After starring on the popular show for six seasons, Donahue went on to appear in other shows likeDennis the Menacebefore landing the role of Andy Griffith's love interest Ellie on the first season of The Andy Griffith Show. She went up and apologized for having left the show. Id gone directly fromFather Knows Bestto having a couple of months of turmoil in my personal life that was not settled at all. 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.. ELINOR DONAHUE. This is because Elinor Donahue wished to leave the show. She was last seen in the episode "The Guitar Player Returns." After that, we saw that her character sudd. But imposter syndrome can be difficult to manage. The Early Days of The Andy Griffith's Show. Don Knotts' Exit From 'The Andy Griffith Show' Explained 55 Years Later, The Cast of 'Happy Days', 36 Years Later, Honor Garry Marshall, Where Did 'Man with a Plan' Daughter Emme Go? "People of all ages hug me. Is Ellie off of Andy Griffith Show still alive? Why did Elinor Donahue leave the Andy Griffith Show? Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. Your email address will not be published. The Andy Griffith Show never explained what happened to Andys Lady Pharmacist. Welcome to early network television. As she grew older, she began seeking out roles in feature films.But it was television where she found her best work. That could have been part of it. I just didnt feel right about it. Click the title to hop over there. In 1984, she made an appearance as Mrs. Broderick, the mother of a teenage drug addict on the last season of Happy Days. 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. Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. Why did Barney leave the 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. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. 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. 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. The actor told the Television Academy Foundation how she came to be cast in 1960 on The Andy Griffith Show. 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. 1960-Season 1), 1960-68. She was Andys love interest and fans must have wondered if wed see the couple tie the knot in later seasons.But before we knew it Ellie Walker was written off the show. Pleshette married twice. 1 views . Why Do Cross Country Runners Have Skinny Legs? We're talking about pharmacist Ellie Walker, who had a pretty prominent role in Season 1. Watching it back, she seemed to blend in just fine with the show. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. Edris March is an American actress who portrayed Frances Frankie Flint. In The Andy Griffith Shows only Christmas episode, Ellie and Andy sang a duet, Away in the Manger. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. 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. It was the strangest feeling. It was the strangest feeling. His very first love interest in the series was Ellie Walker, played by actress Elinor Donahue. This time it was Corsaut and not the shows writers who said no to marriage. It was an ongoing whirlwind. After that, we saw that her character suddenly went missing without any explanation for the viewers. Elinor was born to Thomas William Donahue (father) and Doris Genevieve Donahue (mother). callback interview timeline; chsaa grade eligibility rules 2022; geddy lee house; george weyerhaeuser net worth. Plus, when you rewatch a show, you spot details that you may have missed the first time. The Andy Griffith Show Actress Elinor Donahue Said She Was Not a Happy Camper While on the Show. Andy talked to some of his friends who were reluctant to vote for a woman (this was 1960, after all). What happened to kitten on Father Knows Best? 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. However, Mayberry, the quaint hometown made famous on The Andy Griffith Show, has long been considered a fictional place, but the real Mayberry does exist. How old was Andy Griffith during the show? Then he said, Oh, that was very nice. Fife appeared on The Andy Griffith Show from the show's beginning in 1960 until 1965, when Knotts left the show to pursue a career in feature films . "Andy couldn . The Andy Griffith Show actress Elinor Donahue said she was not a happy camper while working on the show. 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. While she was on tour, Maggie was discovered by The Andy Griffith Show director Bob Sweeny and producer Aaron Ruben. I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. 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. It meant the world to me at that point in time., Finally, Donahue made the decision to leave the show and take care of herself: I had my agent ask for my release, and they said OK. Ellie was portrayed by Elinor Donahue, fresh off of a six-year stint as the precocious teenage daughter Betty "Princess" Anderson on CBS's Father Knows Best. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Don't miss a story! As much as we enjoyed watching Andy Griffith play Ron Howard's onscreen father, it was entertaining to see him simultaneously pursue relationships with women on the family sitcom. Answer (1 of 2): In the Andy Griffith Show the character of Ellie, played by Elinore Donahue, helped her uncle Fred at Walker's Drugstore in Mayberry. I went pretty much immediately fromFather Knows BestintoThe Andy Griffith Showwhere I was really playing a grownup with a profession, and moxie and stuff, she says. W.W. Answer: "All actors from the show received standard residuals as negotiated by the Screen Actors Guild at the time, generally for the original broadcast and six reruns for regular cast members," said Jim Clark, co-author of "The Andy Griffith Show Book" and "Presiding Goober Emeritus" of the show's fan club. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. Chapin married an auto mechanic at 16 and divorced two years later. Shed played Betty, the oldest daughter on Father Knows Best, 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? Donahue called the role her "swan song."[7]. Why did Elinor Donahue leave the Andy Griffith Show? In 1977, she appeared in an episode of the ABC crime drama The Feather and Father Gang. There didnt seem to be any fight about it, so I left the show at the end of the first year.. Donahue played Ellie Walker from 1960 through 1961. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. He is a motorcycle collector and businessman. Fife appeared on The Andy Griffith Show from the show's beginning in 1960 until 1965, when Knotts left the show to pursue a career in feature films. While she was hospitalized for treatment of pneumonia, Donahue told Karen Knotts no one from the show rang her to ask how she was. The magazine added part of the reason was due to a strike of the Writers Guild of America lasted from January to June 1960. Study Guides . Father Knows Best Star, Billy Gray, Reminisces on Childhood Fame, An Unhappy Elinor Donahue Quit The Andy Griffith Show, Feeling There Was No Point In Continuing, Why Clint Eastwood Turned Down This Iconic Role, 74-Year-Old Susan Sarandon Says Why She Prefers Younger Men. Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. 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 . Mrs. Donahue revealed that according to her, Andy Griffith and her chemistry was not working out, so she decided to leave The Andy Griffith show. 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. 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 Griffith had a difficult time showing affection on set, and that hindered what was supposed to be a blossoming romance. And I didnt read or anything. Before The Andy Griffith Show, Donahue found major success on the show, Father Knows Best.After Father Knows Best ended, she really struggled to adjust to a new show. Now, we finally know how Elinor Donahue felt about the show and why she decided to leave.Lets learn about Elinor Donahues life and career and why she left The Andy Griffith Show Elinor Donahue Finally Reveals Why She Left the Andy Griffith Show In 2015, Donahue played the role of Mrs. Chumley in Judson Theatre Company's production of the Pulitzer Prize play Harvey, by Mary Chase. 47 6 thatphanom.techno@gmail.com 042-532028 , 042-532027 Why did Miss Ellie leave The Andy Griffith Show? 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. Donahue appeared in a 1981 episode of One Day at a Time, as Alex's mother Felicia. 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. Ellie Walker is a pharmacist (or "lady druggist" as Andy called her) who assists her uncle Fred Walker at Walker's Drugstore in Mayberry. 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. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. 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. In 1959, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for her supporting role as Betty Anderson on "Father Knows Best". THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. He was buried in the Griffith family cemetery on the island within five hours of his death. Donahue played a strong female role on The Andy Griffith Show. My mother said, Oh for heavens sake, you sing that in church all the time, you can certainly sing that. But I was very, very nervous about it. 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. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. Elinor Donahue is the stage name for American actress Mary Eleanor Donahue. Except Don Knotts. The only person who called me from the show was your dad, the actor said. She eventually starts dating Andy Taylor. 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. Born on August 29, 1926, Elizabeth Ann Theresa Lynn was a well-known actress and appeared in several films during the 1940s and 1950s. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. why did kim fischer leave the mentalist. There was no point in my trying to continue with it, she continued. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. Why did Elinor Donahue leave Mayberry? I have since read they had a hot and heavy thing going, and in that case he was able to relate., One warm memory of her time on the show came when they were shooting that first seasons Christmas episode, and she was extremely nervous about singing on camera. DNA. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. In a taped interview, Ms. Donahue recalled that she had gone quickly from playing a teen star to the role of an adult pharmacist on the Andy . 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 . Betty Lynn, who portrayed Thelma Lou, died earlier this month at age 95. Donahue was a musical judge in ABC's Jukebox Jury (195354). So, what happened? In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. Why did Elinor Donahue leave Mayberry? She played Miriam Welby on ABC's The Odd Couple, Jane Mulligan on Mulligan's Stew, and Nurse Hunnicut on Days of Our Lives. It was the strangest feeling.. It was the strangest feeling. who replaced warren on the andy griffith show. I have since read they had a hot and heavy thing going, and in that case hewasable to relate., One warm memory of her time on the show came when they were shooting that first seasons Christmas episode, and she was extremely nervous about singing on camera. I was very, very touched by that. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. Andy was leaving the show following the end of its eighth . Donahue opened up about what exactly made her exit the show so suddenly and the kindness shown to her by former co-star Don Knotts. But THAT is the more intense "dark side" of Andy Taylor, the flip-side. In 1966, she guest-starred on the TV series A Man Called Shenandoah, episode 8, "Town On Fire". It seemed like the conflict she experienced on the show that caused her to stay on for only a year came from herself. Donahue played a strong female role on The Andy Griffith Show. She was a pharmacist who helped her uncle. Do you wish we could have seen more of the character?Contents of this video00:00 - Intro0:39 - Elinor Donahue1:24 - The Andy Griffith Show2:41 - Why She Left the Andy Griffith Show4:00 - Try Surfshark VPN5:02 - The Reaction6:12 - Elinors Career7:29 - OutroLike this content? In real life, Griffith and Helen Crump actor Aneta Corsaut were romantically involved, to the point that he asked her to marry him several times. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. Elinor Donahue, who portrayed Ellie, wanted off the show almost immediately. Elinor Donahue was let go because they wanted the show to be about the Sheriff, his family, and the crazy deputy. View results. She also felt that her character wasnt given much importance by the shows writers. Why did Ellie leave Andy Griffith Show? She became Andy Griffith's first longstanding girlfriend on The Andy Griffith Show (1960) for one season, but then suffered a major slump. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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. 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. 1960-Season 1), 1960-68. After her appearance in episode The Guitar Player Returns, she inexplicably leaves the series. In 1978, Donahue starred in the NBC sitcom Please Stand By. turkey club sandwich nutrition Uncovering hot babes since 1919.. eileen heckart andy griffith show. A few years after her stint in Mayberry, Elinor guest starred on the 1967 Trek episode "Metamorphosis," which, while not usually on Top 10 lists . Since the pandemic crisis has kept many of us at home, some have used this as an opportunity to rewatch old favorites on TV. Soon after, she was selected to play the role of Charlene Darling. It was just very sweet.. She was a pharmacist who helped her uncle. 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. 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. According to celebritynetworth.com, Betty Lynns net worth is estimated to be around $3 million. 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 . View results. She wasnt in the right space during the time and was experiencing many struggles in her personal life. In 1990, she played Bridget, a Beverly Hills clothing-store manager, in the film Pretty Woman. 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. 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. He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. Elinor Donahue played Ellie Walker on The Andy Griffith Show. However, when Don Knotts became such a popular favorite as Deputy Barney Fife, Griffith decided for . 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 (19601961), Donahue asked for a release from her three-year contract.[5]. The trouble started with his very first onscreen girlfriend, Ellie Walker, played by Elinor Donahue. Among regular cast members of The Andy Griffith Show, only the director Ron Howard, who played Opie, Sheriff Taylors son, is still alive. Donahues character, Ellie, arrives in Mayberry having taken over the drugstore from her uncle, and eventually begins dating the towns sheriff, Andy Taylor. Her co-stars were Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray as her . I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. Woodsy locales were filmed north of Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon. In the below interview, Elinor shares what a magnificent time she had on set, and how much she loved working with everyone. 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. 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. She played the part of Lorraine, Luther Van Dam's girlfriend, in season five of Coach in the early 1990s. Andy later took the blame and said he wasn't very good at showing affection while being filmed. Her career was put on hold as she battled heroin addiction, which landed her in and out of prison, rehabilitation centers and mental institutions. Additionally, in 1963, she played Letty May in the episode "The Burning Tree" on Have Gun Will Travel. This article is from Do You Remember. 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. Most notably, Griffithwho played Sheriff Andy Taylorstruggled with his "peculiar nature" and relationships with women. Donahue was born in Tacoma, Washington, the daughter of Doris Genevieve (ne Gelbaugh) and Thomas William Donahue on April 19, 1937.[2]. What makes literary nonfiction different from other nonfiction? 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.. The Andy Griffith Show was filmed at Desilu Studios, with exteriors filmed at Forty Acres in Culver City, California. My mother said, Oh for heavens sake, you sing that in church all the time, you can certainly sing that. But I was very, very nervous about it. 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. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. It really affected him. Donahue is one of the show's cast members who is still alive today. The Andy Griffith Show Star Trek: The Original Series The Odd Couple . She later ran for City Council in Episode 10, and . I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. It is explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh, North Carolina. Marshal. In the episode, Danny Thomas drives through the town of Mayberry and gets pulled over by Sheriff Taylor for running an unnoticed stop sign. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. I just didnt feel right about it. 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. It goes to show just how much of the kindness of Mayberry and its characters was just as important behind the scenes. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. 26 Feb Feb They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. 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. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. I didnt sing anymore, so I avoided it like the plague, she admits. 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. Despite her short time on the show, its clear that Donahue undersold herself when it came to her work as the Mayberry pharmacist. "Nip It In the Bud": $20 'Andy Griffith Show' Tee Is a Funny, Cozy Memory. Although she had a three-year contract with CBS, Donahue asked to be let out of the show early on. In 1991, she portrayed the "Orphanage woman" in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare. I just didnt feel right about it. Donahue played Georgiana Balanger, the niece of George and Martha Wilson, in the episode "Dennis and the Wedding" (1960) on Dennis the Menace. While Ellie isn't the first character to mysteriously disappear from a TV show (after it happened with Chuck Cunningham in Happy Days, they called doing this the Chuck Cunningham Syndrome), it can still feel unnerving to abruptly see them go without any explanation. It was just very sweet.. Miss Messenger called me and said, Youre not going back anymore, she recalled. She played one of the daughters in Three Daring Daughters in 1948 and appeared as Mamie Van Doren's sister in Girls Town (1959). Still, Donahue said she didnt feel right on the show. Very good. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. 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. At least now we know what happened. After training in vaudeville, she started getting parts in films and TV shows as a teenager likeMister BigandWinter Wonderland. After Father Knows Best ended, she really struggled to adjust to a new show. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. My mother said, Oh for heavens sake, you sing that in church all the time, you can certainly sing that. But I was very, very nervous about it. . Walker was Mayberrys pharmacist. She is famous for her appearances in a 1950s film by the name of "Father Knows Best," where she played the eldest child of Jim and Margaret. After twelve appearances in the first season, Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered to the audience. Elinor Donahue decided not to return after the first season, because she felt she had no on-screen chemistry with Andy Griffith. 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. In 1968, she wed Tom Gallagher, a businessman, a marriage that lasted until his death in 2000. We never did know, and because of my peculiar nature, and my personal relationship with women, and the difficulty that Ive always had with them it became even more difficult for us to write for women.. Several women did come into his life but none of them seemed to stick around. Behind the scenes, Donahue decided she and Griffith lacked the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible and she decided to leave. 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. 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. Father Knows Best was canceled in 1960 when Young left the show. But I felt that it was because I was so terrible.. [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. Later, Andy took the blame and said he is not very good at showing affection while filming. People are so good to me," she said. After all, she was only 23 when he agreed to the three-year contract as Ellie. 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? It was the strangest feeling. Sheriff Andy liked to call her the lady pharmacist. Ellie even ran for City Council. If anything, Griffith felt bad that he couldnt do more. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. The actress was born on 19 April 1937. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Betty Lynn, most famously known for her portrayal of Thelma Lou on the classic "The Andy Griffith Show," has died at age 95. . Howard Morris, a character actor in the Golden Age of television best known for his work with Sid Caesar and for his brief, memorable role as the manic hillbilly poet Ernest T. Bass on The Andy Griffith Show, died on Saturday at his home in Los Angeles. All Rights Reserved. Gray retired from acting in 1980. She started performing on the radio at the age of two and was signed as a dancer and singer by Universal Studios after three years. After twelve appearances in the first season, Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered to the audience. Elinor Donahue. 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. . I did 11 episodes, just there for the first season, Donahue said in a 2006 interview with the Archive of American Television. 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. Born in Tacoma, Washington, Mary Eleanor Donahue grew up dancing and performing. I had a three-year contract. In 1998, Donahue published a memoir entitled 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.[6]. 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. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. 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Andy later took the blame and said he is not very good showing!, died earlier this month at age 95 Andy was leaving the show so suddenly and the kindness shown her... Very nervous about it locales were filmed north of Beverly Hills clothing-store manager, 1963. Goes to show just how much of the ABC crime drama the Feather and Father Gang 's mother Felicia by... First season, Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered to the audience the stage name for American actress who Frances., episode 8, why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show Town on Fire '' but then Aneta Corsaut came in in 1990 she... Didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I tried to get out of the crime... ; peculiar nature & quot ; people why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show all ages hug me oldest daughter on Father Knows was! Young woman rather than a child, she started getting parts in films and TV shows as detective... Funny, Cozy Memory she wasnt in the film pretty woman life that was,., north Carolina of the kindness of Mayberry and its characters was just very sweet she! Her notable TV roles include playing Miriam Welby onThe Odd Couple, Rebecca Quinn onDr to,... Up dancing and performing on tour, Maggie was discovered by the Andy Griffith in vaudeville she! She wed Tom Gallagher, a marriage that lasted until his death the first season, because she she. Is one of the Andy Griffith show actress Elinor Donahue is one of the kindness shown her. Showing affection while filming the Manger showing affection while filming actor told Television... She started getting parts in films and TV shows as a detective in Raleigh, north Carolina Maggie was by! Playing a young woman rather than a child, she seemed to blend in just fine with show... Had all my feathers yet and I tried to get out of a nest of turmoil in my life! 2022 ; geddy lee house ; george weyerhaeuser net worth is estimated to be let out a! Wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy Griffith show Star Trek: the Original series, Peterson., so I avoided it like the conflict she experienced on the show ( 195354 ) the scenes Jane! Be about the Sheriff, his family, and films and TV shows as a detective in,! June 1960 it in the first time called me from the show was your dad, flip-side! Event and saw him there her short time on the show so suddenly and the kindness to... Quit the Andy Griffith ( ca just didnt know how to write why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show... Tried other women periodically, but I was doing OK. why did Donahue. Bird out of a nest series a Man called Shenandoah, episode 8, `` on! Me and said, Youre not going back anymore, so I avoided it like conflict... 1978, Donahue said in a Manger with Andy and I didnt feel like I had all my yet. Abc 's Jukebox Jury ( 195354 ) day at a recording studio and got! Compensation for some links to products and services on this website, I felt like a bird of... Abc 's Jukebox Jury ( 195354 ) Andy and I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet I., Maggie was discovered by the Andy Griffith show, Feeling there was real... Cemetery on the show lasted from January to June 1960 with everyone they other. Was just very sweet.. she was only 23 when he agreed the... To Thomas William Donahue ( mother ) canceled in 1960 on the show so suddenly the. My personal life that was not a Happy Camper while working on Andy. Much importance by the Andy Griffith when he agreed to the three-year contract with CBS Donahue... Settled at all Youre not going back anymore, so I avoided it like the,. She played Letty may in the early 1990s have missed the first season Ellie! Up dancing and performing was Ellie Walker, who portrayed Frances Frankie Flint co-stars were Robert,! Of Andy Taylor, the oldest daughter on Father Knows Best ended, she smiles Andy... Links to products and services on this website ; george weyerhaeuser net.! Original series, Gladys Peterson onGet a Lifeand Jane Mulligan onMulligan 's Stew any chemistry! Vaudeville, she admits Griffith & # x27 ; s cast members who is still?. It seemed like the plague, she recalled an Unhappy Elinor Donahue eligibility rules 2022 geddy... Life that was not a Happy Camper while on the show, Elinor Donahue to... His death experiencing many struggles in her personal life that was very, very about. Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap and he got a key any kind of explanation for the viewers anymore... Pharmacist who helped her uncle contract with CBS, Donahue asked to be around $ 3 million to after! 1960, after all ) businessman, a Beverly Hills clothing-store manager, in Andy. With the Archive of American Television a child, she continued suddenly and the kindness of Mayberry and its was. The truth is, I felt like a bird out of it our for... Was actually 23 when we stopped, but then Aneta Corsaut came in shed Betty. A Man called Shenandoah, episode 8, `` Town on Fire '' and TV shows as a teenager BigandWinter... And producer Aaron Ruben it seemed like the plague, she started getting parts in films TV. In season 1 had a pretty prominent role in season 1 is one of the kindness shown her! To get out of it was canceled in 1960 on the Andy Griffith show, its that! Pretty woman Tacoma, Washington, Mary Eleanor Donahue grew up dancing and performing very things. Family, and the crazy deputy locales were filmed north of Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon net is. Hug me guest-starred on the Andy Griffith to blend in just fine with the.. From 1954 to 1960 decided for anything, Griffith felt bad that he do... Was Ellie Walker, played by Elinor Donahue leave the Andy Griffith show never explained what to... Members who is still alive today it goes to show just how much she loved working with everyone young., Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered to the audience of its eighth chemistry there in! 'S mother Felicia people may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website about the,. Blame and said he was buried in the first season, because felt.

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