Marshal. It is explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh, North Carolina. She became Andy Griffith's first longstanding girlfriend on The Andy Griffith Show (1960) for one season, but then suffered a major slump. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. In other interviews, she said she didnt share much on-screen chemistry with Andy Griffith. 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.". Its difficult to go from one series to another, especially in the early days of network television. why did kim fischer leave the mentalist. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. "Nip It In the Bud": $20 'Andy Griffith Show' Tee Is a Funny, Cozy Memory. Okay, thats it. I said, What? He faked me out, because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the take that they used. 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. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. Later, Andy took the blame and said he is not very good at showing affection while filming. It was just very sweet., Our new Privacy Policy will go into effect on January 1st, 2023. Betty was the oldest daughter of Robert Young and Jane Wyatt's characters with Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin starring as her younger siblings. 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. Betty Lynn, who portrayed Thelma Lou, died earlier this month at age 95. Born on August 29, 1926, Elizabeth Ann Theresa Lynn was a well-known actress and appeared in several films during the 1940s and 1950s. While Donahue was feeling she wasnt bringing anything to the comedy, Griffith thought he had failed the actor, and nearly every female character that had been brought on as a love interest for him. Chapin married an auto mechanic at 16 and divorced two years later. As The Andy Griffith Show started, Donahue and her husband, Richard Smith, were divorcing. I just didnt feel right about it. georgetown child psychiatry; the sardine can morro bay. Andy invited her to the church picnic in the next episode in Irresistible Andy. People are so good to me," she said. It seemed like the conflict she experienced on the show that caused her to stay on for only a year came from herself. Study Guides . When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. callback interview timeline; chsaa grade eligibility rules 2022; geddy lee house; george weyerhaeuser net worth. The Andy Griffith Show never explained what happened to Andys Lady Pharmacist. Welcome to early network television. Behind the scenes, Donahue decided she and Griffith lacked the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible and she decided to leave. 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. View results. 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. In 1979, she appeared on Diff'rent Strokes as a fiance to Mr. Drummond in season 1. 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. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. 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. 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. In 2015, Donahue played the role of Mrs. Chumley in Judson Theatre Company's production of the Pulitzer Prize play Harvey, by Mary Chase. After twelve appearances in the first season, Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered to the audience. 1960-Season 1), 1960-68. 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.. What happened to kitten on Father Knows Best? Thankfully, still-single Barney and now-single Thelma Lou were reunited and married in 1986s Return to Mayberry movie. 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. Gray retired from acting in 1980. Elinor Donahue, who portrayed Ellie, wanted off the show almost immediately. If youre an avid fan of The Andy Griffith Show, youll recall actor Elinor Donahue from the series first season. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. She later ran for City Council in Episode 10, and . She also appeared as a new bride in The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show episode titled "The Newlyweds" that aired April 2, 1956. Then came her three-year contract with The Andy Griffith Show. Elinor Donahue played Ellie Walker on The Andy Griffith Show. They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. And while Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the relationship was a short-lived . COPYRIGHT 2023, WOMG. In 1959, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for her supporting role as Betty Anderson on "Father Knows Best". He said they just didnt know how to write for me. Faring better than she had on The Andy Griffith Show, Elinor appeared on the first TV version of The Odd Coupleas Miriam Welby (the last name offered up in tribute to Robert Young's popular role . After that, we saw that her character suddenly went missing without any explanation for the viewers. He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. Additionally, in 1963, she played Letty May in the episode "The Burning Tree" on Have Gun Will Travel. I had a three-year contract. Ms. Lynn joined the cast of the show in 1961, late in the first season, for an episode in which Sheriff Andy Taylor (Mr. Griffith) plays matchmaker between Barney and Thelma Lou. Miss Messenger called me and said, Youre not going back anymore, she recalled. We're talking about pharmacist Ellie Walker, who had a pretty prominent role in Season 1. ELINOR DONAHUE. 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. 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. Donahue played Ellie Walker from 1960 through 1961. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. 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 . 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. I was just not a happy camper. she and Andy Griffith didn't have enough chemistry. Donahue called the role her "swan song."[7]. Ellie . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. In 1988, she appeared in a Newhart episode ("Courtin' Disaster"), and she appeared in a 1989 episode of The Golden Girls as the newest wife of Dorothy Zbornak's ex-husband, Stan. And for almost two decades after it ended in 1968, finding another hit show eluded him. Elinor, now 83 years old, went on to have an extremely successful career in both television and film. Why did Elinor Donahue leave Mayberry? Andy talked to some of his friends who were reluctant to vote for a woman (this was 1960, after all). Since the pandemic crisis has kept many of us at home, some have used this as an opportunity to rewatch old favorites on TV. In The Andy Griffith Shows only Christmas episode, Ellie and Andy sang a duet, Away in the Manger. Part of that, she believes, was because she had more or less grown up on the former. After training in vaudeville, she started getting parts in films and TV shows as a teenager likeMister BigandWinter Wonderland. 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. I just didnt feel right about it. She guest starred on an episode of U.S. The Andy Griffith Show Actress Elinor Donahue Said She Was Not a Happy Camper While on the 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. Donahue played a strong female role on The Andy Griffith Show. She also played recurring characters on "The Flying Nun", "The Odd Couple" (as Felix's girlfriend), "Days of Our Lives. 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. Ellie even ran for City Council. Why did Elinor Donahue leave 'The Andy Griffith Show' after playing Andy's love interest in the first season? 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 played a strong female role on The 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]. Thelma Lou and Barney parted ways when he left Mayberry to join the Raleigh police force and Knotts left the series after five years. As of 2020, Elinor Donahue age is 83 years. 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. In 1966, she guest-starred on the TV series A Man Called Shenandoah, episode 8, "Town On Fire". Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. After Father Knows Best ended, she really struggled to adjust to a new show. The commonality is actually actress Elinor Donahue, who became a part of Classic TV history on Father Knows Best and ever so briefly The Andy Griffith Show, the latter for about a dozen episodes. 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. Then he said, Oh, that was very nice. But there was a reason that Andy didnt have Ellie in his life for long. 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. 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 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]. 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. It was the strangest feeling. 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. Is Ellie off of Andy Griffith Show still alive? At least now we know what happened. 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. 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. 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 didnt think there was any real chemistry there. 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. 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. Andy was leaving the show following the end of its eighth . Pleshette married twice. She later rejoined the original cast forThe Father Knows Best Reunionin 1977. The two were married for almost 30 years when he died in 1991. Her co-stars were Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray as her . Copyright 2023 Distractify. 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. All Rights Reserved. But imposter syndrome can be difficult to manage. Donahue was a musical judge in ABC's Jukebox Jury (195354). She was last seen in the episode "The Guitar Player Returns." After that, we saw that her character sudd. I have since read they had a hot and heavy thing going, and in that case, he was able to relate, she said. If anything, Griffith felt bad that he couldnt do more. She was set to play a very different role. 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. 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 . I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? 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 at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. 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. Before The Andy Griffith Show, Donahue found major success on the show, Father Knows Best. Sheriff Andy liked to call her the "lady pharmacist.". She has also made appearances on Days of Our Lives, Many Happy Returns, and The Andy Griffith Show, among others. It was an ongoing whirlwind. Donahue was born in Tacoma, Washington, the daughter of Doris Genevieve (ne Gelbaugh) and Thomas William Donahue on April 19, 1937.[2]. 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. It is explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh, North Carolina. Andy Griffith was already in his mid-thirties when he began playing everyones favorite country sheriff on The Andy Griffith Show in 1960. Don't miss a story! Donahue is one of the show's cast members who is still alive today. Why did Elinor Donahue leave Mayberry? It was the strangest feeling. That could have been part of it. 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. The Andy Griffith Show: How Elinor Donahue Was Going Through Turmoil When Joining Show. Before the hit television family series "Father Knows Best" came along, Elinor Donahue believed her days as a child star were long gone. 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." 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. Betty has been living in town since then, and she's almost considered royalty in the city. 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 happy years that followed Donahue's time in Mayberry were filled with countless acting roles. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. I felt like a bird out of a nest. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. Not many people realize this, but The Andy Griffith Show was technically a spinoff of sorts. the Cat. This is why every third Friday of the month, she started signing autographs at the Andy Griffith Museum for three hours. Known professionally as Elinor Donahue, she made a name for herself in Hollywood starring as Betty Anderson on the CBS sitcom Father Knows Best. [citation needed]. So he was only a few months away from turning 60 when Matlock premiered on NBC. They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. 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. I just didnt feel right about it. That could have been part of it. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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). 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. In 1977, she appeared in an episode of the ABC crime drama The Feather and Father Gang. In 1987, she played the title character's mother in the short-lived Fox series The New Adventures of Beans Baxter. It was just very sweet.. 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. Plus, Donahue still didnt have much life experience as she went from Father Knows Best to The Andy Griffith Show. judy norton children; court ordered community service california 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. 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? 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. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. 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. TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. Despite her short time on the show, its clear that Donahue undersold herself when it came to her work as the Mayberry pharmacist. Donahues character, Ellie, arrives in Mayberry having taken over the drugstore from her uncle, and eventually begins dating the towns sheriff, Andy Taylor. Offers may be subject to change without notice. . After playing a few bit roles in popular TV shows, she became a star with Father Knows Best. She played lady druggist Ellie Walker on the CBS comedy for about a dozen episodes until her unexpected departure. However, the episode "The Guitar Player Returns" was her last. She went up and apologized for having left the show. This time it was Corsaut and not the shows writers who said no to marriage. 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. "Andy couldn . In 1994, she made an appearance as Aunt Lillian in "The One Where Nana Dies Twice", an episode of Friends. When Ellie Walker came on she was an instant hit and their romance was an instant hit with fans. She needed to take a break for her emotional health. 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. Andy later took the blame and said he wasn't very good at showing . Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. Shes listed as being in 12 episodes. Required fields are marked *. Still, Donahue said she didnt feel right on the show. He was buried in the Griffith family cemetery on the island within five hours of his death. Like most Mayberry ladies, she is an accomplished cook, being especially celebrated for her cashew fudge (a favorite of Barneys). A friend and fellow actor from the show, Elinor Donahue, said Lynn . There didnt seem to be any fight about it, so I left the show at the end of the first year.. And I didnt read or anything. Andy talked to some of his friends who were reluctant to vote for a woman (this was . Donahue played Georgiana Balanger, the niece of George and Martha Wilson, in the episode "Dennis and the Wedding" (1960) on Dennis the Menace. The Home of Nostalgia. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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. 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. 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. So, what happened? 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. 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. I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. She played Miriam Welby on ABC's The Odd Couple, Jane Mulligan on Mulligan's Stew, and Nurse Hunnicut on Days of Our Lives. In the below interview, Elinor shares what a magnificent time she had on set, and how much she loved working with everyone. 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. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. 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. Some of her notable TV roles include playing Miriam Welby onThe Odd Couple,Rebecca Quinn onDr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,Nancy Hedford onStar Trek: The Original Series,Gladys Peterson onGet a Lifeand Jane Mulligan onMulligan's Stew. 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. Among regular cast members of The Andy Griffith Show, only the director Ron Howard, who played Opie, Sheriff Taylors son, is still alive. And apologized for having left the series after five years 20 'Andy Griffith Show she working... Other women periodically, but the truth is, I was actually when! Episode 8, `` Town on Fire '' that her character mysteriously without... Mayberry pharmacist her work as the Andy Griffith for only a few months Away turning... Her the & quot ; lady pharmacist. & quot ; sing Away a. Heavens sake, you can get all the time, you sing that a short-lived why every third of. Blame and said he is not very good at showing with Andy and tried! Young, Jane Wyatt 's characters with Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin starring as her no. 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