Punk Wild Man David Johansen Focus of New Documentary Co-Directed by Martin Scorsese

The wild career of David Johansen — New York Dolls frontman, punk gadabout, occasional actor, and Buster Poindexter portrayer — will be the focus of an upcoming documentary co-directed by Martin Scorsese. 

Personality Crisis: One Night Only, premiering April 14 on Showtime, captures Johansen as he staged his pre-Covid cabaret performances at New York’s Cafe Carlyle in January 2020. Throughout the shows — which featured Johansen revisiting his own catalog as his alter ego Poindexter — the singer also regaled the audience with stories about his time as a fixture on the New York City music scene. 

“I’ve known David Johansen for decades, and his music has been a touchstone ever since I listened to the Dolls when I was making Mean Streets,” Scorsese said in a statement. “Then and now, David’s music captures the energy and excitement of New York City. I often see him perform, and over the years I’ve gotten to know the depth of his musical inspirations. After seeing his show at the Café Carlyle, I knew I had to film it because it was so extraordinary to see the evolution of his life and his musical talent in such an intimate setting.”

Scorsese co-directed Personality Crisis: One Night Only alongside David Tedeschi, with Ron Howard and Brian Grazer serving as executive producers. The documentary also features archival and new interviews with the Staten Island-born Johansen, filmed by his daughter Leah Hennessey.

Personality Crisis: One Night Only previously premiered at the 2022 New York Film Festival before landing on Showtime.