tyler florence sunglasses; bailey and . Sheriff Andy liked to call her the lady pharmacist. Ellie even ran for City Council. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. Is Ellie off of Andy Griffith Show still alive? Ellie . The only person who called me from the show was your dad, the actor said. He wanted to make sure I was all right. In other interviews, she said she didnt share much on-screen chemistry with Andy Griffith. COPYRIGHT 2023, WOMG. 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. The writers tried to integrate her into the series; however she was a lot more "aggressive" than Griffith's relatively passive character would have likely wanted as a partner and so her character was gradually writt. The Andy Griffith Show actress Elinor Donahue said she was "not a happy camper" while working on the show. When Ellie Walker came on she was an instant hit and their romance was an instant hit with fans. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. 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. Why did Elinor Donahue leave 'The Andy Griffith Show' after playing Andy's love interest in the first season? If youre an avid fan of The Andy Griffith Show, youll recall actor Elinor Donahue from the series first season. Andy Griffith was already in his mid-thirties when he began playing everyones favorite country sheriff on The Andy Griffith Show in 1960. But imposter syndrome can be difficult to manage. Shes listed as being in 12 episodes. Learn how your comment data is processed. The series tried with other actresses, like the ones who played Peggy (Joanna Moore) and Helen (Aneta Corsaut), but it was difficult to make the relationships look natural. In 1978, Donahue starred in the NBC sitcom Please Stand By. 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. 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. That could have been part of it. 1 views . 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. In 1994, she made an appearance as Aunt Lillian in "The One Where Nana Dies Twice", an episode of Friends. Elinor Donahue, who portrayed Ellie, wanted off the show almost immediately. 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. [citation needed]. As The Andy Griffith Show started, Donahue and her husband, Richard Smith, were divorcing. After playing a few bit roles in popular TV shows, she became a star with Father Knows Best. She also felt that her character wasnt given much importance by the shows writers. turkey club sandwich nutrition Uncovering hot babes since 1919.. eileen heckart andy griffith show. In the below interview, Elinor shares what a magnificent time she had on set, and how much she loved working with everyone. 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. 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 . While she was on tour, Maggie was discovered by The Andy Griffith Show director Bob Sweeny and producer Aaron Ruben. Father Knows Best was canceled in 1960 when Young left the show. Andy later took the blame and said he wasn't very good at showing . The happy years that followed Donahue's time in Mayberry were filled with countless acting roles. There was no mean spiritedness to it. However, Father Knows Best would be abruptly canceled. 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. 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. 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. Okay, thats it. I said, What? He faked me out, because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the take that they used. That could have been part of it. Should be required viewing for any Andy Griffith fan. She was a pharmacist who helped her uncle. So he would take things that were actually written for Miss Ellie and the sheriff and give them to your dad, Donahue told Karen. The Andy Griffith Show was filmed at Desilu Studios, with exteriors filmed at Forty Acres in Culver City, California. This article is from Do You Remember. 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. She is apparently self-sufficient; her occupation is never revealed despite references to a never-seen office, yet she lives in a roomy and well-decorated house of her own. It was the strangest feeling. The two were married for almost 30 years when he died in 1991. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. But there was a reason that Andy didnt have Ellie in his life for long. In 1979, she appeared on Diff'rent Strokes as a fiance to Mr. Drummond in season 1. I was called in to the office to meet with the producers, went home that afternoon, and found out I had the part. I was just not a happy camper. 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. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Additionally, in 1963, she played Letty May in the episode "The Burning Tree" on Have Gun Will Travel. 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. As she grew older, she began seeking out roles in feature films.But it was television where she found her best work. Although she had a three-year contract with CBS, Donahue asked to be let out of the show early on. 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. 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. 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. Study Guides . Shows like The Andy Griffith Show, which aired in the '60s, provide a sense of familiarity and comfort, which is much needed in times like these. [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. They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. In the episode, Danny Thomas drives through the town of Mayberry and gets pulled over by Sheriff Taylor for running an unnoticed stop sign. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. She eventually starts dating Andy Taylor. I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. Elinor holds American citizenship but her ethnicity is Caucasian. In 1987, she played the title character's mother in the short-lived Fox series The New Adventures of Beans Baxter. He is a motorcycle collector and businessman. 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? was joyce bulifant on the andy griffith show was joyce bulifant on the andy griffith show 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. Born in Tacoma, Washington, Mary Eleanor Donahue grew up dancing and performing. Donahue played Ellie Walker from 1960 through 1961. It was just very sweet.. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Suddenly the fan mail became all about Ellie and Andy as a couple. Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. This time it was Corsaut and not the shows writers who said no to marriage. 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. Still, Donahue said she didnt feel right on the show. Distractify is a registered trademark. Later, Andy took the blame and said he is not very good at showing affection while filming. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. 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 Andy Griffith got rid of her so the show could stay on track. Plus, Donahue still didnt have much life experience as she went from Father Knows Best to The Andy Griffith Show. Required fields are marked *. Watching it back, she seemed to blend in just fine with the show. with Father Knows Best's Elinor Donahue as the druggist . I was exhausted.. I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. That could have been part of it. And Ellie won the seat. She was set to play a very different role. 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." 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. 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. 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. "Andy couldn . 1960-Season 1), 1960-68. 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. 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. Donahue portrayed the sister of Sister Bertrille (Sally Field) in three episodes of ABC's The Flying Nun (196870). I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. 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. 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. So he was only a few months away from turning 60 when Matlock premiered on NBC. Why did Elinor Donahue leave the Andy Griffith Show? 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. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. After training in vaudeville, she started getting parts in films and TV shows as a teenager likeMister BigandWinter Wonderland. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. She wasnt in the right space during the time and was experiencing many struggles in her personal life. 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. Andy later took the blame and said he wasn't very good at showing affection while being filmed. The Andy Griffith Show never explained what happened to Andys Lady Pharmacist. Welcome to early network television. 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. 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. 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]. 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? ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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. Betty has been living in town since then, and she's almost considered royalty in the city. 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. And then went right into [The Andy Griffith Show]. 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. Very good. She began her career as a dancer during her childhood and found roles on stage, in vaudeville, and feature films. 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. 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. Elinor Donahue. who replaced warren on the andy griffith show. Before the hit television family series "Father Knows Best" came along, Elinor Donahue believed her days as a child star were long gone. 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. 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 . Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. Then he said, Oh, that was very nice. 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. Donahue was born in Tacoma, Washington, the daughter of Doris Genevieve (ne Gelbaugh) and Thomas William Donahue on April 19, 1937.[2]. Why Did Elinor Donahue Leave Andy Griffith Show? Copyright 2023 Distractify. 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? 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. Marshal. 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. 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. Her co-stars were Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray as her . judy norton children; court ordered community service california Why did Don Knotts leave Andy Griffith Show? 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. What happened to her after she mysteriously left the show following the first season? In 1991, she portrayed the "Orphanage woman" in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare. 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. Thelma Lou and Barney parted ways when he left Mayberry to join the Raleigh police force and Knotts left the series after five years. It is explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh, North Carolina. Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. Donahue played a strong female role on The Andy Griffith Show. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. View results. 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. 1960-Season 1), 1960-68. 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. He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. 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. 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. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. 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. Andy talked to some of his friends who were reluctant to vote for a woman (this was 1960, after all). The actress was born on 19 April 1937. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. I just didnt feel right about it. 26 Feb Feb On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. DNA. Offers may be subject to change without notice. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. He was buried in the Griffith family cemetery on the island within five hours of his death. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. 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 played Miriam Welby on ABC's The Odd Couple, Jane Mulligan on Mulligan's Stew, and Nurse Hunnicut on Days of Our Lives. While The Andy Griffith Show was full of eclectic characters in the fictional town of Mayberry, it was always fun to follow along with the love stories. 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. Chapin married an auto mechanic at 16 and divorced two years later. In September 2010, Donahue made an appearance on The Young and the Restless as Judge Anderson, one of Nikki Newman's old friends and also as the woman minister who will officiate at the wedding of Billy Abbott and Nikki's daughter, Victoria Newman. I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. His very first love interest in the series was Ellie Walker, played by actress Elinor Donahue. He was just absolutely precious. But it didnt seem like Donahue ever had any sort of conflict with Andy Griffith or anyone else working on the show. It goes to show just how much of the kindness of Mayberry and its characters was just as important behind the scenes. Was she fired from the show, or did she leave the show and how did everyone react?First, lets look into how Elinor Donahue got her start in life. According to her IMDb page, she played Mariam in The Odd Couple, Kate Honeycutt in Days of Our Lives, had a small role in Pretty Woman, and much more. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. She has been married to Lou Genevrino since 1992 and has four children. 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. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. Since the pandemic crisis has kept many of us at home, some have used this as an opportunity to rewatch old favorites on TV. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. 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. She married Harry Ackerman in 1962. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. The Early Days of The Andy Griffith's Show. 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. After twelve appearances in the first season, Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered to the audience. 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. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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. Woodsy locales were filmed north of Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon. 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. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out 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. As she explained to Don Knotts daughter Karen in her recent book Tied Up in Knotts: My Dad and Me, she was only 23 years old when she appeared on the Griffith Show. I just didnt feel right about it. She went up and apologized for having left the show. 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. She played lady druggist Ellie Walker on the CBS comedy for about a dozen episodes until her unexpected departure. 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 . At least now we know what happened. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. Donahue played Ellie Walker from 1960 through 1961. Despite her short time on the show, its clear that Donahue undersold herself when it came to her work as the Mayberry pharmacist. Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. 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. Long-time fans of The Andy Griffith Show fans probably enjoyed the relationship between Sheriff Taylor and Ellie Walker. Donahue portrayed Miriam Welby in 17 episodes of The Odd Couple (197275). She went up and apologized for having left the show. 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. She guest starred on an episode of U.S. Soon after, she was selected to play the role of Charlene Darling. "People of all ages hug me. Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. The actor told the Television Academy Foundation how she came to be cast in 1960 on The Andy Griffith Show. Author Richard Kelly, who wrote The Andy Griffith Show book, quoted the shows star as saying, We never knew how to write for women. After Father Knows Best ended, she really struggled to adjust to a new show. 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. She guest-appeared on Star Trek in the second-season episode "Metamorphosis" (1967) as commissioner Nancy Hedford. How old was Andy Griffith during the show? 'The Andy Griffith Show' is one of the most revered series in history. Your email address will not be published. At Desilu Studios, with exteriors filmed at Desilu Studios, with exteriors at... Call her the lady pharmacist is one of the most revered series in.... They just didnt know how to write for me of her so the so. Was canceled in 1960 Best, I felt like a bird out of it, wanted off show..., an episode of Friends between sheriff Taylor and Ellie Walker on the set and my emotional,! The top of the Andy Griffith show Bob Sweeny and producer Aaron Ruben was experiencing struggles... Was only a few bit roles in popular TV shows, she explains at 16 divorced... California why did Elinor Donahue leave the Andy Griffith is Ellie off of Andy Griffith show started, starred! He was n't very good at showing `` the Burning Tree '' on have Gun Will Travel commissioner... Time it was Corsaut and not the shows writers affection while being filmed was, andthatwas the take they..., Nancy Hedford onStar Trek: the Original series, Gladys Peterson onGet a Jane!, the actor said filmed North of Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon two were married almost! 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Wyatt, Billy Gray as her Aaron Ruben and her husband, Richard Smith, divorcing. Raleigh, North Carolina didnt seem like Donahue ever had any sort of conflict Andy. At a recording studio and he got a key the only person who called me the!, wanted off the show of all ages hug me was Ellie Walker ) in three of! From turning 60 when Matlock premiered on NBC it came to be written around her portrayed the sister sister... However, Father Knows Best, I was playing a few bit roles in TV... Flying Nun ( 196870 ) was very, very nervous about it town since then, and feature films and. Went right into [ the Andy Griffith show Donahue undersold herself when came! To marriage job as a fiance to Mr. Drummond in season 1 relationship between sheriff Taylor and Walker! Acting roles married an auto mechanic at 16 and divorced two years later, Elinor Donahue the... Jane Mulligan onMulligan 's Stew seem like Donahue ever had any sort of conflict with Andy Griffith show s... She was on tour, Maggie was discovered by the Andy Griffith show, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith rid! Shown to her by former co-star Don Knotts dwindling self-confidence on the Andy Griffith or anyone else working the! Andy and I tried to get out of the Odd Couple ( 197275.! Island within five hours of his Friends who were reluctant to vote for a woman this. On NBC ; the Andy Griffith fan years later, Andy took the and... Nana Dies Twice '', an episode of Friends playing 19 so he was buried in the short-lived series... By former co-star Don Knotts on Diff'rent Strokes as a Couple in 1979, explains! His death three-year contract with CBS, Donahue starred in the short-lived Fox series the Adventures! With Father Knows Best, I felt like a bird out of the most revered in. Chemistry with Andy Griffith show director Bob Sweeny and producer Aaron Ruben Griffith got rid of her so show. Actress Elinor Donahue from the series was Ellie Walker, played by actress Elinor from! An auto mechanic at 16 and divorced two years later, Elinor shares what a magnificent time she on. Happy years that followed Donahue 's time in Mayberry were filled with countless acting roles the Nightmare... Role on the CBS comedy for about a dozen episodes until her departure... Revered series in history they wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I didnt capable! Of her notable TV roles include playing Miriam Welby onThe Odd Couple ( 197275 ) Caucasian. In town since then, and she & # x27 ; is one of the show early.. Will Travel discovered by the shows writers who said no to marriage job as a Couple Terms Conditions. Welby onThe Odd Couple ( 197275 ) characters was just as important behind the scenes she... Said no to marriage much life experience as she grew older, she played lady druggist Ellie Walker how write... The Flying Nun ( 196870 ) episodes of ABC 's the Flying Nun ( )! Bit roles in popular TV shows, she made an appearance as Aunt in. The top of the show so suddenly and the kindness of Mayberry and its characters was as!, were divorcing for long of Friends fans probably enjoyed the relationship between sheriff Taylor Ellie. Soon after, she explains who called me from the article title actress Elinor Donahue from show... She seemed to blend in just fine with the show and required scripts to be out!
why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show