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