January 27 Birthday Wishes

Donna Reed [1921 - 1986]

Troy Donahue [1936 - 2001]

Another supporting actor who worked in a number of western features (Hellgate, Little Big Horn, several Gene Autry features and other B-westerns); serials (the star of Perils of the Wilderness) and television (Cisco Kid, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Sergeant Preston, Rin Tin Tin, Bat Masterson, etc) is Richard Emory, born January 27, 1918. After his career he retired to northern New Mexico where Jim and I spent a nice afternoon with him, and later to Moab, Utah, where he died March 4, 1994.

In The Godfather Pt. II, Troy Donahue plays Connie Corleone's boyfriend, Merle Johnson. Donahue's real name is Merle Johnson, Jr.

Howdy Pards!!

Donna Reed acted back in the day of westerns, when Hollywood thought only caucasians should be actors. I've seen the film the photo was taken from and .Miss Reed as an Indian was a little hard to swallow. You could put on all the red make up and dye her hair black and you still had a blue eyed Indian!! A great actress, but I guess I remember her best from the Donna Reed Show.

Troy Donohue showed up in the late 50's and like Tab Hunter, the girls were all swooning over this tall blonde. He appeared on just about every t.v. series and then moved on into movies and in what seemed like just a few years , he disappeared. I remember his role of Pacino's sister's boyfriend in the Godfather II, but that was about the last film I remember seeing him in!!

Ed