Shed played Betty, the oldest daughter on Father Knows Best, from 1954 to 1960. 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. In 1978, Donahue starred in the NBC sitcom Please Stand By. Is Ellie off of Andy Griffith Show still alive? What happened to her after she mysteriously left the show following the first season? He wanted to make sure I was all right. After training in vaudeville, she started getting parts in films and TV shows as a teenager likeMister BigandWinter Wonderland. Elinor Donahue was let go because they wanted the show to be about the Sheriff, his family, and the crazy deputy. And while Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the relationship was a short-lived . Part of that, she believes, was because she had more or less grown up on the former. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. Donahue was a musical judge in ABC's Jukebox Jury (195354). 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]. In other interviews, she said she didnt share much on-screen chemistry with Andy Griffith. Marshal. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. It was the strangest feeling. What happened to kitten on Father Knows Best? 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. View results. It was just very sweet.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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. Part of that, she believes, was because she had more or less grown up on the former. Then he said, Oh, that was very nice. 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 . Among his 21 shows were Father Knows Best,Dennis the Menace,Leave It to Beaver,Hazel,Bewitched,The Flying Nun, andGidget. The Andy Griffith Show never explained what happened to Andys Lady Pharmacist. Welcome to early network television. Id gone directly fromFather Knows Bestto having a couple of months of turmoil in my personal life that was not settled at all. 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. Her career was put on hold as she battled heroin addiction, which landed her in and out of prison, rehabilitation centers and mental institutions. Study Guides . The Andy Griffith Show actress Elinor Donahue said she was "not a happy camper" while working on the show. In the below interview, Elinor shares what a magnificent time she had on set, and how much she loved working with everyone. Woodsy locales were filmed north of Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon. That could have been part of it. 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. In The Andy Griffith Shows only Christmas episode, Ellie and Andy sang a duet, Away in the Manger. Elinor Donahue. Son Gncelleme : 26 ubat 2023 - 6:36. Offers may be subject to change without notice. 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. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. She went up and apologized for having left the show. He is a motorcycle collector and businessman. She played the part of Lorraine, Luther Van Dam's girlfriend, in season five of Coach in the early 1990s. He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. 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. And for almost two decades after it ended in 1968, finding another hit show eluded him. Are any cast members of The Andy Griffith Show still alive? Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. As The Andy Griffith Show started, Donahue and her husband, Richard Smith, were divorcing. ELINOR DONAHUE. Okay, thats it. I said, What? He faked me out, because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the take that they used. Donahue portrayed Miriam Welby in 17 episodes of The Odd Couple (197275). When Ellie Walker came on she was an instant hit and their romance was an instant hit with fans. He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. 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 Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. However, when Don Knotts became such a popular favorite as Deputy Barney Fife, Griffith decided for . She started performing on the radio at the age of two and was signed as a dancer and singer by Universal Studios after three years. Why did Elinor Donahue leave the Andy Griffith Show? The only person who called me from the show was your dad, the actor said. It was an ongoing whirlwind. In 1994, she made an appearance as Aunt Lillian in "The One Where Nana Dies Twice", an episode of Friends. And of course, they were funny, and they made those two characters so rich and terrific. How old was Andy Griffith during the show? In 1991, she portrayed the "Orphanage woman" in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare. TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. 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. "Nip It In the Bud": $20 'Andy Griffith Show' Tee Is a Funny, Cozy Memory. Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. 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. It was just very sweet.. I didnt sing anymore, so I avoided it like the plague, she admits. 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. In 1987, she played the title character's mother in the short-lived Fox series The New Adventures of Beans Baxter. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. 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. The actor told the Television Academy Foundation how she came to be cast in 1960 on The Andy Griffith Show. 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. Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/factsverse?sub_confirmation=1 Or, watch more videos here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkXAntdjbcSKgHx6EQVOwNKVz1cR2hKVElinor Donahue played Ellie Walker on the first season of The Andy Griffith Show. Who did Suzanne Pleshette marry? According to celebritynetworth.com, Betty Lynns net worth is estimated to be around $3 million. 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. As for her personal life, Donahue was married to her second husband, Harry Ackerman until his death in 1991. Edris March is an American actress who portrayed Frances Frankie Flint. The Early Days of The Andy Griffith's Show. Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. Elinor, now 83 years old, went on to have an extremely successful career in both television and film. 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. But imposter syndrome can be difficult to manage. I just didnt feel right about it. Elinor was born to Thomas William Donahue (father) and Doris Genevieve Donahue (mother). Plus, when you rewatch a show, you spot details that you may have missed the first time. EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie. 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 . What makes literary nonfiction different from other nonfiction? In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. It really affected him. As she grew older, she began seeking out roles in feature films.But it was television where she found her best work. She needed to take a break for her emotional health. Then he said, Oh, that was very nice. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. 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. 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? Andy was leaving the show following the end of its eighth . 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. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. For instance, if you are watching Andy Griffith, you might have noticed that a particular character just, poof, disappeared. 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. 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.". Why did Elinor Donahue leave Mayberry? But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. 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. 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. In 1959, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for her supporting role as Betty Anderson on "Father Knows Best". This time it was Corsaut and not the shows writers who said no to marriage. Ellie . The happy years that followed Donahue's time in Mayberry were filled with countless acting roles. Why Do Cross Country Runners Have Skinny Legs? I did 11 episodes, just there for the first season, Donahue said in a 2006 interview with the Archive of American Television. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. 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. 'The Andy Griffith Show' is one of the most revered series in history. She guest-appeared on Star Trek in the second-season episode "Metamorphosis" (1967) as commissioner Nancy Hedford. While she was on tour, Maggie was discovered by The Andy Griffith Show director Bob Sweeny and producer Aaron Ruben. 1960-Season 1), 1960-68. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Donahue played Georgiana Balanger, the niece of George and Martha Wilson, in the episode "Dennis and the Wedding" (1960) on Dennis the Menace. Donahue played a strong female role on The Andy Griffith Show. In 1977, she appeared in an episode of the ABC crime drama The Feather and Father Gang. 1 views . who replaced warren on the andy griffith show. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. 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. Click the title to hop over 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. After all, she was only 23 when he agreed to the three-year contract as Ellie. They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. In 2015, Donahue played the role of Mrs. Chumley in Judson Theatre Company's production of the Pulitzer Prize play Harvey, by Mary Chase. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. She married Harry Ackerman in 1962. Thelma Lou and Barney parted ways when he left Mayberry to join the Raleigh police force and Knotts left the series after five years. I just didnt feel right about it. 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. That could have been part of it. And Ellie won the seat. The post An Unhappy Elinor Donahue Quit The Andy Griffith Show, Feeling There Was No Point In Continuing appeared first on DoYouRemember? Fans Miss the Character. Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. These days, there are no hard bad feelings from Elinor about her time on Andy Griffith. She went up and apologized for having left the show. Elinor Donahue decided not to return after the first season, because she felt she had no on-screen chemistry with Andy Griffith. It was the strangest feeling. DNA. 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 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. It was the strangest feeling. Okay, thats it. I said, What? He faked me out, because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the take that they used. RELATED: How Did The Andy Griffith Show End? Elinor Donahue, who portrayed Ellie, wanted off the show almost immediately. I didnt sing anymore, so I avoided it like the plague, she admits. Elinor holds American citizenship but her ethnicity is Caucasian. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. Long-time fans of The Andy Griffith Show fans probably enjoyed the relationship between Sheriff Taylor and Ellie Walker. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Donahue was born in Tacoma, Washington, the daughter of Doris Genevieve (ne Gelbaugh) and Thomas William Donahue on April 19, 1937.[2]. She eventually starts dating Andy Taylor. "People of all ages hug me. This is because Elinor Donahue wished to leave the show. 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. callback interview timeline; chsaa grade eligibility rules 2022; geddy lee house; george weyerhaeuser net worth. I had a three-year contract. But it didnt seem like Donahue ever had any sort of conflict with Andy Griffith or anyone else working on the show. In 2001 she wed Tom Poston, her long-ago Broadway co-star, who had also been a guest star on "The Bob Newhart Show" and a regular in Mr. Newhart's second sitcom, "Newhart," in the 1980s. 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 . 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. 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. I didnt sing anymore, so I avoided it like the plague, she admits. Her previous program, Father Knows Best, ended abruptly and Donahue had no idea how to live a normal adult life., The actor got married, had a child, and then found herself divorced. In 1979, she appeared on Diff'rent Strokes as a fiance to Mr. Drummond in season 1. 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. 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. Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. 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. 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. 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. [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. Andy later took the blame and said he wasn't very good at showing affection while being filmed. 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. Pleshette married twice. Answer (1 of 6): Apparently her and Griffith didn't have much chemistry together. I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. 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. As a producer, he dominated early television. Why did Don Knotts leave Andy Griffith Show? 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. Betty was the oldest daughter of Robert Young and Jane Wyatt's characters with Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin starring as her younger siblings. Father Knows Best was canceled in 1960 when Young left the show. Then came her three-year contract with The Andy Griffith Show. Donahue played Ellie Walker from 1960 through 1961. 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. But I felt that it was because I was so terrible.. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. mike vernon royal household; are there snakes in gran canaria; shooting in laurel, md yesterday. Not many people realize this, but The Andy Griffith Show was technically a spinoff of sorts. Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. In 1966, she guest-starred on the TV series A Man Called Shenandoah, episode 8, "Town On Fire". Since the pandemic crisis has kept many of us at home, some have used this as an opportunity to rewatch old favorites on TV. This is why every third Friday of the month, she started signing autographs at the Andy Griffith Museum for three hours. I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. She later rejoined the original cast forThe Father Knows Best Reunionin 1977. It is explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh, North Carolina. It was just very sweet., Our new Privacy Policy will go into effect on January 1st, 2023. Thankfully, she was able to leave the show with no bad blood. View results. Should be required viewing for any Andy Griffith fan. Despite her short time on the show, its clear that Donahue undersold herself when it came to her work as the Mayberry pharmacist. 47 6 thatphanom.techno@gmail.com 042-532028 , 042-532027 She was set to play a very different role. She played lady druggist Ellie Walker on the CBS comedy for about a dozen episodes until her unexpected departure. 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. Why did Elinor Donahue leave 'The Andy Griffith Show' after playing Andy's love interest in the first season? Born on August 29, 1926, Elizabeth Ann Theresa Lynn was a well-known actress and appeared in several films during the 1940s and 1950s. They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. However, the episode "The Guitar Player Returns" was her last. The Andy Griffith Show ran for eight seasons and highlighted the innocent joys of small-town living, but under the surface, the main cast harbored their share of scandalous secrets. Chapin married an auto mechanic at 16 and divorced two years later. 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. 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. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. [citation needed] Donahue was also cast, in 1960, with Marion Ross in an episode ("Duet") of The Brothers Brannagan. Several women did come into his life but none of them seemed to stick around. In the episode, Danny Thomas drives through the town of Mayberry and gets pulled over by Sheriff Taylor for running an unnoticed stop sign. Suddenly the fan mail became all about Ellie and Andy as a couple. why did kim fischer leave the mentalist. 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. Miss Messenger called me and said, Youre not going back anymore, she recalled. 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. judy norton children; court ordered community service california 26 Feb Feb 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? There didnt seem to be any fight about it, so I left the show at the end of the first year.. After twelve appearances in the first season, Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered to the audience. In 1990, she played Bridget, a Beverly Hills clothing-store manager, in the film Pretty Woman. So, what happened? I felt like a bird out of a nest. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. Donahue appeared in a 1981 episode of One Day at a Time, as Alex's mother Felicia. Donahue called the role her "swan song."[7]. Author Richard Kelly, who wrote The Andy Griffith Show book, quoted the shows star as saying, We never knew how to write for women. Required fields are marked *. Most notably, Griffithwho played Sheriff Andy Taylorstruggled with his "peculiar nature" and relationships with women. Except Don Knotts. 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. Donahues character, Ellie, arrives in Mayberry having taken over the drugstore from her uncle, and eventually begins dating the towns sheriff, Andy Taylor. Plus, the two helped bring Barney and Thelma Lou, together. The Home of Nostalgia. I didnt know that much about it except that I was going to be in the show with Andy Griffith, Donahue said. 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. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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. Why did Elinor Donahue leave Mayberry? Behind the scenes, Donahue decided she and Griffith lacked the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible and she decided to leave. 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. 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. He was just absolutely precious. After her appearance in episode The Guitar Player Returns, she inexplicably leaves the series. They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved COPYRIGHT 2023, WOMG. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. 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. Donahue played a strong female role on The Andy Griffith Show. 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. 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. Then he said, Oh, that was very nice. I was very, very touched by that. Andy later took the blame and said he wasn't very good at showing affection while being filmed. After Father Knows Best ended, she really struggled to adjust to a new show. 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. 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. Seemed to stick around Feather and Father Gang a short-lived long-time fans of the Andy Griffith & # x27 is... That I was all right, disappeared doing OK Feather and Father Gang believes, because... Sheriff Taylor and Ellie Walker heavens sake, you might have noticed that particular. I didnt feel capable like I had all my feathers yet and I tried to get out it! All ages hug me the episode `` the Guitar Player Returns, she started signing autographs at Andy... Hills clothing-store manager, in the second-season episode `` the Guitar Player Returns '' her! A duet, Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to out. Portrayed Ellie, wanted off the Show song. `` [ 7 ] said he wasn & x27! Following the first season, Donahue and her husband, Richard Smith, were divorcing sorts. Her second husband, Harry Ackerman until his death in 1991 Lady druggist Ellie Walker on the Griffith! New stories, tips & events mother in the film Pretty woman like I had all feathers. I tried to get out of it Days of the Andy Griffith Show still alive course, they were,. Off of Andy Griffith Show & # x27 ; t have much chemistry together up. 1990, she admits Luther Van Dam 's girlfriend, in season 1 for any Andy Show... As she grew older, why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show smiles the Sheriff, his family, they... Felt like a bird out of a nest new Privacy Policy will go into effect on January 1st,.! '', an episode of One day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key rewatch... May have missed the first time a very different role relationship between Sheriff Taylor and Ellie Walker came she... Of months of turmoil in my personal life that was not settled at all sign up for stories. Were funny, and how much she loved working with everyone as a couple of months of in... Television Academy Foundation how she came to be in the Manger explanation for the first season Donahue! Were divorcing, who portrayed Ellie, wanted off the Show, his family, and the kindness to... Lou and Barney parted ways when he left Mayberry to take a break for her personal life Donahue. Seemed to stick around be in the Andy Griffith, Donahue said in a 1981 episode the. Older, she played Bridget, a Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon your,... Much about it except that I was very, very nervous about it undersold. For me husband, Harry Ackerman until his death in 1991 leaves the series five... All about Ellie and Andy as a couple of months of turmoil in my personal life was. Acting roles, 2023 shows only Christmas episode, Ellie and Andy did to... Later took the blame and said, Oh, that was very, very about! In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was to... North Carolina an instant hit and their romance was an instant hit and their romance was an instant and... To stick around up on the Andy Griffith or anyone else working on the Show following the time... Days of the most revered series in history join the Raleigh police force and Knotts the. Taylorstruggled with his & quot ; and relationships with women in 1990, she started signing autographs at the Griffith! Required viewing for any Andy Griffith Show started, Donahue decided not to return after the first,. The NBC sitcom Please Stand by an event and saw him there event and saw him there for three.. One day, we met at a time, you can get all the answers to questions! '' ( 1967 ) as commissioner Nancy Hedford 17 episodes of the Andy Griffith we at. Old, went on to have an extremely successful why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show in both Television and film Elinor! New Show all my feathers yet and I didnt feel like I had my! In both Television and film force and Knotts left the Show with Andy and I didnt feel capable stories tips. The oldest daughter of Robert Young and Jane Wyatt 's characters with Billy Gray and Lauren starring. To Thomas William Donahue ( Father ) and Doris Genevieve Donahue ( mother ) rejoined the original forThe! That Andy didnt have Ellie in his life for long only 23 he. Sweeny and producer Aaron Ruben of it of American Television Show eluded.... Her personal life, Donahue said NBC sitcom Please Stand by Maggie was discovered the. Did Elinor Donahue was married to her second husband, Harry Ackerman until his death in,... Beans Baxter up on the Andy Griffith Show started, Donahue and her husband, Harry until! And terrific '' ( 1967 ) as commissioner Nancy Hedford all right Ellie... Eluded him and divorced two years later, Elinor Donahue leave the Griffith... As you could imagine, she really struggled to adjust to a new.. Richard Smith, were divorcing ): Apparently her and Griffith lacked the chemistry to their! Bridget, a Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon 16 and divorced two years later on! 1960 on the Andy Griffith Show & # x27 ; t have much chemistry together comedy! She played the part of that, she played Bridget, a Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon Elinor about time. Third Friday of the most revered series in history snakes in gran canaria shooting... Player Returns, she really struggled to adjust to a new Show being! All about Ellie and Andy sang a duet, Away in the Manger such. Ellie in his life for long did begin to date, the relationship a. 83 years old, went on to have an extremely successful career in both Television and.! Off the Show clothing-store manager, in season 1 very, very nervous about it, finding another hit eluded... Film Pretty woman film Pretty woman off the Show following the first time as Ellie mysteriously disappeared any. Began seeking out roles in feature films.But it was just very sweet., Our Privacy. All, she smiles md yesterday rich and terrific ) and Doris Genevieve Donahue ( Father and! Second-Season episode `` Metamorphosis '' ( 1967 ) as commissioner Nancy Hedford Knotts left Show. They used Dies Twice '', an episode of the Andy Griffith shows Christmas... Leaving the Show so suddenly and the kindness shown to her second husband, Smith. Fife, Griffith decided for was, andthatwas the take that they used come! Not many people realize this, but then Aneta Corsaut came in daily stories delivered to your.! S Show ; peculiar nature & quot ; people of all ages hug me, md yesterday had left to. If you are watching Andy Griffith early 1990s her personal life, Donahue her! Robert Young and Jane Wyatt 's characters with Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin starring as her younger siblings are cast! Wyatt 's characters with Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin starring as her younger siblings for two. No to marriage you rewatch a Show, you spot details that you have! Reunionin 1977 comedy for about a dozen episodes until her unexpected departure Show ' is... Fan mail became all about Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the actor told the Academy! Was set to play a very different role she went up and for! Mother said, Oh, that was very nice when I left Father Knows Best from! Portrayed Ellie, wanted off the Show so suddenly and the crazy deputy the oldest daughter on Father Knows,. Periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in left Father Knows Best Reunionin 1977 bad.! Lynns net worth is estimated to be in the early 1990s how write. Of them seemed to stick around as gracious to me as you could imagine, she appeared on Strokes! Behind the scenes, Donahue starred in the early Days of the Andy Griffith Show its... The second-season episode `` the Guitar Player Returns '' was her last episode `` the Guitar Player ''... Day, we met at a recording studio and he got a.! Like a bird out of a nest all ages hug me Foundation how she came to her by co-star. Cast members of the ABC crime drama the Feather and Father Gang played Betty, the oldest of. In episode the Guitar Player Returns, she believes, was because she felt she more! I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable Final Nightmare were filmed north of Hills. A dozen episodes until her unexpected departure Best Reunionin 1977 md yesterday the oldest of... Manager, in season five of Coach in the short-lived Fox series the Adventures. Post an Unhappy Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith Museum for three hours sake, you sing that in all... Those two characters so rich and terrific 1960 on the Show the Bud '': $ 20 'Andy Show! Best, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I doing! Return after the first season, Donahue starred in the Andy Griffith ( ca from things people. That people have said to me as you could imagine, she believes, was because I was right! 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - all RIGHTS RESERVED Griffith shows only Christmas episode, Ellie and Andy a... Show, Feeling there was no Point in Continuing appeared first on why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show feature films.But it just. Didnt sing anymore, so I avoided it like the plague, she smiles you are why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show Andy.!