Skip to content
Join free
Don Johnson
Actor

Don Johnson

15 Dec 1949Born
76Age
97Credits
Flat Creek, Missouri, USABirthplace

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).

Read the full biography

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

The 80 most recent of 97 credits.

  1. TBAEncoreFilm
  2. TBASouthern DiscomfortSeries: Bob Dobson (1 episode)
  3. 2026Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of AmericaSeries: Doc Holliday (1 episode)
  4. 2024Doctor OdysseySeries: Captain Robert Massey (18 episodes)
  5. 2024Unit 234Film: Jules
  6. 2024Rebel RidgeFilm: Chief Sandy Burnne
  7. 2023The CollectiveFilm: Liam
  8. 2023Book Club: The Next ChapterFilm: Arthur
  9. 2023A Little White LieFilm: T. Wasserman
  10. 2022High HeatFilm: Ray
  11. 2021Nash BridgesFilm: Nash Bridges
  12. 2021KenanSeries: Rick (19 episodes)
  13. 2020Home Movie: The Princess BrideSeries: Prince Humperdinck (1 episode)
  14. 2019Knives OutFilm: Richard Drysdale
  15. 2019WatchmenSeries: Judd Crawford (9 episodes)
  16. 2019VaultFilm: Gerry
  17. 2019Dragged Across ConcreteFilm: Chief Lt. Calvert
  18. 2018Book ClubFilm: Arthur
  19. 2017Sick NoteSeries: Kenny West (6 episodes)
  20. 2017Brawl in Cell Block 99Film: Warden Tuggs
  21. 2017Vengeance: A Love StoryFilm: Jay Kirkpatrick
  22. 2017A Series of Unfortunate EventsSeries: Sir (2 episodes)
  23. 2016Andy Warhol, FluorescentFilm: (archive footage)
  24. 2015Blood & OilSeries: Hap Briggs (10 episodes)
  25. 2015Alex of VeniceFilm: Roger
  26. 2014Cold in JulyFilm: Jim Bob
  27. 2014The Other WomanFilm: Frank
  28. 2014TripTankSeries: Johnny Bahama (voice) (1 episode)
  29. 2014From Dusk Till Dawn: Making the First SeasonFilm
  30. 2014From Dusk Till Dawn: The SeriesSeries: Earl McGraw (10 episodes)
  31. 2012Django UnchainedFilm: Spencer "Big Daddy" Bennett
  32. 2011Bucky Larson: Born to Be a StarFilm: Miles Deep
  33. 2011A Good Old Fashioned OrgyFilm: Jerry Keppler (uncredited)
  34. 2010MacheteFilm: Von Jackson
  35. 2010When in RomeFilm: Beth's Dad
  36. 2009Glenn Martin, DDSSeries: Grandpa Whitey (voice) (1 episode)
  37. 2009Eastbound & DownSeries: Eduardo Sanchez (5 episodes)
  38. 2008Torno a vivere da soloFilm: Nico
  39. 2008Long Flat Balls IIFilm: Admiral Burnett
  40. 2008BastardiFilm: Sante Patene'
  41. 2007Moondance AlexanderFilm: Dante
  42. 2005Just LegalSeries: Grant Cooper (9 episodes)
  43. 2003Word of HonorFilm: Benjamin Tyson
  44. 1999Judging AmySeries: Defense Attorney (1 episode)
  45. 1999Goodbye LoverFilm: Ben Dunmore
  46. 1996Tin CupFilm: David Simms
  47. 1996Nash BridgesSeries: Nash Bridges (122 episodes)
  48. 1995In Pursuit of HonorFilm: Sgt. John Libbey
  49. 1995The MarshalSeries: Director (1 episode)
  50. 1993Guilty as SinFilm: David Greenhill
  51. 1993Born YesterdayFilm: Paul Verrall
  52. 1991ParadiseFilm: Ben Reed
  53. 1991Harley Davidson and the Marlboro ManFilm: Robert Lee Anderson / The Marlboro Man
  54. 1990The Hot SpotFilm: Harry Madox
  55. 1989Miami Vice: FreefallFilm: Det. James “Sonny” Crockett
  56. 1989Dead BangFilm: Jerry Beck
  57. 1988Sweet Hearts DanceFilm: Wiley Boon
  58. 1987G.I. Joe: The MovieFilm: Lt. Falcon (voice)
  59. 1987HeartbeatFilm: Documentary Filmmaker, Writer
  60. 1985Cease FireFilm: Tim Murphy
  61. 1985The Long Hot SummerSeries: Ben Quick (2 episodes)
  62. 1985The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be ThereFilm
  63. 1984Miami Vice: Brother's KeeperFilm: Det. James “Sonny” Crockett
  64. 1984Miami ViceSeries: Sonny Crockett, Director (110 episodes)
  65. 1982Matt HoustonSeries: Terry Spence (1 episode)
  66. 1982MelanieFilm: Carl
  67. 1981The Two Lives of Carol LetnerFilm: Bob Howard
  68. 1981Soggy Bottom, U.S.A.Film: Jacob Gorch
  69. 1981Elvis and the Beauty QueenFilm: Elvis Presley
  70. 1981Elvis and The Beauty QueenSeries: Elvis Presley (1 episode)
  71. 1980Revenge of the Stepford WivesFilm: Officer Andy Brady
  72. 1980Beulah LandSeries: Bonard Davis (3 episodes)
  73. 1980From Here to EternitySeries: Jefferson 'Jeff' Davis Prewitt (12 episodes)
  74. 1979The RebelsSeries: Judson Fletcher (2 episodes)
  75. 1979Tales of the UnexpectedSeries: Reeve Baker (1 episode)
  76. 1979Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and GrillFilm: Cowboy
  77. 1978First, You CryFilm: Daniel Easton
  78. 1978Katie: Portrait of a CenterfoldFilm: Gunther
  79. 1978The Two-FiveFilm: Charlie Morgan
  80. 1978Ski Lift to DeathFilm: Mike Sloan

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.