Born in Flat Creek, Missouri, in 1949, Don Johnson was the son of a farmer and a hairdresser. He grew up in Wichita, Kansas, attending the University of Kansas after graduating high school. Johnson began his acting career by studying at the American Conservatory Theater. He landed the lead role of Smitty in the stage production Fortune and Men’s Eyes in 1969 and for the next fourteen years he worked as an actor on stage and in television and film without any notable performances.
His career break came in 1984 when he landed the role of Sonny Crockett on the police drama series Miami Vice alongside co-star Phillip Michael Thomas. The producers of Miami Vice were hesitant to give Johnson the role as he had earned a risky reputation with a number of previously failed sitcoms. However, Johnson became a star on Miami Vice donning expensive suit jackets over pastel T-shirts and a purposeful five o’clock shadow creating a fashion fad that had young males scrambling for the sexy, sleek "Don Johnson look." In addition to his recurring role on Vice, Johnson also starred in numerous television movies during the 80s.
The Miami Vice series ended in 1990 and Johnson apprehended subsequent roles in a few films including Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man and the moderately successful film Tin Cup, starring Kevin Costner and Rene Russo. In 1996 he returned as a television cop in the series Nash Bridges. The series, which starred Cheech Marin (who also appeared with Johnson in Tin Cup) and Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, lasted until 2001. Afterwards, Don Johnson was cast in the 2005 WB series Just Legal, as Grant Cooper.
In his personal life, Don Johnson has been considered a bit of a playboy. He was twice married and divorced before meeting Melanie Griffith, whom he has married twice, once in 1972 and again in 1989. They have a daughter together. Johnson also has a child with actress Patti D’Arbanville, whom he lived with briefly. After numerous reported affairs, including one with Barbra Streisand, Johnson settled down in 1998 with current wife Kelley Phleger and together they have three children.
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