American actress (born 1937)
Elinor Donahue
(born
Mary Eleanor Donahue
, April 19, 1937) is a retired American actress, best known today for playing the role of Betty Anderson, the eldest child of Jim and Margaret Anderson on the 1950s American sitcom
Father Knows Best
.
Early life and career
[
edit
]
Donahue was born in
Tacoma, Washington
, the daughter of Doris Genevieve (nee Gelbaugh) and Thomas William Donahue on April 19, 1937.
[2]
Appearing in dancing-chorus film roles from the age of five, Donahue was at one point a ballet-school classmate of future
Fred Astaire
partner
Barrie Chase
. She was a child actress working in
vaudeville
[
citation needed
]
and had several bit parts in movies as a teenager, including
Love Is Better Than Ever
(1952), starring
Elizabeth Taylor
and
Tea for Two
(1950) starring
Doris Day
. She played one of the daughters in
Three Daring Daughters
in 1948 and appeared as
Mamie Van Doren
's sister in
Girls Town
(1959).
Father Knows Best
[
edit
]
Donahue achieved stardom for her role as the elder daughter, Betty, on the television family series
Father Knows Best
, which aired from 1954 to 1960.
[3]
Her co-stars were
Robert Young
,
Jane Wyatt
,
Billy Gray
as her younger brother, James "Bud" Anderson Jr., and
Lauren Chapin
as her younger sister, Kathy.
Donahue was a musical judge in
ABC
's
Jukebox Jury
(1953?54).
[4]
While in the first season of
Father Knows Best
, she also appeared on
The Ray Bolger Show
, starring
Ray Bolger
as a song-and-dance man. Thereafter, she was cast with
James Best
,
Ann Doran
, and
J. Carrol Naish
in the 1956 episode "The White Carnation" of the religion
anthology series
,
Crossroads
. She guest-starred on an episode of
U.S. Marshal
. She also appeared as a new bride in
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
episode titled "The Newlyweds" that aired April 2, 1956.
[
citation needed
]
She acted in the feature film
Girls Town (1959 film)
, which she later described as "an awful picture".
[5]
1960s to 1980s
[
edit
]
Donahue played Georgiana Balanger, the niece of George and Martha Wilson, in the episode "Dennis and the Wedding" (1960) on
Dennis the Menace
.
[
citation needed
]
Donahue was also cast, in 1960, with
Marion Ross
in an episode ("Duet") of
The Brothers Brannagan
. She played Miriam Welby on ABC's
The Odd Couple
, Jane Mulligan on
Mulligan's Stew
, and evil Nurse Hunnicut on
Days of Our Lives
.
She was part of the main cast for the first season of CBS's
The Andy Griffith Show
, as Andy's
pharmacist
love interest Ellie Walker. She was even mentioned in the opening credits before
Don Knotts
. After one season (1960?1961), Donahue asked for a release from her three-year contract.
[6]
In 1963, Donahue was cast in an episode of NBC's short-lived modern Western series,
Redigo
, with
Richard Egan
as the rancher Jim Redigo. Then she played in another Western series
Have Gun Will Travel
as Letty May in the episode "The Burning Tree".
In 1964, she appeared in the NBC TV series
The Eleventh Hour
, a
medical drama
dealing with
psychiatry
, starring
Jack Ging
and
Ralph Bellamy
, where she played the role of Melanie in the episode "The Secret in the Stone".
In 1966, she guest-starred on the TV series
A Man Called Shenandoah
, episode 8, "Town On Fire".
In 1967, she guest-appeared on
Star Trek
in the second-season episode "
Metamorphosis
" as commissioner Nancy Hedford.
Donahue portrayed the sister of Sister Bertrille (
Sally Field
) in three episodes of ABC's
The Flying Nun
(1968?70).
She portrayed Miriam Welby in 17 episodes of
The Odd Couple
(1972?75).
In 1977, she appeared in an episode of the ABC crime drama
The Feather and Father Gang
.
In 1978, Donahue starred in the NBC sitcom
Please Stand By
.
In 1979, she appeared on
Diff'rent Strokes
as a fiancee to Mr. Drummond in season 1.
In 1981, Donahue appeared in an episode of
One Day at a Time
, as Alex's mother Felicia.
In 1984, she made an appearance as Mrs. Broderick, the mother of a teenage drug addict on the last season of
Happy Days
.
In 1987, she played the title character's mother in the short-lived Fox series
The New Adventures of Beans Baxter
.
In 1988, she appeared in a
Newhart
episode ("Courtin' Disaster").
In 1989 she appeared in an episode of
The Golden Girls
as the newest wife of
Dorothy Zbornak
's ex-husband, Stan.
1990s and later
[
edit
]
In 1990, she played Bridget, a Beverly Hills clothing-store manager, in the film
Pretty Woman
. Donahue played Gladys, the mother of Chris Peterson (
Chris Elliott
), in all 35 episodes of the sitcom
Get a Life
(1990?92), and had a recurring role as Rebecca Quinn on the CBS drama series
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
.
In 1991, she portrayed the "Orphanage woman" in
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
.
In 1992, she voiced the mother on the
Fox Kids
animated series
Eek! the Cat
. In 1994, she made an appearance as Aunt Lillian in "
The One Where Nana Dies Twice
", an episode of
Friends
. She played the part of Lorraine, Luther Van Dam's girlfriend, in season five of
Coach
in the early 1990s.
In 1998, Donahue published a memoir titled
In the Kitchen with Elinor Donahue
, in which she relived some of her memories of Hollywood along with providing more than 150 of her recipes.
[7]
In September 2010, Donahue made an appearance on
The Young and the Restless
as Judge Anderson, one of
Nikki Newman
's old friends and also as the woman minister who will officiate at the wedding of
Billy Abbott
and Nikki's daughter,
Victoria Newman
. The wedding took place in front of the Abbotts' new home, which just happened to be a replica of the Anderson house from
Father Knows Best
.
In 2015, Donahue played the role of Mrs. Chumley in Judson Theatre Company's production of the Pulitzer Prize play
Harvey
by Mary Chase. Donahue called the role her "swan song".
[8]
Filmography
[
edit
]
Film
[
edit
]
Television
[
edit
]
Year
|
Title
|
Role
|
Notes
|
1954?60
|
Father Knows Best
|
Betty Anderson
|
Main role
|
1955
|
Lux Video Theatre
|
Helen Richards
|
Episode: "The Life of Emile Zola"
|
1955
|
Letter to Loretta
|
Debbie Waring / Janey
|
2 episodes
|
1956
|
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
|
Emily Vanderlip Foster
|
Episode: "The Newlyweds"
|
1956
|
Ford Theatre
|
Katherine Casey
|
Episode: "Sheila"
|
1958
|
U.S. Marshal
|
Martha Watson
|
Episode: "Shoot to Kill"
|
1960
|
Goodyear Theatre
|
Connie Peters
|
Episode: "Marked Down for Connie"
|
1960
|
Dennis the Menace
|
Georgiana Balanger
|
Episode: "Dennis and the Wedding"
|
1960
|
The Brothers Brannagan
|
Kate Warren
|
Episode: "Duet"
|
1960?61
|
The Andy Griffith Show
|
Elinor "Ellie" Walker
|
Main cast (season 1)
|
1961
|
General Electric Theater
|
Carol Madsen
|
Episode: "A Voice on the Phone"
|
1961
|
The United States Steel Hour
|
Fran Crowell
|
Episode: "Delayed Honeymoon"
|
1963
|
77 Sunset Strip
|
Laura Holt
|
Episode: "Scream Softly, Dear"
|
1963
|
Have Gun ? Will Travel
|
Letty Mae Stinchcomb
|
Episode: "The Burning Tree"
|
1963
|
Dr. Kildare
|
Sharon Calloway
|
Episode: "Ship's Doctor"
|
1963
|
Redigo
|
Joanie-Mae Kilpatrick
|
Episode: "Hostage Hero Riding"
|
1963
|
The Virginian
|
Carole Cole
|
Episode: "Siege"
|
1964
|
The Eleventh Hour
|
Melanie
|
Episode: "The Secret in the Stone"
|
1964?65
|
Many Happy Returns
|
Joan Randall
|
Main role
|
1965
|
A Man Called Shenandoah
|
Julie Wade
|
Episode: "Town on Fire"
|
1967
|
Occasional Wife
|
Linda Sue
|
Episode: "Oil, Be Seeing You"
|
1967
|
Star Trek: The Original Series
|
Nancy Hedford
|
Episode: "
Metamorphosis
"
|
1968?70
|
The Flying Nun
|
Dr. Jennifer Ethrington
|
3 episodes
|
1969
|
In Name Only
|
Esther Garrity
|
TV film
|
1972
|
Gidget Gets Married
|
Medley Blaine
|
TV film
|
1972?75
|
The Odd Couple
|
Miriam Welby
|
Recurring role
|
1974
|
If I Love You, Am I Trapped Forever?
|
Alice Bennett
|
TV film
|
1974
|
Police Woman
|
Ellie Tarlow
|
Episode: "Warning: All Wives"
|
1974
|
The Rookies
|
Amanda
|
Episode: "Blue Christmas"
|
1975
|
Petrocelli
|
Joan Hiller
|
Episode: "Vengeance in White"
|
1976
|
S.W.A.T.
|
Marjorie Kemp
|
Episode: "Lessons in Fear"
|
1977
|
The Feather and Father Gang
|
Julie
|
Episode: "The People's Choice"
|
1977
|
The Father Knows Best Reunion
|
Betty Anderson
|
TV film
|
1977
|
Insight
|
Margaret Drill
|
Episode: "Christmas 2025"
|
1977
|
Mulligan's Stew
|
Jane Mulligan
|
Main role
|
1977
|
Father Knows Best: Home for Christmas
|
Betty Anderson
|
TV film
|
1977
|
Police Story
|
Camille Tackleberry
|
Episode: "Ice Time"
|
1978
|
Police Story
|
Joan Anderson
|
Episode: "No Margin for Error"
|
1978
|
Doctors' Private Lives
|
Mona Wise
|
TV film
|
1979
|
Please Stand By
|
Carol Lambert
|
TV series
|
1979
|
Diff'rent Strokes
|
Diane Sloane
|
Episode: "The Woman"
|
1980
|
Condominium
|
Audrey Ames
|
TV film
|
1980
|
Barnaby Jones
|
Judy Corbett
|
Episode: "The Silent Accuser"
|
1981
|
Mork & Mindy
|
Dr. Joni Lincoln
|
Episode: "Mindy and Mork"
|
1981
|
The Grady Nutt Show
|
Ellie Williams
|
TV film
|
1981
|
One Day at a Time
|
Felicia
|
Episode: "Alex Moves In"
|
1981
|
Fantasy Island
|
Madge Nolan / Blanche Barrens
|
2 episodes
|
1982
|
The Dukes of Hazzard
|
Marjorie Dane
|
Episode: "The Sound of Music - Hazzard Style"
|
1983
|
High School U.S.A.
|
Mrs. Franklin
|
TV film
|
1983
|
Hotel
|
Louise
|
Episode: "Deceptions"
|
1984
|
No Earthly Reason
|
Mrs. Morrison
|
TV film
|
1984
|
Happy Days
|
Mrs. Broderick
|
Episode: "School Dazed"
|
1984?85
|
Days of Our Lives
|
Kate Honeycutt
|
Guest role
|
1986
|
Riptide
|
Elaine Warwick
|
Episode: "Echoes"
|
1987
|
The Love Boat
|
Betty Anderson
|
Episode: "Who Killed Maxwell Thorn?"
|
1987
|
The New Adventures of Beans Baxter
|
Susan Baxter
|
Regular role
|
1988
|
CBS Schoolbreak Special
|
Laura Donovan
|
Episode: "Never Say Goodbye"
|
1988
|
Newhart
|
Irma
|
Episode: "Courtin' Disaster"
|
1989
|
The Golden Girls
|
Katherine
|
Episode: "Stan Takes a Wife"
|
1989
|
Generations
|
Sylvia Furth
|
TV series
|
1989
|
Santa Barbara
|
Dr. Anderson
|
2 episodes
|
1990
|
Murder, She Wrote
|
Connie Lewis
|
Episode: "The Szechuan Dragon"
|
1990?92
|
Get a Life
|
Gladys Peterson
|
Main role
|
1992
|
Herman's Head
|
Mrs. Fitzer
|
Episode: "A Charlie Brown Fitzer"
|
1992?93
|
Eek! The Cat
|
Mom
|
Voice
|
1993
|
The Legend of Prince Valiant
|
Queen Eleanora
|
Voice, episode: "The Jubilee"
|
1993
|
Coach
|
Lorraine
|
2 episodes
|
1993
|
Biker Mice from Mars
|
Munsterella
|
Voice, episode: "A Scent, a Memory, a Far Distant Cheese"
|
1993?97
|
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
|
Rebecca Quinn
|
Recurring role (seasons 2?6)
|
1994
|
Friends
|
Aunt Lillian
|
Episode: "The One Where Nana Dies Twice"
|
1995
|
The Invaders
|
Norma Winters
|
2 episodes
|
1996
|
Ellen
|
Delores Warwell
|
Episode: "The Tape"
|
1999
|
Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story
|
Mrs. Lebowitz
|
TV film
|
2001
|
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Heart Within
|
Rebecca Quinn Dickinson
|
TV film
|
2005
|
Cold Case
|
Esther 'Legs' Davis
|
Episode: "Colors"
|
2010?11
|
The Young and the Restless
|
Judge Marie Anderson
|
Guest role (4 episodes)
|
Literature
[
edit
]
Year
|
Title
|
Publisher
|
Category
|
Notes
|
1998
|
In the Kitchen With Elinor Donahue: Favorite Memories and Recipes from a Life in Hollywood
|
Cumberland House
|
Memoir /
Nonfiction
|
Paperback
[7]
|
Awards and nominations
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Armstrong, Lois (September 28, 1987).
"Elinor Donahue of Father Knows Best Is a Mother to Six, Plus Beans Baxter"
.
People
. Archived from
the original
on September 22, 2016
. Retrieved
June 2,
2024
.
- ^
"Donahue, Elinor 1937?"
.
Encyclopedia.com
. Retrieved
May 13,
2022
.
- ^
Nolasco, Stephanie (May 3, 2018).
"
'Father Knows Best' star Elinor Donahue explains why beloved series ended: 'I was sad and disappointed'
"
.
Fox News
.
- ^
Jukebox Jury
: Research Video, Inc.: Music Footing Licensing Agency and Vintage Television Footage Archive
- ^
"She's Still the Girl Next Door"
.
TV Guide
. January 9, 1960
. Retrieved
June 2,
2024
– via Father Knows Best.
- ^
Howard, Jennifer (April 25, 2006).
The Interviews: Elinor Donahue
.
Archive of American Television
. Retrieved
July 7,
2012
.
- ^
a
b
Donahue, Elinor; Beck, Ken; Clark, Jim (February 25, 1998).
In the Kitchen With Elinor Donahue: Favorite Memories and Recipes from a Life in Hollywood
. Nashville, Tenn: Cumberland House.
ISBN
978-1-8889-5292-6
. Retrieved
June 2,
2024
.
- ^
Mullen, Rodger (September 13, 2015).
"
'Father Knows Best' star headed to Pinehurst"
.
The Fayetteville Observer
. Retrieved
June 2,
2024
.
Further reading
[
edit
]
- Dye, David.
Child and Youth Actors: Filmography of Their Entire Careers, 1914?1985
. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 1988, pp. 58?59.
External links
[
edit
]
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National
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People
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