Donna Reed intro

ABC Wednesday 9:00 PM (30 min.)
Premiered: September 24, 1958




Last Aired: March 19, 1966
Show Category: Comedy

The Donna Reed Show premiered on September 24, 1958, on ABC.

The show revolves around housewife, Donna Stone, and her family--husband Alex who is a pediatrician, 14 year-old Mary, and 11 year-old Jeff. The Stone family reside in the midwestern town of Hilldale. Donna was the perfect American housewife and mother. She was always neatly-groomed, lovely, good-natured, thoughtful, and capable. Alex was handsome, well-respected in his profession, usually thoughtful and sometimes ill-tempered. Mary was a typical teenage girl of the time, pretty, popular, and prone to bouts of insecurity now and then. Jeff was the average boy, rambunctious, bright, preferred sports to studies, and a total burden to his sister.

The episodes involved the usual family problems and adventures, with Donna usually saving the day in her quiet, capable way. In addition, Alex's career as a pediatrician figured prominently in many episodes, and the president of the AMA had a cameo in one episode, "Quads of Trouble" in season 7 .

The show won many awards from various civic, educational, and medical groups due to it's wholesome nature and it's handling of topics like adoption, prescription drug abuse, home safety.

In 1963, Shelley Fabares, who played Mary, left the show to pursue a movie career and thus Mary went away to college having up to that point been a student at the local college. To fill the void, Paul Petersen's real-life little sister, Patty Petersen, joined the cast as Trisha, a little girl adopted by the Stones.

Also in 1963, Ann McCrea and Bob Crane joined the cast as the Stones next-door neighbors, Midge and Dave Kelsey. Bob Crane remained with the show till 1965 and Ann till 1966.

Both Shelley Fabares and Paul Petersen had short but successful recording careers during the run of the show. In January, 1962, Paul sang "She Can't Find Her Keys" in the episode, "For Angie With Love", and "My Dad" in the episode, "My Dad" from October, 1962. February, 1962, Shelley sang "Johnny Angel" in the episode, "Donna's Prima Donna", and "Big Star" in the episode, "Big Star" from November, 1962.

The Donna Reed Show was on the air for 8 seasons on ABC. From September, 1958-September, 1959, it aired on Wednesdays at 9pm. Then from October, 1959-January, 1966, it aired on Thursdays at 8pm. And finally, from January, 1966-Spetember, 1966, it aired on Saturdays at 8pm.

Donna Reed's husband, Tony Owen, was executive producer of the show, and the show was a "Todon Production", with "Todon" being a combination of the first syllables of their first names--"To" for Tony and "don" for Donna.

• Category

  Entertainment

[George Vreeland Hill]

A classic and one of the best shows in television history!

George Vreeland Hill

[nickellodeon55]

Actually it was Carl's bookie, because Carl Betz.

[Janna Watson]

"Happy Days" by John Loose and William Seeley. Incidently the them from "Happy Days" was not called Donna Reed.

[Steve Carras]

Bill Loose and John Seely compoosed the theme, flor the famed John Seely library [originally TC-430-A, on Capitol L-39/40-LIGHT;other composers were Ed Lund, Phil Green, Bob McBride, George CHase, Ib Glindemann, Jack Shaindlin, Rick DuPage, Jack Cookerly, Roger Roger, Henry Russell, Louie De Francesco, Raoul Kruasshaar, Emil Cadkin, Harry Bluestone, Stu Phillipps, Irving Friedman, for some examples.Oh, Donna Reed and Shelley Fabares were hot.

[Bobby Heffley]

Carl Betz passed away in 1981, a victim of lung cancer. Donna Reed passed away five years later, a victim of pancreatic cancer.

[99aa4]

wat is the name of this song????

[wallofvideo]

yes, i see the difference now. 

[Brandon Johns]

No, The Cleavers lived in two different houses during the run of that series. The Cleavers' first house did have a similar layout as the Stones had, with the kitchen, living room, stairs and front door in the same part of the house, but it had a different style. The Cleavers' second house had the front door, stairs, and living room on an entirely opposite end of the house from where their first house and the Stones had them, facing a whole other direction.

[Dudelover7559]

I think Donna Reed died about 15 years ago or so. One of her last acting roles was temporarly playing the part of "Miss Ellie" with a "surgically altered repaired new face after having it disfigured in and accident ,on the series show DALLAS. From a artical I read in a tabloid,Donna did get to reunite one more time with her old tv family (all already older)of her old series show.

[Mr76Yearsago]

Alex Stone (Carl Betz character in the show) was a doctor. It was obvoiusly someone calling to BELLYACHE..

[PhillyDippy5]

Donna Reed was absolutely hot in From Here to Eternity 1953!