
2001Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy
as Self (archive footage)Movie
Judging Amy
1999Judging Amy
as Defense AttorneyTV
Goodbye Lover
1999Goodbye Lover
as Ben DunmoreMovie
Classic Albums
1997Classic Albums
as Self (archive footage)TV
Tin Cup
1996Tin Cup
as David SimmsMovie
Nash Bridges
1996Nash Bridges
as Nash BridgesTV
MADtv
1995MADtv
as SelfTV
In Pursuit of Honor
1995In Pursuit of Honor
as Sgt. John LibbeyMovie
The Marshal
1995The Marshal
DirectorTV
Guilty as Sin
1993Guilty as Sin
as David GreenhillMovie
Born Yesterday
1993Born Yesterday
as Paul VerrallMovie
Raw
1993Raw
as SelfTV
In the Company of Darkness
1993In the Company of Darkness
Executive ProducerMovie
Paradise
1991Paradise
as Ben ReedMovie
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man
1991Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man
as Robert Lee Anderson / The Marlboro ManMovie
The Hot Spot
1990The Hot Spot
as Harry MadoxMovie
Dead Bang
1989Dead Bang
as Jerry BeckMovie
Sweet Hearts Dance
1988Sweet Hearts Dance
as Wiley BoonMovie
G.I. Joe: The Movie
1987G.I. Joe: The Movie
as Lt. Falcon (voice)Movie
Heartbeat
1987Heartbeat
as Documentary FilmmakerMovie
Cease Fire
1985Cease Fire
as Tim MurphyMovie
Live Aid
1985Live Aid
as SelfMovie
Miami Vice: Brother's Keeper
1984Miami Vice: Brother's Keeper
as Det. James “Sonny” CrockettMovie
Miami Vice
1984Miami Vice
as James 'Sonny' CrockettTV
Matt Houston
1982Matt Houston
as Terry SpenceTV
M
1982Melanie
as CarlMovie
Soggy Bottom, U.S.A.
1981Soggy Bottom, U.S.A.
as Jacob GorchMovie
Elvis and the Beauty Queen
1981Elvis and the Beauty Queen
as Elvis PresleyMovie
Revenge of the Stepford Wives
1980Revenge of the Stepford Wives
as Officer Andy BradyMovie
Beulah Land
1980Beulah Land
as Bonard DavisTV
F
1980From Here to Eternity
as Jefferson 'Jeff' Davis PrewittTV
The Rebels
1979The Rebels
as Judson FletcherTV
First, You Cry
1978First, You Cry
as Daniel EastonMovie
The Two-Five
1978The Two-Five
as Charlie MorganMovie
Ski Lift to Death
1978Ski Lift to Death
as Mike SloanMovie
Big Hawaii
1977Big Hawaii
as GandyTV
Cover Girls
1977Cover Girls
as Johnny WilsonMovie
Nashville 99
1977Nashville 99
as Mike WatlingTV
The City
1977The City
as Sgt. Brian ScottMovie
Law of the Land
1976Law of the Land
as QuirtMovie
Saturday Night Live
1975Saturday Night Live
as Self - Cameo (uncredited)TV
Return to Macon County
1975Return to Macon County
as Harley McKayMovie
The Harrad Experiment
1973The Harrad Experiment
as Stanley ColeMovie
Police Story
1973Police Story
as Lee MorganTV
Barnaby Jones
1973Barnaby Jones
as Wayne LockwoodTV
The Streets of San Francisco
1972The Streets of San Francisco
as Off. Larry WilsonTV
Zachariah
1971Zachariah
as MatthewMovie
Golden Globe Awards
1944Golden Globe Awards
as Self (uncredited)TV