Don Johnson, man, talk about an icon of the ‘80s. Everyone remembers him as Sonny Crockett—Miami Vice’s pastel-wrapped, Ferrari-driving, alligator-having, undercover cop who pretty much made stubble, loafers, and designer suits cooler than anything else on TV. The guy spent five years diving headfirst into shootouts with drug dealers, dirty cops, you name it. And it wasn’t just about the action—Miami Vice changed the whole TV game with its killer soundtrack, real Miami vibes, and fashion that made every dude want to raid an Armani store. Johnson and his partner in crime-fighting, Philip Michael Thomas, made for the slickest duo, while Edward James Olmos kept things stone-cold serious. Thing is, Johnson’s road to stardom wasn’t exactly a straight shot. Born out in Missouri, messing around as a kid, even getting in a bit of trouble before stumbling into acting. He grinded through flop after flop, even landed in a wild cult sci-fi flick before Miami Vice finally turned him into a household name. The show scored him a Golden Globe and some Emmy love, plus he even directed a handful of episodes himself, just to flex a little more. After Miami Vice? He jumped into movies—some hits, some cult classics now—but nothing ever really topped that Crockett swagger. Eventually, he rolled back to TV with Nash Bridges, where he traded Miami’s neon for a Plymouth Barracuda and San Francisco streets, still looking way too cool for most people’s comfort. Even now, Johnson keeps popping up—Django Unchained, Knives Out—totally refusing to fade out.
Here's a wild bit of movies trivia: Gianni Versace, yeah, the actual Versace, got a ton of his style inspo from Don Johnson’s character Sonny Crockett in Miami Vice. Versace straight-up admitted, “The first person I dressed in Miami was Don Johnson.” That’s not just some passing comment, either—he really meant it. You look at those pastel suits, the rolled-up sleeves, no socks with loafers—iconic, right? That whole vibe basically changed fashion in the ‘80s and Versace just ran with it. It’s kinda nuts to think a TV cop show could leave that big a mark on what people wore, but Don Johnson swaggering around Miami basically set the bar for cool, and Versace just amplified it. So next time you see those slick suits in a fashion mag or somebody trying to pull off that casual-yet-classy look, you’ve got Sonny Crockett and Versace to thank for blowing up that whole aesthetic.
Back in the day, movie stars ruled everything—gigantic billboards, red carpets, all that jazz. Now? TV actors are practically everywhere, and honestly, they’re probably more famous. Everyone’s binging something on their couch, so these TV faces are popping up in people’s living rooms, day in and day out. It’s wild, but even the paychecks are starting to match up with the big-screen folks. That gap’s shrinking fast. Some of these actors barely have to leave their Netflix sets and they’re household names. Random strangers will recognize them in the grocery store, not just movie premieres. Kinda funny how the tables turned, right? TV used to be second fiddle, now it’s got the spotlight. People talk about new shows way more than big movies lately, too. Seriously, ask around—who’s the bigger deal these days: a blockbuster star or the lead from a viral series? The answer might surprise you.
December 15, 1949
5′ 9″ (1.75 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Flat Creek, Missouri, USA
Yes, Dakota Johnson
Eva Lea Johnson (Wilson) and Surekha
75 years old