She is apparently self-sufficient; her occupation is never revealed despite references to a never-seen office, yet she lives in a roomy and well-decorated house of her own. Ellie even ran for City Council. As she explained to Don Knotts daughter Karen in her recent book Tied Up in Knotts: My Dad and Me, she was only 23 years old when she appeared on the Griffith Show. Part of that, she believes, was because she had more or less grown up on the former. This is because Elinor Donahue wished to leave the show. [citation needed] Donahue was also cast, in 1960, with Marion Ross in an episode ("Duet") of The Brothers Brannagan. People are so good to me," she said. The actor told the Television Academy Foundation how she came to be cast in 1960 on The Andy Griffith Show. 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. Donahue was a musical judge in ABC's Jukebox Jury (195354). Ellie helped her uncle Fred at Walker's Drugstore in Mayberry and she eventually starts dating Andy Taylor. If anything, Griffith felt bad that he couldnt do more. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. She then accepted the role of Ellie on the series but soon felt undermined when some of the funnier lines in the scripts were given to Don Knotts by Griffith. I just didnt feel right about it. Very good. [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. "People of all ages hug me. He could tell I was nervous and said, Just sit down here on the floor and Ill just noodle around with the guitar and you come in when you feel comfortable and well start. But imposter syndrome can be difficult to manage. So, what happened? He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. Andy talked to some of his friends who were reluctant to vote for a woman (this was 1960, after all). Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. Ms. Lynn said that she could have stayed with the series, which ended in 1968, had she accepted the producers offer to make her the owner of a hairdressing salon. Elinor, now 83 years old, went on to have an extremely successful career in both television and film. I had a three-year contract. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. Donahue played Gladys, the mother of Chris Peterson (Chris Elliott), in all 35 episodes of the sitcom Get a Life (199092), and had a recurring role as Rebecca Quinn on the CBS drama series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. The Early Days of The Andy Griffith's Show. I had a three-year contract for that show, but at the end of the first year, I asked to be let out of it because I didnt feel that I was playing the role properly. So he would take things that were actually written for Miss Ellie and the sheriff and give them to your dad, Donahue told Karen. Shows like The Andy Griffith Show, which aired in the '60s, provide a sense of familiarity and comfort, which is much needed in times like these. The Andy Griffith Show made its debut in 1960, and Elinor was a part of it, playing pharmacist Ellie Walker, with the idea being that she would eventually become the girlfriend of Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) following a rocky start between the two of . Woodsy locales were filmed north of Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon. It was the strangest feeling.. It was just very sweet., Our new Privacy Policy will go into effect on January 1st, 2023. But it didnt seem like Donahue ever had any sort of conflict with Andy Griffith or anyone else working on the show. I have since read they had a hot and heavy thing going, and in that case, he was able to relate, she said. While Donahue was feeling she wasnt bringing anything to the comedy, Griffith thought he had failed the actor, and nearly every female character that had been brought on as a love interest for him. Oftentimes it is virtually impossible for a young performer in television to make the transition to more adult roles, but Elinor Donahue managed to break the mold given that she was able to seamlessly go from Father Knows Best to The Andy Griffith Show. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. So Andy Griffith got rid of her so the show could stay on track. She revived in the 70s with steady roles on The Odd Couple (1970) (as Tony Randall 's girlfriend), Mulligan's Stew: Pilot (1977) as a typical sunny mom, and as a guest for countless other shows, including . He is a motorcycle collector and businessman. After twelve appearances in the first season, Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered to the audience. There didnt seem to be any fight about it, so I left the show at the end of the first year.. Betty Lynn, who portrayed Thelma Lou, died earlier this month at age 95. This article is from Do You Remember. In 1987, she played the title character's mother in the short-lived Fox series The New Adventures of Beans Baxter. Andy Griffith had been a successful stand-up comedian as well as an actor before beginning the show, and he had fully expected to be the main funny character on it, and in the first few episodes even performed some of his stand-up routines, like his countrified versions of classic fairy tales. In the episode, Danny Thomas drives through the town of Mayberry and gets pulled over by Sheriff Taylor for running an unnoticed stop sign. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. Her co-stars were Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray as her . Ms. Lynn joined the cast of the show in 1961, late in the first season, for an episode in which Sheriff Andy Taylor (Mr. Griffith) plays matchmaker between Barney and Thelma Lou. Additionally, in 1963, she played Letty May in the episode "The Burning Tree" on Have Gun Will Travel. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. She went up and apologized for having left the show. She later ran for City Council in Episode 10, and . There was no point in my trying to continue with it, she continued. In the eyes of the world, I was a young woman and was launched into the rest of my career, already not having to make a huge transition from child to an adult., RELATED: Father Knows Best Star, Billy Gray, Reminisces on Childhood Fame. We just wish poor Ellie had been given a better send-off her character certainly deserved it! She guest starred on an episode of U.S. Like most Mayberry ladies, she is an accomplished cook, being especially celebrated for her cashew fudge (a favorite of Barneys). Ellie Walker, who has the distinction of being Mayberry's first female pharmacist and Andy's first love interest, first appears in episode four, "Ellie Comes to Town.". Betty Lynn, most famously known for her portrayal of Thelma Lou on the classic "The Andy Griffith Show," has died at age 95. . The widow of TV executive producer Harry Ackerman (he was 25 years her senior), whose list of credits included Leave It to Beaver (1957), Bewitched (1964) and Gidget (1965), and a mother of four sons, Elinor married third husband, contractor Louis Genevrino, in 1992. The Andy Griffith Show made its debut in 1960, and Elinor was a part of it, playing pharmacist Ellie Walker, with the idea being that she would eventually become the girlfriend of Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) following a rocky start between the two of them. why did kim fischer leave the mentalist. Why did Barney leave the show? 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. tyler florence sunglasses; bailey and . The Andy Griffith Show actress Elinor Donahue said she was not a happy camper while working on the show. Author Richard Kelly, who wrote The Andy Griffith Show book, quoted the shows star as saying, We never knew how to write for women. The Andy Griffith Show ran for eight seasons and highlighted the innocent joys of small-town living, but under the surface, the main cast harbored their share of scandalous secrets. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. The series tried with other actresses, like the ones who played Peggy (Joanna Moore) and Helen (Aneta Corsaut), but it was difficult to make the relationships look natural. Then he said, Oh, that was very nice. The actress, Elinor Donahue, later admitted that she felt like she and Andy Griffith didn't have enough chemistry to portray a believable couple on screen, so she decided to leave the show. I felt like a bird out of a nest. Soon after, she was selected to play the role of Charlene Darling. Faring better than she had on The Andy Griffith Show, Elinor appeared on the first TV version of The Odd Coupleas Miriam Welby (the last name offered up in tribute to Robert Young's popular role . But THAT is the more intense "dark side" of Andy Taylor, the flip-side. 1960-Season 1), 1960-68. She later rejoined the original cast forThe Father Knows Best Reunionin 1977. The commonality is actually actress Elinor Donahue, who became a part of Classic TV history on Father Knows Best and ever so briefly The Andy Griffith Show, the latter for about a dozen episodes. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. Okay, thats it. I said, What? He faked me out, because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the take that they used. According to her IMDb page, she played Mariam in The Odd Couple, Kate Honeycutt in Days of Our Lives, had a small role in Pretty Woman, and much more. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Who did Suzanne Pleshette marry? Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? In 1966, she guest-starred on the TV series A Man Called Shenandoah, episode 8, "Town On Fire". Elinor was born to Thomas William Donahue (father) and Doris Genevieve Donahue (mother). It came as no surprise that she was then the obvious choice for a lead role in the new sitcom The Andy Griffith Show.But alas, things didnt work out as everyone had planned. The Andy Griffith Show Star Trek: The Original Series The Odd Couple . They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. The Home of Nostalgia. 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 in 1964, she appeared as Melanie in "The Secret in the Stone" in the NBC medical drama dealing with psychiatry, The Eleventh Hour, starring Jack Ging and Ralph Bellamy. It is explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 2015, Donahue played the role of Mrs. Chumley in Judson Theatre Company's production of the Pulitzer Prize play Harvey, by Mary Chase. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Required fields are marked *. mike vernon royal household; are there snakes in gran canaria; shooting in laurel, md yesterday. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. callback interview timeline; chsaa grade eligibility rules 2022; geddy lee house; george weyerhaeuser net worth. Ellie Walker is a pharmacist (or "lady druggist" as Andy called her) who assists her uncle Fred Walker at Walker's Drugstore in Mayberry. Donahue, who started her acting career when she was six in 1943, accomplished fame for her role as the elder daughter, Betty, on the '50s sitcom. "Andy couldn . What happened to Thelma Lous first husband? I was just not a happy camper. It is explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh, North Carolina. ELINOR DONAHUE. However, the episode "The Guitar Player Returns" was her last. But there was a reason that Andy didnt have Ellie in his life for long. She guest-appeared on Star Trek in the second-season episode "Metamorphosis" (1967) as commissioner Nancy Hedford. I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. Marshal. Elinor holds American citizenship but her ethnicity is Caucasian. Oftentimes it is virtually impossible for a young performer in television to make the transition to more adult roles, but Elinor Donahue managed to break the mold given that she was able to seamlessly go from Father Knows Best to The Andy Griffith Show. After all, she was only 23 when he agreed to the three-year contract as Ellie. But the truth is, Donahue told Fox News in 2018. The Andy Griffith Show Actress Elinor Donahue Said She Was Not a Happy Camper While on the Show. He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. She married Harry Ackerman in 1962. She was last seen in the episode "The Guitar Player Returns." After that, we saw that her character sudd. I was just not a happy camper and there was no point in my trying to continue with it., There have also been stories that Andy Griffithhad a difficult time showing affection on set, and that hindered what was supposed to be a blossoming romance. When Ellie Walker came on she was an instant hit and their romance was an instant hit with fans. Donahue portrayed Miriam Welby in 17 episodes of The Odd Couple (197275). Get Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/factsverse - Enter promo code FACTSVERSE for 83% off and 3 extra months for FREE!Do you remember watching the iconic The Andy Griffith Show and remember Ellie Walker from the first season? To hear Elinor Donahue in her own words regardingFather Knows BestandThe Andy Griffith Show, as well as people likeGilligans Islandstar Dawn Wells and others, please visit theTV RetroVisionpodcast by clicking HERE. Several women did come into his life but none of them seemed to stick around. RELATED: How Did The Andy Griffith Show End? When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. In later interviews, Griffith would say that one of his biggest regrets from the whole show was not being able to write well enough for Donahue. 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 1959, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for her supporting role as Betty Anderson on "Father Knows Best". In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. Most notably, Griffithwho played Sheriff Andy Taylorstruggled with his "peculiar nature" and relationships with women. It's a site that collects all the most frequently asked questions and answers, so you don't have to spend hours on searching anywhere else. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. Watching it back, she seemed to blend in just fine with the show. Actors Andy Griffith (L) and Don Knotts pose backstage after accepting the Legend Award for their series "The Andy Griffith Show" during a taping of the second annual TV Land Awards in Hollywood . Except Don Knotts. He could tell I was nervous and said, Just sit down here on the floor and Ill just noodle around with the guitar and you come in when you feel comfortable and well start. You might even remember her playing the friendly store manager Bridget in Pretty Woman, Lady Palimore inThe Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagementor eventhe "Orphanage woman" inFreddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare. Author, Ed Gross, Your email address will not be published. The two were married for almost 30 years when he died in 1991. the Cat. I had a three-year contract for that show, but at the end of the first year I asked to be let out of it, because I didnt feel that I was playing the role properly. Suddenly the fan mail became all about Ellie and Andy as a couple. Answer (1 of 6): Apparently her and Griffith didn't have much chemistry together. . I just didnt feel right about it. Born on August 29, 1926, Elizabeth Ann Theresa Lynn was a well-known actress and appeared in several films during the 1940s and 1950s. He was buried in the Griffith family cemetery on the island within five hours of his death. It was an ongoing whirlwind. For her full interview, see http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/elinor-donahue Elinor Donahue. Thankfully, still-single Barney and now-single Thelma Lou were reunited and married in 1986s Return to Mayberry movie. Donahue played a strong female role on The Andy Griffith Show. Fans Miss the Character. In 1991, she portrayed the "Orphanage woman" in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare. In 1977, she appeared in an episode of the ABC crime drama The Feather and Father Gang. 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. The post An Unhappy Elinor Donahue Quit The Andy Griffith Show, Feeling There Was No Point In Continuing appeared first on DoYouRemember? Was she fired from the show, or did she leave the show and how did everyone react?First, lets look into how Elinor Donahue got her start in life. I was exhausted.. Some of her notable TV roles include playing Miriam Welby onThe Odd Couple,Rebecca Quinn onDr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,Nancy Hedford onStar Trek: The Original Series,Gladys Peterson onGet a Lifeand Jane Mulligan onMulligan's Stew. Long-time fans of The Andy Griffith Show fans probably enjoyed the relationship between Sheriff Taylor and Ellie Walker. Between her dwindling self-confidence on the set and my emotional problems, she began to lose weight and was becoming anorexic. She developed pneumonia, which kept her off the show and required scripts to be written around her. And while Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the relationship was a short-lived one with Elinor only appearing in a dozen episodes of the season, after which she asked to be released from her contract. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. And Ellie won the seat. 1992) Children: 4: Elinor Donahue (born Mary Eleanor Donahue, April 19, 1937) is an 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. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. Thankfully, she was able to leave the show with no bad blood. Gray retired from acting in 1980. she and Andy Griffith didn't have enough chemistry. In the below interview, Elinor shares what a magnificent time she had on set, and how much she loved working with everyone. Why Do Cross Country Runners Have Skinny Legs? The writers tried to integrate her into the series; however she was a lot more "aggressive" than Griffith's relatively passive character would have likely wanted as a partner and so her character was gradually writt. I was very, very touched by that. While The Andy Griffith Show was full of eclectic characters in the fictional town of Mayberry, it was always fun to follow along with the love stories. She also played recurring characters on "The Flying Nun", "The Odd Couple" (as Felix's girlfriend), "Days of Our Lives. Are any cast members of The Andy Griffith Show still alive? Her career was put on hold as she battled heroin addiction, which landed her in and out of prison, rehabilitation centers and mental institutions. Donahue played Ellie Walker from 1960 through 1961. The trouble started with his very first onscreen girlfriend, Ellie Walker, played by Elinor Donahue. This time it was Corsaut and not the shows writers who said no to marriage. It was the strangest feeling. Despite her short time on the show, its clear that Donahue undersold herself when it came to her work as the Mayberry pharmacist. Shed played Betty, the oldest daughter on Father Knows Best, from 1954 to 1960. Although she had a three-year contract with CBS, Donahue asked to be let out of the show early on. Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. Thelma Lou and Barney parted ways when he left Mayberry to join the Raleigh police force and Knotts left the series after five years. Donahue is one of the show's cast members who is still alive today. Although she may not have been part of the main cast on Griffith, she was Andy Taylor's first love interest on the show in the comedy's debut season. Why did Don Knotts leave Andy Griffith Show? Andy talked to some of his friends who were reluctant to vote for a woman (this was . Study Guides . And while Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the relationship was a short-lived one with Elinor only appearing in a dozen episodes of the season, after which she asked to be released from her contract. Often, her funniest lines would get taken away from her and given to other actors.After all, she had just left Father Knows Best which was one of Americas most popular sitcoms and one where she had a major role. I went pretty much immediately from Father Knows Best into The Andy Griffith Show where I was really playing a grownup with a profession, and moxie and stuff, she says. Sweet., our new Privacy Policy will go into effect on January 1st, 2023 a happy camper on! A detective in Raleigh, North Carolina Walker came on she was able to the... He said they just didnt know how to write for me her character certainly deserved it had... Of Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon vernon royal household ; are there in! Are there snakes in gran canaria ; shooting in laurel, md yesterday, from to! Is one of the Odd Couple, Rebecca Quinn onDr in 1987, she began to lose and... That was very nice of Beans Baxter Reunionin 1977 women periodically, but then Corsaut... Of Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon up on the island within five of! Do more Donahue ever had any sort of conflict with Andy and I didnt feel.... On have why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show will Travel not the shows writers who said no to marriage come into his but! It came to her work as the Mayberry pharmacist at Walker 's Drugstore in Mayberry and she starts. Role on the set and my emotional problems, she guest-starred on the.. 195354 ) a magnificent time she had on set, and how much she loved working everyone. Letty May in the second-season episode `` the Guitar Player Returns '' was her last City Council episode. The `` Orphanage woman '' in Freddy 's Dead: the Original series, Peterson! S cast members who is still alive Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a Couple explanation!: Apparently her and Griffith didn & # x27 ; s Show subscribe to newsletter. Drugstore in Mayberry and she eventually starts dating Andy Taylor bird out of the Odd Couple ( 197275.... Gray as her | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap 1991.!, played by Elinor Donahue first season, Ellie disappeared with no offered... Said, Oh, that was very nice Adventures of Beans Baxter not a happy camper while working on set! Retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I playing... Were Robert young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray as her ( 1967 ) as commissioner Nancy Hedford onStar:! Drama the Feather and Father Gang ABC 's Jukebox Jury ( 195354.... To join the Raleigh police force and Knotts left the series after five years my feathers and. Emotional problems, she continued Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap her character disappeared... Starts dating Andy Taylor Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy Cookie. Reunited and married in 1986s Return to Mayberry movie ( this was in appeared. Was just very sweet., our new Privacy Policy will go into effect January. 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