why did elinor donahue leave the 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 . Elinor Donahue, who portrayed Ellie, wanted off the show almost immediately. 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 just didnt feel right about 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. was joyce bulifant on the andy griffith show was joyce bulifant on the andy griffith show Part of that, she believes, was because she had more or less grown up on the former. 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. Her co-stars were Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray as her . It seemed like the conflict she experienced on the show that caused her to stay on for only a year came from herself. What makes literary nonfiction different from other nonfiction? And for almost two decades after it ended in 1968, finding another hit show eluded him. Like most Mayberry ladies, she is an accomplished cook, being especially celebrated for her cashew fudge (a favorite of Barneys). But imposter syndrome can be difficult to manage. The actress was born on 19 April 1937. Why did Ellie leave Andy Griffith Show? 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. Additionally, in 1963, she played Letty May in the episode "The Burning Tree" on Have Gun Will Travel. 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. 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. The happy years that followed Donahue's time in Mayberry were filled with countless acting roles. 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. She needed to take a break for her emotional health. I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. 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. There was no mean spiritedness to it. However, Father Knows Best would be abruptly canceled. In 1994, she made an appearance as Aunt Lillian in "The One Where Nana Dies Twice", an episode of Friends. why did kim fischer leave the mentalist. Ellie Walker is a pharmacist (or "lady druggist" as Andy called her) who assists her uncle Fred Walker at Walker's Drugstore in Mayberry. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. She went up and apologized for having left the show. 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.. Fans Miss the Character. 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. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Donahue is one of the show's cast members who is still alive today. She became Andy Griffith's first longstanding girlfriend on The Andy Griffith Show (1960) for one season, but then suffered a major slump. Possibly, she might be the only child of her parents. 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. As she grew older, she began seeking out roles in feature films.But it was television where she found her best work. Father Knows Best was canceled in 1960 when Young left the 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? Although she had a three-year contract with CBS, Donahue asked to be let out of the show early on. I have since read they had a hot and heavy thing going, and in that case, he was able to relate, she said. 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." Ms. Lynn said that she could have stayed with the series, which ended in 1968, had she accepted the producers offer to make her the owner of a hairdressing salon. Later, Andy took the blame and said he is not very good at showing affection while filming. Andy Griffith was already in his mid-thirties when he began playing everyones favorite country sheriff on The Andy Griffith Show in 1960. Should be required viewing for any Andy Griffith fan. the Cat. She was last seen in the episode "The Guitar Player Returns." After that, we saw that her character sudd. He was buried in the Griffith family cemetery on the island within five hours of his death. Your email address will not be published. In 1992, she voiced the mother on the Fox Kids animated series Eek! "Nip It In the Bud": $20 'Andy Griffith Show' Tee Is a Funny, Cozy Memory. He is a motorcycle collector and businessman. Still, Donahue said she didnt feel right on the show. In 1987, she played the title character's mother in the short-lived Fox series The New Adventures of Beans Baxter. ELINOR DONAHUE. I was just not a happy camper. Is Ellie off of Andy Griffith Show still alive? All Rights Reserved. There didnt seem to be any fight about it, so I left the show at the end of the first year.. I have always wondered why he was uncomfortable around women. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? 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. Why did Barney leave the show? Fans of The Andy Griffith's Show know that the main character, Andy gets few lasting love interests on the show. Miss Messenger called me and said, Youre not going back anymore, she recalled. So he was only a few months away from turning 60 when Matlock premiered on NBC. Okay, thats it. I said, What? He faked me out, because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the take that they used. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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 . 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. Author Richard Kelly, who wrote The Andy Griffith Show book, quoted the shows star as saying, We never knew how to write for women. Elinor Donahue was perfection as Ellie Walker but she was not happy in the role and all her interviews over the years are vague about why. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Sheriff Andy liked to call her the lady pharmacist. Ellie even ran for City Council. Pleshette married twice. Thankfully, she was able to leave the show with no bad blood. DNA. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. That could have been part of it. Griffith died on July 3, 2012, from a heart attack at the age of 86 at his coastal home in Manteo, Roanoke Island, in Dare County, North Carolina. She also felt that her character wasnt given much importance by the shows writers. 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. So, what happened? Elinor Donahue played Ellie Walker on The Andy Griffith Show. This article is from Do You Remember. Betty has been living in town since then, and she's almost considered royalty in the city. "Andy couldn . I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. I just didnt feel right about it. She hasn't appeared in any onscreen roles since 2011. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved Ellie helped her uncle Fred at Walker's Drugstore in Mayberry and she eventually starts dating Andy Taylor. 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. The Andy Griffith Show: How Elinor Donahue Was Going Through Turmoil When Joining Show. 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. Okay, thats it. I said, What? He faked me out, because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the take that they used. Donahue called the role her "swan song."[7]. 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? That could have been part of it. Watching it back, she seemed to blend in just fine with the show. She went up and apologized for having left the show. Known professionally as Elinor Donahue, she made a name for herself in Hollywood starring as Betty Anderson on the CBS sitcom Father Knows Best. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. In the 196465 broadcast season, Donahue costarred as Joan Randall, the daughter of Walter Burnley, played by John McGiver, on the CBS sitcom Many Happy Returns about the complaint department of a fictitious Los Angeles department store. She was a pharmacist who helped her uncle. 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 . But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. The Andy Griffith Show actress Elinor Donahue said she was "not a happy camper" while working on the show. After her appearance in episode The Guitar Player Returns, she inexplicably leaves the series. Answer (1 of 6): Apparently her and Griffith didn't have much chemistry together. 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. She wasnt in the right space during the time and was experiencing many struggles in her personal life. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. There was no point in my trying to continue with it, she continued. So he would take things that were actually written for Miss Ellie and the sheriff and give them to your dad, Donahue told Karen. 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. For her full interview, see http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/elinor-donahue As for her personal life, Donahue was married to her second husband, Harry Ackerman until his death in 1991. 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.. tyler florence sunglasses; bailey and . Edris March is an American actress who portrayed Frances Frankie Flint. 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. I did 11 episodes, just there for the first season, Donahue said in a 2006 interview with the Archive of American Television. Walker was Mayberry's pharmacist. Among regular cast members of The Andy Griffith Show, only the director Ron Howard, who played Opie, Sheriff Taylors son, is still alive. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. But I felt that it was because I was so terrible.. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. 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. Behind the scenes, Donahue decided she and Griffith lacked the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible and she decided to leave. Donahue was a musical judge in ABC's Jukebox Jury (195354). 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. 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 time it was Corsaut and not the shows writers who said no to marriage. In other interviews, she said she didnt share much on-screen chemistry with Andy Griffith. Her career was put on hold as she battled heroin addiction, which landed her in and out of prison, rehabilitation centers and mental institutions. I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. 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.. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. It was the strangest feeling. It was the strangest feeling.. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. He wanted to make sure I was all right. I was very, very touched by that. Elinor Donahue was Andy Griffith's 1st love interest on the show. The Andy Griffith Show actress Elinor Donahue said she was not a happy camper while working on the show. In 1991, she portrayed the "Orphanage woman" in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare. Woodsy locales were filmed north of Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. Before the hit television family series "Father Knows Best" came along, Elinor Donahue believed her days as a child star were long gone. 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. 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. View results. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. COPYRIGHT 2023, WOMG. 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. Then he said, Oh, that was very nice. 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. When Ellie Walker came on she was an instant hit and their romance was an instant hit with fans. I didnt know that much about it except that I was going to be in the show with Andy Griffith, Donahue said. 1 views . [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. Son Gncelleme : 26 ubat 2023 - 6:36. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Its difficult to go from one series to another, especially in the early days of network television. mike vernon royal household; are there snakes in gran canaria; shooting in laurel, md yesterday. His very first love interest in the series was Ellie Walker, played by actress Elinor Donahue. She guest starred on an episode of U.S. 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. [citation needed] Donahue was also cast, in 1960, with Marion Ross in an episode ("Duet") of The Brothers Brannagan. She began her career as a dancer during her childhood and found roles on stage, in vaudeville, and feature films. This is because Elinor Donahue wished to leave the show. After twelve appearances in the first season, Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered to the audience. Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. Click the title to hop over there. Shes listed as being in 12 episodes. 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. Why did Elinor Donahue leave the Andy Griffith Show? 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. Donahue appeared in a 1981 episode of One Day at a Time, as Alex's mother Felicia. Donahue was born in Tacoma, Washington, the daughter of Doris Genevieve (ne Gelbaugh) and Thomas William Donahue on April 19, 1937.[2]. 1960-Season 1), 1960-68. It was the strangest feeling. . Not many people realize this, but The Andy Griffith Show was technically a spinoff of sorts. . 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? Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. Andy later took the blame and said he wasn't very good at showing affection while being filmed. He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. Who did Suzanne Pleshette marry? 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. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Okay, thats it. I said, What? He faked me out, because he knew how nervous I was, and that was the take that they used. View results. I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. I felt like a bird out of a nest. The only person who called me from the show was your dad, the actor said. 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 played the part of Lorraine, Luther Van Dam's girlfriend, in season five of Coach in the early 1990s. 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 The Andy Griffith Show Star Trek: The Original Series The Odd Couple . After all, she was only 23 when he agreed to the three-year contract as Ellie. I just didnt feel right about it. 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. However, the episode "The Guitar Player Returns" was her last. she and Andy Griffith didn't have enough chemistry. Andy talked to some of his friends who were reluctant to vote for a woman (this was 1960, after all). 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. 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. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. Donahue played Ellie Walker from 1960 through 1961. 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. 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 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. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. 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. Donahue played Ellie Walker from 1960 through 1961. "People of all ages hug me. It was the strangest feeling. After training in vaudeville, she started getting parts in films and TV shows as a teenager likeMister BigandWinter Wonderland. As The Andy Griffith Show started, Donahue and her husband, Richard Smith, were divorcing. It goes to show just how much of the kindness of Mayberry and its characters was just as important behind the scenes. who replaced warren on the andy griffith show. 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. 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. A friend and fellow actor from the show, Elinor Donahue, said Lynn . 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. 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 . Most notably, Griffithwho played Sheriff Andy Taylorstruggled with his "peculiar nature" and relationships with women. 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. And of course, they were funny, and they made those two characters so rich and terrific. 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. It is explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh, North Carolina. Andy talked to some of his friends who were reluctant to vote for a woman (this was . The Andy Griffith Show Actress Elinor Donahue Said She Was Not a Happy Camper While on the Show. Why did Miss Ellie leave The Andy Griffith 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. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Donahue portrayed Miriam Welby in 17 episodes of The Odd Couple (197275). We just wish poor Ellie had been given a better send-off her character certainly deserved it! Elinor Donahue is the stage name for American actress Mary Eleanor Donahue. She is played by actress Elinor Donahue in twelve episodes of the first season of The Andy Griffith Show, during which she becomes Andy Taylor's girlfriend. Ellie . [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. I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. According to celebritynetworth.com, Betty Lynns net worth is estimated to be around $3 million. The Home of Nostalgia. 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. Plus, Donahue still didnt have much life experience as she went from Father Knows Best to The Andy Griffith Show. Why Did Elinor Donahue Leave Andy Griffith Show? Several women did come into his life but none of them seemed to stick around. RELATED: How Did The Andy Griffith Show End? And while Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the relationship was a short-lived . Since the pandemic crisis has kept many of us at home, some have used this as an opportunity to rewatch old favorites on TV. What happened to Thelma Lous first husband? But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. Elinor, now 83 years old, went on to have an extremely successful career in both television and film. The trouble started with his very first onscreen girlfriend, Ellie Walker, played by Elinor Donahue. georgetown child psychiatry; the sardine can morro bay. 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. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. As of 2020, Elinor Donahue age is 83 years. She played one of the daughters in Three Daring Daughters in 1948 and appeared as Mamie Van Doren's sister in Girls Town (1959). I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Betty Lynn, who portrayed Thelma Lou, died earlier this month at age 95. In 1978, Donahue starred in the NBC sitcom Please Stand By. 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. 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. Donahues character, Ellie, arrives in Mayberry having taken over the drugstore from her uncle, and eventually begins dating the towns sheriff, Andy Taylor. If anything, Griffith felt bad that he couldnt do more. He was just absolutely precious. Donahue portrayed the sister of Sister Bertrille (Sally Field) in three episodes of ABC's The Flying Nun (196870). The widow of TV executive producer Harry Ackerman (he was 25 years her senior), whose list of credits included Leave It to Beaver (1957), Bewitched (1964) and Gidget (1965), and a mother of four sons, Elinor married third husband, contractor Louis Genevrino, in 1992. When wed taken a break for the hiatus, I asked to be let out of the contract., I was going through some personal problems at the time and I needed some time, she added. It was just very sweet.. 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.

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    why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show