Elinor Donahue, who portrayed Ellie, wanted off the show almost immediately. 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.. That could have been part of it. 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. This is because Elinor Donahue wished to leave the show. Andy later took the blame and said he wasn't very good at showing affection while being filmed. 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. After playing a few bit roles in popular TV shows, she became a star with Father Knows Best. Why did Barney leave the show? So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. Fans of The Andy Griffith's Show know that the main character, Andy gets few lasting love interests on the show. And while Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the relationship was a short-lived . 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. She was last seen in the episode "The Guitar Player Returns." After that, we saw that her character sudd. These days, there are no hard bad feelings from Elinor about her time on Andy Griffith. She also felt that her character wasnt given much importance by the shows writers. I was very, very touched by that. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Ellie Walker is a pharmacist (or "lady druggist" as Andy called her) who assists her uncle Fred Walker at Walker's Drugstore in Mayberry. And I didnt read or anything. DNA. 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. I did 11 episodes, just there for the first season, Donahue said in a 2006 interview with the Archive of American Television. All Rights Reserved. "I'm so welcomed here. Part of that, she believes, was because she had more or less grown up on the former. He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. Plus, when you rewatch a show, you spot details that you may have missed the first time. turkey club sandwich nutrition Uncovering hot babes since 1919.. eileen heckart andy griffith show. 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 didnt think there was any real chemistry there. Then he said, Oh, that was very nice. I was just not a happy camper. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. The actor told the Television Academy Foundation how she came to be cast in 1960 on The Andy Griffith Show. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. It was the strangest feeling.. Long-time fans of The Andy Griffith Show fans probably enjoyed the relationship between Sheriff Taylor and Ellie Walker. After Father Knows Best ended, she really struggled to adjust to a new show. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. But the truth is, Donahue told Fox News in 2018. The Andy Griffith Show Star Trek: The Original Series The Odd Couple . So he would take things that were actually written for Miss Ellie and the sheriff and give them to your dad, Donahue told Karen. Andy was leaving the show following the end of its eighth . Griffith later admitted that it was his own fault, because he had a hard time showing affection on-screen, and as a result, the relationship didn't appear real or believable. And for almost two decades after it ended in 1968, finding another hit show eluded him. Watching it back, she seemed to blend in just fine with the show. 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. I have always wondered why he was uncomfortable around women. I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. The first time Sheriff Andy Taylor made his appearance on television, he was a guest star on The Danny Thomas Show (formerly known as Make Room for Daddy). If youre an avid fan of The Andy Griffith Show, youll recall actor Elinor Donahue from the series first season. She also played recurring characters on "The Flying Nun", "The Odd Couple" (as Felix's girlfriend), "Days of Our Lives. Donahue was a musical judge in ABC's Jukebox Jury (195354). Donahue called the role her "swan song."[7]. I just didnt feel right about it. The Andy Griffith Show Actress Elinor Donahue Said She Was Not a Happy Camper While on the Show. Study Guides . 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 Andy Griffith Show: How Elinor Donahue Was Going Through Turmoil When Joining Show. 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. Shed played Betty, the oldest daughter on Father Knows Best, from 1954 to 1960. Donahue played Georgiana Balanger, the niece of George and Martha Wilson, in the episode "Dennis and the Wedding" (1960) on Dennis the Menace. In other interviews, she said she didnt share much on-screen chemistry with Andy Griffith. Author Richard Kelly, who wrote The Andy Griffith Show book, quoted the shows star as saying, We never knew how to write for women. 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." 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. She later rejoined the original cast forThe Father Knows Best Reunionin 1977. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. 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. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. 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. Part of that, she believes, was because she had more or less grown up on the former. However, the episode "The Guitar Player Returns" was her last. 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. If anything, Griffith felt bad that he couldnt do more. It was an ongoing whirlwind. Andy invited her to the church picnic in the next episode in Irresistible Andy. why did kim fischer leave the mentalist. 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. According to the actress, he was incredibly gracious when she made the nerve-wracking decision to ask to be let out of her contract with The Andy Griffith Show. It really affected him. After twelve appearances in the first season, Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered to the audience. After that, we saw that her character suddenly went missing without any explanation for the viewers. 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. 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. I didnt know that much about it except that I was going to be in the show with Andy Griffith, Donahue said. 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 . Why did Ellie leave Andy Griffith Show? 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]. For instance, if you are watching Andy Griffith, you might have noticed that a particular character just, poof, disappeared. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. In the below interview, Elinor shares what a magnificent time she had on set, and how much she loved working with everyone. And then went right into [The Andy Griffith Show]. Elinor Donahue played Ellie Walker on The Andy Griffith Show. Answer (1 of 6): Apparently her and Griffith didn't have much chemistry together. 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. Still, Donahue said she didnt feel right on the show. As she grew older, she began seeking out roles in feature films.But it was television where she found her best work. Okay, thats it. I said, What? He faked me out, because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the take that they used. It seemed like the conflict she experienced on the show that caused her to stay on for only a year came from herself. However, when Don Knotts became such a popular favorite as Deputy Barney Fife, Griffith decided for . ELINOR DONAHUE. In 1984, she made an appearance as Mrs. Broderick, the mother of a teenage drug addict on the last season of Happy Days. For her full interview, see http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/elinor-donahue He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. 1 views . People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. The only person who called me from the show was your dad, the actor said. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. 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. 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 was filmed at Desilu Studios, with exteriors filmed at Forty Acres in Culver City, California. People are so good to me," she said. 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. It was the strangest feeling. View results. [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. 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. She played one of the daughters in Three Daring Daughters in 1948 and appeared as Mamie Van Doren's sister in Girls Town (1959). Although she had a three-year contract with CBS, Donahue asked to be let out of the show early on. Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. I didnt sing anymore, so I avoided it like the plague, she admits. What happened to her after she mysteriously left the show following the first season? She also appeared as a new bride in The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show episode titled "The Newlyweds" that aired April 2, 1956. Betty Lynn, who portrayed Thelma Lou, died earlier this month at age 95. In 1966, she guest-starred on the TV series A Man Called Shenandoah, episode 8, "Town On Fire". 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. 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. There was no mean spiritedness to it. However, Father Knows Best would be abruptly canceled. Fans Miss the Character. They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. 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. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. Ellie . 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. 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 actor told the Television Academy Foundation how she came to be cast in 1960 on The Andy Griffith Show. She married Harry Ackerman in 1962. Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. At least now we know what happened. the Cat. It was just very sweet.. It was the strangest feeling. Follow the link to read our updated Privacy Policy, John Travolta Celebrates 69th Birthday By Dancing With Daughter Ella, Jamie Lee Curtis Attributes Stardom To Being Nepo Baby During SAG Award Speech. The two were married for almost 30 years when he died in 1991. 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. I had a three-year contract. The Early Days of The Andy Griffith's Show. "Andy couldn . The Andy Griffith Show actress Elinor Donahue said she was not a happy camper while working on the show. Betty was the oldest daughter of Robert Young and Jane Wyatt's characters with Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin starring as her younger siblings. Pleshette married twice. Elinor, now 83 years old, went on to have an extremely successful career in both television and film. Chapin married an auto mechanic at 16 and divorced two years later. Required fields are marked *. 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. 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? Should be required viewing for any Andy Griffith fan. As a producer, he dominated early television. A friend and fellow actor from the show, Elinor Donahue, said Lynn . tyler florence sunglasses; bailey and . But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. She played the part of Lorraine, Luther Van Dam's girlfriend, in season five of Coach in the early 1990s. 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. She has been married to Lou Genevrino since 1992 and has four children. 26 Feb Feb 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. But I felt that it was because I was so terrible.. 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. Elinor Donahue decided not to return after the first season, because she felt she had no on-screen chemistry with Andy Griffith. I have since read they had a hot and heavy thing going, and in that case, he was able to relate, she said. 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. This article is from Do You Remember. Its difficult to go from one series to another, especially in the early days of network television. But it didnt seem like Donahue ever had any sort of conflict with Andy Griffith or anyone else working on the show. 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