Elinor Donahue - Archive Interview Part 2 of 7

7-part oral history interview (each segment posted separately) with actress Elinor Donahue. She outlines her early film career in such films as Mister Big and The Unfinished Dance. She describes appearing in early experimental TV for Klaus Landsberg and speaks fondly of her appearance on The Ray Bolger Show. She speaks in detail about her role as teenager "Betty 'Princess' Anderson" on the classic '50s sitcom Father Knows Best. She recalls working with series producer Eugene Rodney and working with fictional father Robert Young, "mother" Jane Wyatt and "siblings" Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin. Donahue then speaks about her role as Andy Taylor's love interest "Ellie May Walker" on "The Andy Griffith Show". She talks about two other recurring parts, "Miriam Welby" on "The Odd Couple" and "Rebecca" on "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman". She discusses playing the mother of 30-year-old paperboy Chris Elliot on "Get A Life". Throughout the interview, Donahue talked about her many guest appearances on series over the years including The Loretta Young Show, Star Trek, and Ellen.

To access all segments, visit channel playlists or go to http://tvinterviewsarchive.blogspot.com

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Entertainment

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• American
• Television
• Interview
• emmy
• tv
• legends
• television
• history

[Rikki0]

How wonderful to hear this. What a marvelous woman. The prima donnas of today should be forced to watch this once a day, every day. Perhaps they could learn how to comport themselves with such dignity and grace, and they might even learn a new word to include in their limited vocabularies. Humility. Thank you, Miss Donahue.

[Crazeyfor67]

She still has all her charms. Thanks

[coronet51]

What a joy to watch these interviews with Elinor. Love her so much. The 1st season of Andy Griffith is my favorite, I so wish they had brought her back. She was Andy's best, most fun love interest, and they ultimately could have gotten married at the end.

[3140coleman]

yes what a beauty. does a 12 year old in 1955 I was so in love with her. and the beautiful bright engaging smile still makes my old heart skip a beat.

[rubyhunternc]

When she starts speaking her voice is strong but by the time she gets close to the end of her thought her voice trails off to a soft raspy wisper almost inaudible. I had to keep running it back to get what she was saying. Then she laughed while she was saying her friend got run over by a Taxi and I couldn't understand what she had said. I've always loved her though and just didn't want to miss any of what she was saying.

[sadiegatton]

what a lovely smile, she was my favorite character on the Andy Griffith show. I named my dog after her Ellie Mae Walker. Love seeing this and hearing about her career.

[Setebos]

Talk about aging gracefully. What A Beauty!

[saskwatcher]

@tinkerbellisfunny Well I've fallen in love with her again, an unequited love from her days as Betty Anderson. What a lovely warm person she is and you know what? That shone through the camera on Father Knows Best too. Now Elinor Donahue is a person people would tune in to watch today because of her radiance. Warmth is missing in tv these days. It's never too late!

[emerald2058]

@tinkerbellisfunny. . . . when I was growing up in the early 70's it was women like Ellinor Donahue and Mary Tyler Moore that I watched so careully to see how they presented themselves because I wanted to be just as posed as they were. You are blessed to have such a interesting Grandmother. God bless your family.

[SenorZorrozzz]

The Turtles

[MemphisMoll]

"Elinor, gee I think you're swell" is from the Hollies song, "Elinor". And I was born in 1960. This is a very classy lady with great often unheard insight. It isn't glamorous, but it is elegence, class, and grace.