64-483: Troy Donahue (born Merle Johnson Jr. , January 27, 1936 – September 2, 2001) was an American film and television actor, best known for his role as Johnny Hunter in the film A Summer Place . He was a popular sex symbol in the 1950s and 1960s. Merle Johnson Jr., later known as Troy Donahue, was born on January 27, 1936, in New York General Hospital. His father was Frederick Merle Johnson,
128-399: A Frank Lloyd Wright beach house. They talk Molly and Johnny into visiting them there, to which the teenagers agree largely because it will give them a chance to be together away from Helen, who is unable to prevent the visit due to a court order. During their visit, Molly and Johnny have sex (off camera). Ken and Sylvia suspect that the teenagers are sleeping together and are concerned about
192-642: A 1958 arrest for speeding, his contract with Universal was at its end. He had spent all his money and had no work, leaving him unable to pay for his apartment. Willson was able to secure guest starring roles in several western shows, allowing Donahue to rent a slightly smaller apartment in Hollywood. Donahue began appearing on TV in a guest part in Man Without a Gun . This was followed by parts in This Happy Feeling , Wild Heritage , Voice in
256-567: A British adventure tale, Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon (1967); and a western for Albert Zugsmith , The Phantom Gunslinger (1970). From 1966 to 1967, Donahue co-starred in The Owl and the Pussycat on tour with wife, Valerie Allen. The show had great success, resulting from Donahue's dedicated fanbase. In 1967, Donahue was slated to co-star in a Poor Richard production with Allen at
320-400: A Victorian astronaut, but no one ever saw it. Then by the time I could get work again, it was too late because my type was already out of fashion. He later reflected on this period, "They pumped me til the well went dry. My image came out of Warner Bros. and it was one that was on its way out. I think I'm a little deeper than the roles I was given to play." In 1967, he said Parrish had been
384-429: A circle of friends which includes many of the other rising young teen favorites of the movie colony. Now that all the proper stops have been pulled out, Hollywood's star makers expect teenagers to respond with a chorus of enthusiasm loud enough to sweep Troy into real movie stardom. They don't doubt that the tall, blue-eyed actor has what it takes to capture the all-important high school audience. Donahue guest starred in
448-587: A crumbling inn on Pine Island off the Maine coast. The inn was previously Bart's elegant family mansion in an exclusive resort, but as his family fortunes have dwindled, the Hunters are forced to rent rooms to paying guests. Bart receives a reservation request from an old acquaintance, Ken Jorgenson ( Richard Egan ), who was a lowly lifeguard on the island 20 years ago, but is now a successful research chemist and millionaire. Ken wants to bring his wife and daughter to
512-433: A dash of glamour, he's being seen at posh restaurants and celebrity gathering spots. He's interviewed by columnists and photographed by fan magazines – which appeal almost totally to teens these days. Along with the publicity build-up, Troy has acquired several other accouterments of a successful star. He has a top Hollywood agent. A business manager who keeps him on a $ 35 weekly allowance. A bachelor apartment. A Porsche . And
576-839: A doctor to forcibly examine Molly to make sure she is still a virgin, finding she is. Horrified, Molly runs away and sees Johnny, who threatens to kill Helen if she hurts Molly ever again. Helen contacts law enforcement, and then in a fit of anger, reveals Sylvia and Ken's affair in front of Bart, Ken, Sylvia, and Johnny. Bart reveals he has long known about Sylvia's love for Ken and offers to forgive her, but she cannot go back. The Hunters and Jorgensons each go through an acrimonious public divorce and Molly and Johnny are sent to boarding schools several states apart. Molly and Johnny are angry at Ken and Sylvia and stop speaking to them, becoming increasingly dependent on each other for emotional support, despite Helen's constant interference and criticism of Molly's morals. Ken and Sylvia eventually marry and move into
640-429: A family friend. During this time, Donahue had very little money and was kicked from six different apartments for not paying rent. He would move around different cheap hotels, refusing to move back in with his mother and sister - who had both moved back to New York. He would visit occasionally to eat a meal there. He was fired from his job at Sound Masters, after being promoted to film cutter, due to being too young to join
704-607: A fourth film, Rome Adventure (1962), a romance starring Suzanne Pleshette , Angie Dickinson , and Rossano Brazzi . In 1962, he claimed he received 5,000–7,500 fan letters a week. The following year, exhibitors voted him the 20th most popular star in the US. Donahue had also gained wide popularity in Japan , later saying "I guess because I was blond, blue-eyed, and tanned, people associated me with all those beach movies that were around then, even though I never did one." He later said. "I
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#1732801534985768-546: A garage apartment in Malibu , near his mother and sister's new home. In spring that same year, producer William Asher and director James Sheldon spotted Donahue in a diner in Malibu and arranged for a screen test with Columbia Pictures . The weekend before the big meeting, Donahue suffered a near-fatal auto accident, plummeting 40 feet down into a canyon and smashing into a tree. He was hospitalized for various injuries, missing
832-460: A lifeguard. As it turns out, Ken and Sylvia were lovers 20 years ago, when they were teenagers. It soon becomes apparent that they still love each other and have missed each other for many years, and that Ken returned to Pine Island in hopes of seeing Sylvia again. They had broken up because Ken was a poor college student, while Bart was the son of a rich, established family, so Sylvia married Bart, and Ken, after seeing Sylvia's wedding announcement in
896-543: A movie theater showing of A Summer Place , where Boogie plays a sexual prank on his date as Molly and Johnny kiss onscreen. The 1985 Canadian film My American Cousin , set in 1959, plays the song a number of times. Jasper Beardsley sang the theme song with the fictional lyrics "It's the theme, from A Summer Place..." while auditioning for the Be Sharps in the 1993 The Simpsons episode Homer's Barbershop Quartet . The 'I washed my hair for you scene' can be seen on
960-778: A re-creation of the pilot episode of The Jeffersons in Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's All in the Family and The Jeffersons . Bennett was born in Malvern, Arkansas . She made her acting debut in theater, and her television debut on the daytime soap opera, Guiding Light . Bennett later had guest-starring roles in Roots: The Next Generations , Lou Grant , Dallas , Falcon Crest , Knots Landing , L.A. Law , and Dynasty . Bennett had
1024-721: A regular role in the short-lived NBC medical drama Nightingales in 1989. She also had recurring roles in the daytime soap operas General Hospital , The Bold and the Beautiful and Sunset Beach . In prime time, she had recurring roles in Quantum Leap , In the Heat of the Night , Crisis Center and The Book of Daniel . In recent years, she appeared in Boston Legal , ER , Becker and Scandal . She played
1088-606: A six month contract, including extension options, with Universal Studios in October 1956. He earned a $ 125 weekly salary and with that, moved to North Hollywood . Donahue started off in small roles in films such as Man Afraid , Man of a Thousand Faces , The Tarnished Angels , Above All Things , and The Monolith Monsters (all 1957). In 1958, he appeared in Charles F. Haas' Summer Love and Paul Henreid 's Live Fast, Die Young . Due to Donahue's heavy drinking and
1152-478: A variety of their western television series, including Colt .45 (1959), Maverick (1959), Sugarfoot (1959), The Alaskans (1960), and Lawman (1960). He had a support part in a disaster movie, The Crowded Sky (1960). Donahue also had a brief tenure as a recording artist at the height of his fame in the early 1960s, releasing a handful of singles for Warner Bros. Records , including "Live Young" and "Somebody Loves Me". However, no recordings entered
1216-470: Is a prude who disapproves of Molly's developing figure and interest in boys, particularly Johnny Hunter, who is also attracted to Molly. Ken is much more relaxed and permissive, and tells his daughter that her lustful desires are not shameful. Helen also tries, unsuccessfully, to put on airs and impress the upper-class residents of the island, while Ken is not interested in pretense and is even happy to talk with older people who remember him from when he worked as
1280-439: Is black. The big break of Donahue's career came when he was cast opposite Sandra Dee in the 1959 Warner Bros ' film A Summer Place , directed by Delmer Daves . The movie was released to mixed critical reception, however still managed to gain widespread popularity and became a box office hit. The film was No. 1 at the US box office for two weeks. The film and its soundtrack have been continuously noted in popular culture since
1344-660: The Billboard Hot 100 list. He was reportedly going to be cast in Elia Kazan 's 1961 American period drama Splendor in the Grass , but missed out to Warren Beatty . Instead Warner Bros. put him in a TV series, Surfside 6 (1960–62), one of several spin-offs of 77 Sunset Strip , announced in April 1960. On Surfside 6 , Donahue starred with Van Williams , Lee Patterson , Diane McBain , and Margarita Sierra in
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#17328015349851408-467: The Chicago Tribune on October 22, 1959: To plug the movie – and sell himself, too – Troy is touring the country with press agents and studio representatives from Warner Bros., to whom he is under contract. He's lionized by reporters for high school newspapers at special teen press conferences. He talks on disk jockey radio programs, women's television shows and teenage TV dancing parties. And for
1472-599: The New York Military Academy , where he roomed with English actor Owen Orr. There he met Francis Ford Coppola after casting him in school plays. He was to attend West Point , but suffered a knee injury at a track meet, knocking it out of the joint and tearing the cartilage . The injury ruined the chance for a sports scholarship. He volunteered for the United States Army , but was rejected due to his permanently damaged knee. After Donahue
1536-690: The USO to Vietnam in 1968 and accepted, due to having "no place to go." He was sent home when the Special Services learned of him taking drugs from nurses. The Department of Defense still awarded Donahue a Certificate of Appreciations in February 1969. A Summer Place (film) A Summer Place is a 1959 American romantic drama film based on Sloan Wilson 's 1958 novel of the same name , about teenage lovers from different classes who get back together 20 years later, and then must deal with
1600-576: The 1990s show Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman in the first-season episode: "Honeymoon in Metropolis". Lois is spending the weekend at the Lexor hotel in town for relaxation but is getting bored with the love stories being shown on television. The 1997 thriller-comedy Con Air features the song during a scene in which a character played by Dave Chappelle is thrown out of an airplane. The 2001 version of Ocean's Eleven contains
1664-585: The ABC series, set in Miami Beach, Florida . The show launched him to a household name. He was sent on press junkets around the country to visit radio and television stations. Warner Bros. charged thousands for an appearance of him, yet Donahue never received a bonus. Donahue's face was plastered on merchandise - from posters to lunch boxes to board games. McBain spoke on the marketing of the show: Sex sells. The boys and I were sold as sex symbols, and so much of
1728-544: The Game (1968), and The Virginian (1969), and an appearance in the TV movie The Lonely Profession (1969). Due to his recent divorce from Allen and other lawsuits, Donahue was advised to file bankruptcy by lawyer and he reluctantly did so on October 1, 1968. He eventually lost his home and began sleeping on friends couches. He claimed that he "spent a lot of time judging beauty contests and opening banks" during this time. "I
1792-614: The Mirror , The Perfect Furlough , and Monster on the Campus (billed fifth). He often had better roles on TV, guest-starring in episodes of The Californians , Rawhide , Wagon Train , Tales of Wells Fargo , and The Virginian. Donahue achieved good reviews for a brief, but effective part in Douglas Sirk 's Imitation of Life (1959), playing Frankie, a young white man who beats his new girlfriend after he discovers she
1856-542: The Pheasant Run Playhouse. In the week before, Donahue was drunk and could not focus on his lines. A few days before opening, he walked, despite Allen begging him to stay. Terry Moore was brought in at the last minute to replace him. Donahue was sued for $ 200,000. On February 22, 1968, Donahue signed a long-term contract with Universal Studios for films and TV. This lasted a year and saw him get four roles: guest shots on Ironside (1968), The Name of
1920-759: The Production Chief of promotional motion pictures of General Motors . His mother, Edith "Dede" Johnson (née Frederickson), was a Swedish retired stage actress. Donahue stated in a 1959 interview: Acting is all I ever wanted. Ever since I can remember, I've studied and read plays. My mother would help me, but my parents didn't want me to become an actor. They preferred something more stable—doctor, lawyer, Indian chief, anything. "I can remember always being exposed to Broadway and theater people", he added in 1984. "I can remember sitting with Gertrude Lawrence while she read her reviews in The King and I ." When he
1984-729: The School of Theater at the California Institute of the Arts . In 2019, she portrayed the role of Mother Olivia Jefferson in a re-creation of the pilot episode of The Jeffersons in Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's All in the Family and The Jeffersons alongside Jamie Foxx as George , Wanda Sykes as Louise as well as Kerry Washington and Will Ferrell as Helen and Tom Willis respectively. Bennett died in Los Angeles on September 12, 2021, at
Troy Donahue - Misplaced Pages Continue
2048-403: The act to ensure a large divorce settlement. Ken goes on a business trip for a weekend, during which time Molly and Johnny, with Ken's permission, go sailing around the island. Their boat capsizes in rough water, stranding them on the beach overnight. The Coast Guard rescues them the next day, but Helen is suspicious that the teenagers had sex on the beach, although they deny it. Helen sends for
2112-574: The best tradition of popular films," but warned exhibitors the film was "devoted almost exclusively to the most popular cinema topic of the day—sex." Howard Thompson of The New York Times called it "one of the most laboriously and garishly sex-scented movies in years" with "Max Steiner's music hammering away at each sexual nuance like a pile driver". On Rotten Tomatoes , A Summer Place holds an approval rating of 83% based on six reviews, with an average rating of 6.00/10. The 1960 instrumental hit " Theme from A Summer Place ", composed by Max Steiner,
2176-453: The coroner in an episode of Remington Steele January 14, 1986. Bennett had appeared in a number of films, including Promises in the Dark (1979), How I Got Into College (1989), The Doctor (1991), Plymouth (1991), New Nightmare (1994), Foxfire (1996), The Next Best Thing (2000) and Jessabelle (2014). From 1996 to 2003, she was head of the performance program in
2240-463: The film soundtrack main theme in his car on an 8-track tape cartridge during the precredit opening sequence. The lyrics of the song "Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee" from the musical Grease are in part specifically about the events in this movie. The film is part of a plot point in the Barry Levinson 1982 film Diner . Set in 1959, the character "Boogie" and several of his friends attend
2304-554: The film's release - the first being in another Donahue film, The Crowded Sky (1960) between Donahue's character and co-star Efrem Zimbalist Jr ., the popular " Theme from A Summer Place " is heard on the restaurant sound system. The music and scenes from the film have appeared in numerous later films, among them, Diner (1982) and Ocean's Eleven (2001). Donahue became a celebrity overnight, especially among teenage audiences. In John L. Scott's Los Angeles Times review, he wrote simply of him, "Donahue reveals promise." In 1960, he
2368-543: The film, Sylvia tells Molly that Wright designed the house, ostensibly located on the East Coast near the movie's "Pine Island" location (since Molly and Johnny drive from Pine Island to the house after being sent away by the justice of the peace). In reality, Walker House is located on the beach side of Scenic Road on Carmel Bay in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California . The real house has only one level, although in
2432-619: The island for the summer. Bart suggests that Ken is just coming to lord his new wealth over Bart, who is no longer rich. Bart wants to refuse the reservation, but Sylvia insists that he accept because they badly need the money, even going so far as to move themselves into the small guest house so their own master bedroom suite can be rented to Ken and his family. Ken arrives with his wife Helen ( Constance Ford ) and teenage daughter Molly ( Sandra Dee ). Helen and Ken have an unhappy marriage, sleep in separate bedrooms, and frequently argue, including over proper behavior standards for their daughter. Helen
2496-410: The most satisfactory of his movies. "I had the best script and the best opportunity as an actor. Not too many of those came my way. But I did get great exposure at Warner [Bros.]. Now I'm free to call my own shots. I've made more money in two years on my own than the whole time I was under contract." Donahue appeared in a variety of smaller projects, including a spy spoof , Come Spy with Me (1967);
2560-582: The movie, the house is depicted as if it has a lower level at the same level as the beach. Additional scenes were filmed at the Honeymoon Cottage located at Mission Ranch in Carmel. The movie became popular after its release, but had a mixed critical reception. Harrison's Reports , an industry newsletter for independent movie theater owners, defined it "money in the bank at the box office," "a well-made bit of entertainment," and "sleek and svelte in
2624-412: The newspaper, married Helen. Both marriages were unhappy, but Ken and Sylvia stayed in them because of their love for their respective children, Molly and Johnny. Ken and Sylvia find themselves drawn to each other again and begin secretly meeting every night. They are soon spotted by the island's night watchman, who informs Helen. Helen initially keeps quiet, on her mother's advice, planning to catch them in
Troy Donahue - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-454: The novel. Delmer Daves focused the new draft on one year. Daves said: I have two kids who are just about the same age of these two in A Summer Place and I know how difficult communication between generations can be. And while this may sound corny, it can be assisted by love and understanding. Amid some rather tempestuous social activities, this is what we are trying to demonstrate. That there are two affairs may sound sensational, but that's not
2752-574: The passionate love affair of their own teenage children by previous marriages. Delmer Daves directed the movie, which stars Richard Egan and Dorothy McGuire as the middle-aged lovers, and Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue as their respective children. The film contains a memorable instrumental theme composed by Max Steiner , which spent nine weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1960. Alcoholic Bart Hunter ( Arthur Kennedy ), his long-suffering wife Sylvia ( Dorothy McGuire ), and their teenage son Johnny ( Troy Donahue ) operate
2816-543: The peace suspects that they are under legal age to marry, and turns them down. In desperation, Molly and Johnny go to the house of Ken and Sylvia, who are supportive. In the end, happy Johnny and Molly, just married, return to Pine Island for their honeymoon. The film was shot in Pacific Grove and around the Monterey Peninsula . Sloan Wilson wrote the first screenplay, which covered the 22-year span of
2880-519: The piece twice; first in 1969 and later in 1976. Troy Donahue co-starred in The Crowded Sky , another Warner Brothers film released about ten months after A Summer Place . In a restaurant scene between Donahue's character and co-star Efrem Zimbalist Jr. , the popular "Theme from A Summer Place" is heard on the restaurant sound system. In the 1971 film The Omega Man , the lead character Robert Neville played by Charlton Heston , listens to
2944-484: The point. We have received the approval of the Johnstone office, because the intent of the picture is a moral one. Frankness and impatience will help pull the cork on a situation blocked by intolerance. What we are trying to do is dramatise that pulling of the cork. Some exterior and interior scenes involving Ken and Sylvia's beach house were filmed at Frank Lloyd Wright 's Mrs. Clinton Walker House , built in 1948. In
3008-469: The possible ill effects, but in view of their own past teen history, feel they cannot order Molly and Johnny to stop. Soon after, Molly discovers she is pregnant and she and Johnny run away together, planning to get married. They seek Bart's blessing, but he is about to be admitted to the veterans' hospital to treat ulcers due to his drinking, and drunkenly tries to talk them out of marriage, later calling Helen to let her know what happened. The local justice of
3072-413: The publicity campaign had all of us posing in swim suits and frolicking around the beach. Troy was a beach-lover for sure – I think he would have been content to live in a tent on the beach all his life – but for the rest of us, it seemed so contrived. And more importantly, whatever acting abilities or ambitions we had seemed to be dismissed in favor of cheesecake and beefcake pictures.” After Surfside 6
3136-418: The same thing. The theme appeared in the 2024 TV show Fallout based on the popular video game franchise. The similarly comedic scene features the protagonist Lucy MacClean and Maximus talking about sex. Fran Bennett Fran Bennett (August 14, 1937 – September 12, 2021) was an American actress, known for her works in theater and on television. She portrayed the role of Mother Olivia Jefferson in
3200-536: The shows and their current career paths. They complained of a "mediocre pattern" and a "lack of great scripts" to journalist Edith Efron . This unhappiness began to fuel Donahue's drinking habits. In return, criticisms began to rise concerning his acting. Journalist Rick Du Brow wrote of him, "Troy is big and strong and has the rare ability to make the most glamorous and exciting events seem colorless and flat." Donahue's career received another big break when Joshua Logan dropped out as director of Parrish (1961). Logan
3264-526: The test. Later that year, Donahue was introduced to actress Fran Bennett . Bennett introduced him to her agent Henry Willson , who also represented Rock Hudson . Willson signed him and changed his name to Troy Donahue. "At first they had Paris , the lover of Helen of Troy , in mind", Donahue says. "But I guess they thought they couldn't name me Paris Donahue because there was already a Paris, France , and Paris, Illinois ." He later added "it took me five minutes to get used to [my] new name." Donahue signed
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#17328015349853328-487: The theme from A Summer Place during the initial scene between Daniel Ocean ( George Clooney ) and Tess ( Julia Roberts ). The theme song is used in a comedic scene of two separate seductions in National Lampoon's 1978 blockbuster comedy, Animal House . The theme song features in a comedic scene of The Sopranos in which Tony Soprano outs Bobby Baccalieri for mistaking Nostradamus and Notre Dame for being
3392-536: The union. Donahue wrote a letter to Darrell Brady, a family friend and working associate of his father, who managed a film company, Commercial Film Industries, in Los Angeles. After a few months, Brady wrote back and offered him a job with his company. He also invited Troy to stay at his home until he found a proper place to live. In February 1956, Donahue moved to California , staying in Brady's Calabasas home. He worked cutting film at Brady's company. He would later rent
3456-514: Was always the goody-goody, the guy who did what he was supposed to." He did appear in a nearly beach-party film, Palm Springs Weekend (1963), alongside several other Warner Bros. players. His final film for Warner Bros was the 1964 western A Distant Trumpet , the last film of director Raoul Walsh . In 1965, Donahue was cast as a psychopathic killer opposite Joey Heatherton in William Conrad 's My Blood Runs Cold . While Donahue
3520-402: Was cancelled, Donahue joined the cast of Hawaiian Eye , another spinoff of Sunset Strip , for its last season from 1962 to 1963 in the role of hotel director Philip Barton, joining Robert Conrad and Connie Stevens in the series lead. Donahue struggled with acting in television, believing himself to be a movie star, as opposed to a TV star. Both Donahue and Stevens expressed disinterest in
3584-578: Was happy to break type and play a different type of role, it was not well received by the public. His contract with Warner Bros . ended shortly thereafter—although it ran until early 1968, Donahue asked to be released from it in January 1966. Donahue later claimed: Jack Warner called every studio I used to work for and used his muscle to keep me busted. I was blackballed and everyone in the business knew it. Please print that. I made one film in Europe playing
3648-625: Was left unable to participate in sports, he turned to writing and acting. He also wrote for the school paper, eventually ending up as the editor. He graduated from the academy in June 1954. When Donahue was 18, he moved back to New York and got a job as a messenger for Sound Masters, a commercial film company that his father had founded. He attended Columbia University and studied journalism. He acted in summer stock in Bucks County. He trained briefly with Ezra Stone , an American actor, director, and
3712-413: Was let your sideburns grow and suddenly you were a hippie ." Donahue says when he met casting directors they would ask, "Why don't you comb your hair? How come you have grown a moustache? What are you doing with a beard?" Donahue also believed his career was hurt by the fact he was an anti- Vietnam War Democrat while "everybody assumed I was a Republican ." In spite of this fact, Donahue was invited by
3776-401: Was living like a movie star but wasn't being paid like one", he says. "I lived way over my head and got into great trouble and lost everything. I went from a beautiful home, garden, swimming pool to living in shabby apartments." Donahue was struggling to make his way in a changing Hollywood. As he said later, "If you're the boy next door and you're supposed to be squeaky clean, all you had to do
3840-508: Was named by The Film Daily as one of the five "finds" of the year. He would later receive the Golden Globe Award for "Most Promising Newcomer - Male" at the 17th Annual awards . Following the success, Warner's signed him to a long-term contract in 1959, with a beginning salary of $ 400 weekly ($ 4,300 weekly in 2024). Warner Bros immediately sent Donahue on a cross-country tour to promote the film. Journalist Joan Beck wrote in
3904-531: Was replaced by A Summer Place director, Delmer Daves, who brought in Donahue to star. The movie became a box office hit. Donahue would later describe the film as the most satisfying of his movies to date. "I had the best script and the best opportunity as an actor", he said. "Not too many of those came my way." Donahue and Daves reunited for another melodrama in 1961, Susan Slade , with Connie Stevens , Dorothy McGuire and Lloyd Nolan also starring. They made
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#17328015349853968-550: Was six years old, he contracted pneumonia and was confined to bed for six weeks. Donahue's parents decided it would be better to move out the city for his recovery. They purchased a five-acre estate in Middle Road, in Bayport, Suffolk County on Long Island . The family acquired a variety of farm animals. His sister, Eve, was born a year after the move. Frederick was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis when Donahue
4032-857: Was used in the film as a secondary musical theme (not the main title theme) for scenes featuring Molly and Johnny. The version used in the film was recorded by Hugo Winterhalter . It was later arranged and recorded by Percy Faith and performed by his orchestra. In 1960, the Percy Faith version reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for nine consecutive weeks, a record at that time. The theme has been covered in instrumental or vocal versions by numerous other artists, including The Lettermen , Andy Williams , The Chordettes , Cliff Richard , Julie London , Billy Vaughn , Joanie Sommers , and The Ventures , and has been featured in many other films and television programs. Percy Faith would re-record
4096-529: Was young. As his father's health declined over two years, Donahue began to exhibit behavior issues, including drinking alcohol in excess. On December 5, 1950, Frederick died in St. Alban's Hospital in New York City when Donahue was 14 years old. Following his death, Donahue's relationship with his mother became strained. After Donahue dropped out of high school in his sophomore year, his mother enrolled him into
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