She has also made appearances on Days of Our Lives, Many Happy Returns, and The Andy Griffith Show, among others. We're talking about pharmacist Ellie Walker, who had a pretty prominent role in Season 1. Why did Elinor Donahue leave the Andy Griffith Show? This time it was Corsaut and not the shows writers who said no to marriage. He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. 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. In the below interview, Elinor shares what a magnificent time she had on set, and how much she loved working with everyone. Shed played Betty, the oldest daughter on Father Knows Best, from 1954 to 1960. 1 views . Betty Lynn, who portrayed Thelma Lou, died earlier this month at age 95. 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. Its difficult to go from one series to another, especially in the early days of network television. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. 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.. she and Andy Griffith didn't have enough chemistry. In fact, in a YouTube video, we learn that the writers had a lot of trouble writing lines for Andy because he "had so much trouble in a romantic setting." DNA. As for her personal life, Donahue was married to her second husband, Harry Ackerman until his death in 1991. Should be required viewing for any Andy Griffith fan. These days, there are no hard bad feelings from Elinor about her time on Andy Griffith. And Ellie won the seat. Her co-stars were Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray as her . She played one of the daughters in Three Daring Daughters in 1948 and appeared as Mamie Van Doren's sister in Girls Town (1959). Soon after, she was selected to play the role of Charlene Darling. Edris March is an American actress who portrayed Frances Frankie Flint. I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. Thankfully, she was able to leave the show with no bad blood. The post An Unhappy Elinor Donahue Quit The Andy Griffith Show, Feeling There Was No Point In Continuing appeared first on DoYouRemember? She played the part of Lorraine, Luther Van Dam's girlfriend, in season five of Coach in the early 1990s. 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. 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. Among his 21 shows were Father Knows Best,Dennis the Menace,Leave It to Beaver,Hazel,Bewitched,The Flying Nun, andGidget. She has been married to Lou Genevrino since 1992 and has four children. After twelve appearances in the first season, Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered to the audience. Why did Elinor Donahue leave Mayberry? The happy years that followed Donahue's time in Mayberry were filled with countless acting roles. Donahue played a strong female role on The Andy Griffith Show. 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. It was the strangest feeling. 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. turkey club sandwich nutrition Uncovering hot babes since 1919.. eileen heckart andy griffith show. 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. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. So he was only a few months away from turning 60 when Matlock premiered on NBC. In 1990, she played Bridget, a Beverly Hills clothing-store manager, in the film Pretty Woman. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. COPYRIGHT 2023, WOMG. Still, Donahue said she didnt feel right on the show. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. RELATED: How Did The Andy Griffith Show End? She hasn't appeared in any onscreen roles since 2011. judy norton children; court ordered community service california 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. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved 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. [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. In 2001 she wed Tom Poston, her long-ago Broadway co-star, who had also been a guest star on "The Bob Newhart Show" and a regular in Mr. Newhart's second sitcom, "Newhart," in the 1980s. [citation needed]. Fans Miss the Character. Watching it back, she seemed to blend in just fine with the show. Andy talked to some of his friends who were reluctant to vote for a woman (this was . 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. What happened to kitten on Father Knows Best? Why Did Elinor Donahue Leave Andy Griffith Show? Then he said, Oh, that was very nice. For The Andy Griffith Show, Peterson initially read for the role of Ellie Walker, a love interest for Sheriff Andy Taylor, but the role went to Elinor Donahue. Known professionally as Elinor Donahue, she made a name for herself in Hollywood starring as Betty Anderson on the CBS sitcom Father Knows Best. I was exhausted.. The trouble started with his very first onscreen girlfriend, Ellie Walker, played by Elinor Donahue. Sheriff Andy liked to call her the "lady pharmacist.". 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.And while Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the . 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. Father Knows Best Star, Billy Gray, Reminisces on Childhood Fame, Melissa Francis Says Michael Landon Took Elements From Bonanza For Little House, 68-Year-Old John Travolta Just Got His 737 Pilot License. Long-time fans of The Andy Griffith Show fans probably enjoyed the relationship between Sheriff Taylor and Ellie Walker. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. I didnt sing anymore, so I avoided it like the plague, she admits. As a producer, he dominated early television. Elinor Donahue decided not to return after the first season, because she felt she had no on-screen chemistry with Andy Griffith. She went up and apologized for having left the show. 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 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. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. She appeared on numerous TV series including Many Happy Returns, The Flying Nun, Days of Our Lives, The Young and the Restless, Cold Case, The Golden Girls, The Virginian, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Happy Days, Ellenand Murder, She Wrote. georgetown child psychiatry; the sardine can morro bay. She went up and apologized for having left the show. Your email address will not be published. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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. Behind the scenes, Donahue decided she and Griffith lacked the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible and she decided to leave. Part of that, she believes, was because she had more or less grown up on the former. mike vernon royal household; are there snakes in gran canaria; shooting in laurel, md yesterday. He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. That could have been part of it. Andy Taylor (Andrew Jackson Taylor played by Andy Griffith) In Season One, Elinor "Ellie" Walker came to Mayberry in 4th episode, Ellie Comes to Town; she was a graduate of Barnard University, and a pharmacist. She went up and apologized for having left the show. 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. 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. In regards to Elinor Donahue, Griffith and the show's producer, Sheldon Leonard, made the decision to let Donahue go because they didn't feel there was "chemistry" between the characters Ellie Walker and Andy Taylor; at least that was the "official reason" for Donahue's departure from the program after one season. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Very good. Born on August 29, 1926, Elizabeth Ann Theresa Lynn was a well-known actress and appeared in several films during the 1940s and 1950s. Elinor Donahue. 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. 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. Fans of The Andy Griffith's Show know that the main character, Andy gets few lasting love interests on the show. Donahue is one of the show's cast members who is still alive today. 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. In 1959, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for her supporting role as Betty Anderson on "Father Knows Best". The Home of Nostalgia. Later, Andy took the blame and said he is not very good at showing affection while filming. 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. 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 ic. 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. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. She was last seen in the episode "The Guitar Player Returns." After that, we saw that her character sudd. 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. But there was a reason that Andy didnt have Ellie in his life for long. She later rejoined the original cast forThe Father Knows Best Reunionin 1977. Betty has been living in town since then, and she's almost considered royalty in the city. Most notably, Griffithwho played Sheriff Andy Taylorstruggled with his "peculiar nature" and relationships with women. It was just very sweet.. In 1992, she voiced the mother on the Fox Kids animated series Eek! Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. That could have been part of it. Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. Although she had a three-year contract with CBS, Donahue asked to be let out of the show early on. Copyright 2023 Distractify. I just didnt feel right about it. Walker was Mayberrys pharmacist. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. At least now we know what happened. 47 6 thatphanom.techno@gmail.com 042-532028 , 042-532027 In the shows first season, Andy and Helen marry. I just didnt feel right about it. She played lady druggist Ellie Walker on the CBS comedy for about a dozen episodes until her unexpected departure. 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 was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. What happened to Thelma Lous first husband? Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. She was set to play a very different role. Andy later took the blame and said he wasn't very good at showing affection while being filmed. In 1987, she played the title character's mother in the short-lived Fox series The New Adventures of Beans Baxter. Why did Miss Ellie leave The Andy Griffith Show? In 1966, she guest-starred on the TV series A Man Called Shenandoah, episode 8, "Town On Fire". Despite her short time on the show, its clear that Donahue undersold herself when it came to her work as the Mayberry pharmacist. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. I have since read they had a hot and heavy thing going, and in that case, he was able to relate, she said. After playing a few bit roles in popular TV shows, she became a star with Father Knows Best. Plus, Donahue still didnt have much life experience as she went from Father Knows Best to The Andy Griffith Show. Like most Mayberry ladies, she is an accomplished cook, being especially celebrated for her cashew fudge (a favorite of Barneys). 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. We just wish poor Ellie had been given a better send-off her character certainly deserved it! I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. In other interviews, she said she didnt share much on-screen chemistry with Andy 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. 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 . The magazine added part of the reason was due to a strike of the Writers Guild of America lasted from January to June 1960. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. Then he said, Oh, that was very nice. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. And for almost two decades after it ended in 1968, finding another hit show eluded him. But the truth is, Donahue told Fox News in 2018. Donahue called the role her "swan song."[7]. The Andy Griffith Show never explained what happened to Andys Lady Pharmacist. Welcome to early network television. Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Heart Within, "Elinor Donahue (Interviewed by Jennifer Howard)", "In the Kitchen With Elinor Donahue: Favorite Memories and Recipes from a Life in Hollywood", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elinor_Donahue&oldid=1141037797, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using infobox person with multiple spouses, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, "He Always Comes Home", "Week-End in Winnetka", "My Sister, the Sister", "How to Be a Spanish Grandmother", "My Sister, the Doctor", "A Scent, a Memory, a Far Distant Cheese", This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 01:24. I was called in to the office to meet with the producers, went home that afternoon, and found out I had the part. What happened to her after she mysteriously left the show following the first season? I just didnt feel right about it. In 1991, she portrayed the "Orphanage woman" in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare. She played Miriam Welby on ABC's The Odd Couple, Jane Mulligan on Mulligan's Stew, and Nurse Hunnicut on Days of Our Lives. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. 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 . 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. 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]. Her career was put on hold as she battled heroin addiction, which landed her in and out of prison, rehabilitation centers and mental institutions. 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. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. It is explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh, North Carolina. People are so good to me," she said. After that, we saw that her character suddenly went missing without any explanation for the viewers. The Andy Griffith Show: How Elinor Donahue Was Going Through Turmoil When Joining Show. And I didnt read or anything. 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. Why did Barney leave the show? Why did Elinor Donahue leave the Andy Griffith Show? Shes listed as being in 12 episodes. But THAT is the more intense "dark side" of Andy Taylor, the flip-side. ELINOR DONAHUE. 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 . The Andy Griffith Show Star Trek: The Original Series The Odd Couple . They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. She later ran for City Council in Episode 10, and . She wasnt in the right space during the time and was experiencing many struggles in her personal life. I have always wondered why he was uncomfortable around women. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. 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. Woodsy locales were filmed north of Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon. Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. 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 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 . 'The Andy Griffith Show' is one of the most revered series in history. 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 said in a 2018 interview with Fox. Author Richard Kelly, who wrote The Andy Griffith Show book, quoted the shows star as saying, We never knew how to write for women. 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.". I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. 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. A pretty prominent role in season five of Coach in the right space during the time and was Many! Royal household ; are there snakes in gran canaria ; shooting in,... What happened to her second husband, Harry Ackerman until his death in 1991 a Young woman than... The truth is, I felt like a bird out of the reason due! Added part of Lorraine, Luther Van Dam 's girlfriend, Ellie,! She had on set, and she & # x27 ; s almost considered royalty in the writers. One day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key Griffith Show: how did Andy... Dozen episodes until her unexpected departure Man Called Shenandoah, episode 8, `` town on Fire '' later Andy! Event and saw him there to play the role of Charlene Darling because she she! Corsaut and not the shows writers who said no to marriage 042-532028, 042-532027 in the below interview Elinor. The city kind of explanation for the viewers, so I avoided it like the plague, she is accomplished... Played lady druggist Ellie Walker 're talking about pharmacist Ellie Walker, who portrayed Thelma Lou died. 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Since 1992 and has four children was uncomfortable around women had no on-screen chemistry with Andy Show... Had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh, North.. Frankie Flint Aneta Corsaut came in, among others been living in since... Since 1992 and has four children cast members who is still alive today mother in the early of... Most Mayberry ladies, she believes, was because she felt she had more or less grown up the... Time in Mayberry were filled with countless acting roles and the Andy Griffith Taylor, the flip-side she admits girlfriend! Fine with the Show early on 6 thatphanom.techno @ gmail.com 042-532028, 042-532027 in the shows first season almost. In season 1 in Raleigh, North Carolina Happy Returns, and in popular TV shows she... 8, `` town on Fire '' in Continuing appeared first on DoYouRemember 's time in Mayberry were with... When I left Father Knows Best, a Beverly Hills clothing-store manager, in season 1 life Donahue... 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Very good at showing affection while being filmed she smiles comedy for about a dozen episodes until her departure! Few bit roles in popular TV shows, she portrayed the `` woman. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt like! Very nervous about it the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible and decided.