- Born
- DiedFebruary 28, 2025 · Staten Island, New York City, New York, USA (complications from Stage 4 cancer, a brain tumor and a broken back)
- Birth nameDavid Roger Johansen
- Height6′ (1.83 m)
- New York City born David Johansen sang in Rock & Roll dance bands as a teenager, joining Charles Ludlum's Ridiculous Theater and starting the New York Dolls.
The highly influential Dolls made two iconic Rock & Roll records before disbanding in the mid seventies. At this time he created the David Johansen Group which recorded six highly acclaimed albums and toured hits such as "Funky but Chic" for the next ten years. Simultaneously he began performing Jump Blues, Calypso, and "Pre-Hayes code Rock & Roll" under the name Buster Poindexter The success of these shows led to Buster Poindexter's touring four swinging internationally acclaimed CD's.
During this time, in addition to his musical career, Johansen started appearing in various movies , including Let It Ride (1989) and Scrooged (1988), as well as making various television appearances, including a season on Saturday Night Live (1975).- IMDb mini biography by: David Johansen
- SpousesMara Hennessey(November 6, 2013 - February 28, 2025) (his death)Kate Simon(1988 - 2004) (divorced)Cyrinda Foxe(1977 - 1978) (divorced)
- ParentsHelen Johansen
- Sunglasses
- High-pitched, raw vocals
- Flamboyant stage manner
- Outrageous sense of fashion on and off the stage.
- Former member of the early 70s glam rock group; New York Dolls.
- Singing under the name Buster Poindexter, he had a big hit with the song "Hot, Hot, Hot."
- Was considered for the role of Max Cady in Cape Fear (1991).
- He is of Norwegian (father) and Irish (mother) descent.
- Not related to Mike Johansen.
- Every singer who's worth his salt is an actor. You play different characters in different songs. Sometimes you're a romantic lead, sometimes you're this madcap party barbarian. You play all these roles, running through every aspect of emotion.
- [about his famous appearance on The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971)] The BBC had a bar. What a great country! Over here, there's never a bar in a TV station. Before we went on air, I'd told Bob [Bob Harris] that he had chipmunk teeth. He said you had to blame his parents for that. I replied, "Everyone is responsible for their own face." He was probably still thinking about that when he called us "mock rock".
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