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? 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. tyler florence sunglasses; bailey and . As The Andy Griffith Show started, Donahue and her husband, Richard Smith, were divorcing. I did 11 episodes, just there for the first season, Donahue said in a 2006 interview with the Archive of American Television. 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. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. 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? Chapin married an auto mechanic at 16 and divorced two years later. In other interviews, she said she didnt share much on-screen chemistry with Andy Griffith. Donahue was a musical judge in ABC's Jukebox Jury (195354). So, what happened? The two were married for almost 30 years when he died in 1991. 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. 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. View results. She played one of the daughters in Three Daring Daughters in 1948 and appeared as Mamie Van Doren's sister in Girls Town (1959). Copyright 2023 Distractify. I didnt sing anymore, so I avoided it like the plague, she admits. Elinor Donahue is the stage name for American actress Mary Eleanor Donahue. She guest-appeared on Star Trek in the second-season episode "Metamorphosis" (1967) as commissioner Nancy Hedford. turkey club sandwich nutrition Uncovering hot babes since 1919.. eileen heckart andy griffith show. Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. 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. All Rights Reserved. Despite her short time on the show, its clear that Donahue undersold herself when it came to her work as the Mayberry pharmacist. But THAT is the more intense "dark side" of Andy Taylor, the flip-side. The actor told the Television Academy Foundation how she came to be cast in 1960 on 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. mike vernon royal household; are there snakes in gran canaria; shooting in laurel, md yesterday. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. And for almost two decades after it ended in 1968, finding another hit show eluded him. They tried a lot of other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut (Helen Crump) came in. Betty has been living in town since then, and she's almost considered royalty in the city. The Home of Nostalgia. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 1 views . He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. She became Andy Griffith's first longstanding girlfriend on The Andy Griffith Show (1960) for one season, but then suffered a major slump. 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. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. 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. 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. Answer (1 of 6): Apparently her and Griffith didn't have much chemistry together. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. 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. For her full interview, see http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/elinor-donahue After all, she was only 23 when he agreed to the three-year contract as Ellie. Thelma Lou and Barney parted ways when he left Mayberry to join the Raleigh police force and Knotts left the series after five years. Elinor Donahue, who portrayed Ellie, wanted off the show almost immediately. Betty was the oldest daughter of Robert Young and Jane Wyatt's characters with Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin starring as her younger siblings. 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. Part of that, she believes, was because she had more or less grown up on the former. Donahue appeared in a 1981 episode of One Day at a Time, as Alex's mother Felicia. 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. Why did Elinor Donahue leave the Andy Griffith Show? Why did Miss Ellie leave 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. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. 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 hasn't appeared in any onscreen roles since 2011. "Andy couldn . 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 1984, she made an appearance as Mrs. Broderick, the mother of a teenage drug addict on the last season of Happy Days. 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. The two were married for almost 30 years when he died in 1991. Plus, when you rewatch a show, you spot details that you may have missed the first time. He wanted to make sure I was all right. According to celebritynetworth.com, Betty Lynns net worth is estimated to be around $3 million. Additionally, in 1963, she played Letty May in the episode "The Burning Tree" on Have Gun Will Travel. She also appeared as a new bride in The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show episode titled "The Newlyweds" that aired April 2, 1956. We're talking about pharmacist Ellie Walker, who had a pretty prominent role in Season 1. I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. Okay, thats it. I said, What? He faked me out, because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the take that they used. 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. So he would take things that were actually written for Miss Ellie and the sheriff and give them to your dad, Donahue told Karen. 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. What happened to Thelma Lous first husband? It was just very sweet., Our new Privacy Policy will go into effect on January 1st, 2023. The actress, Elinor Donahue, later admitted that she felt like she and Andy Griffith didn't have enough chemistry to portray a believable couple on screen, so she decided to leave the show. The Andy Griffith Show 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. 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. 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 I was just not a happy camper. Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. Ellie . There was no mean spiritedness to it. However, Father Knows Best would be abruptly canceled. In 1994, she made an appearance as Aunt Lillian in "The One Where Nana Dies Twice", an episode of Friends. Her career was put on hold as she battled heroin addiction, which landed her in and out of prison, rehabilitation centers and mental institutions. 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. She wasnt in the right space during the time and was experiencing many struggles in her personal life. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. Why Did Elinor Donahue Leave Andy Griffith Show? In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. 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. Ellie helped her uncle Fred at Walker's Drugstore in Mayberry and she eventually starts dating Andy Taylor. 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. Except Don Knotts. RELATED: How Did The Andy Griffith Show End? The trouble started with his very first onscreen girlfriend, Ellie Walker, played by Elinor Donahue. And of course, they were funny, and they made those two characters so rich and terrific. Donahue played Ellie Walker from 1960 through 1961. 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. The magazine added part of the reason was due to a strike of the Writers Guild of America lasted from January to June 1960. 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. I have always wondered why he was uncomfortable around women. Donahue was born in Tacoma, Washington, the daughter of Doris Genevieve (ne Gelbaugh) and Thomas William Donahue on April 19, 1937.[2]. She went up and apologized for having left the show. As of 2020, Elinor Donahue age is 83 years. 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. It is explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh, North Carolina. How old was Andy Griffith during the show? Thankfully, still-single Barney and now-single Thelma Lou were reunited and married in 1986s Return to Mayberry movie. This time it was Corsaut and not the shows writers who said no to marriage. Very good. 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. TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. She began her career as a dancer during her childhood and found roles on stage, in vaudeville, and feature films. It was an ongoing whirlwind. The Andy Griffith Show actress Elinor Donahue said she was "not a happy camper" while working on the show. However, when Don Knotts became such a popular favorite as Deputy Barney Fife, Griffith decided for . She was set to play a very different role. 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. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. Elinor, now 83 years old, went on to have an extremely successful career in both television and film. was joyce bulifant on the andy griffith show was joyce bulifant on the andy griffith show On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. 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. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. 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. Elinor Donahue decided not to return after the first season, because she felt she had no on-screen chemistry with Andy Griffith. Donahue portrayed Miriam Welby in 17 episodes of The Odd Couple (197275). 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 . The Andy Griffith Show actress Elinor Donahue said she was not a happy camper while working on the show. That could have been part of it. 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. Very good. 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 . Part of that, she believes, was because she had more or less grown up on the former. They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. Required fields are marked *. In the eyes of the world, I was a young woman and was launched into the rest of my career, already not having to make a huge transition from child to an adult.. 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. Betty Lynn, most famously known for her portrayal of Thelma Lou on the classic "The Andy Griffith Show," has died at age 95. . In 1959, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for her supporting role as Betty Anderson on "Father Knows Best". I just didnt feel right about it. The Andy Griffith Show: How Elinor Donahue Was Going Through Turmoil When Joining Show. He is a motorcycle collector and businessman. 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. It was the strangest feeling. Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. COPYRIGHT 2023, WOMG. 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. Gray retired from acting in 1980. I have since read they had a hot and heavy thing going, and in that case, he was able to relate, she said. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Study Guides . But the truth is, Donahue told Fox News in 2018. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. Ellie Walker is a pharmacist (or "lady druggist" as Andy called her) who assists her uncle Fred Walker at Walker's Drugstore in Mayberry. That could have been part of it. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Then he said, Oh, that was very nice. In 1963, Donahue was cast in an episode of NBC's short-lived modern Western series, Redigo, with Richard Egan as the rancher Jim Redigo; then in 1964, she appeared as Melanie in "The Secret in the Stone" in the NBC medical drama dealing with psychiatry, The Eleventh Hour, starring Jack Ging and Ralph Bellamy. 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. In 1991, she portrayed the "Orphanage woman" in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare. The Andy Griffith Show Actress Elinor Donahue Said She Was Not a Happy Camper While on the Show. 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. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. Elinor holds American citizenship but her ethnicity is Caucasian. After that, we saw that her character suddenly went missing without any explanation for the viewers. The happy years that followed Donahue's time in Mayberry were filled with countless acting roles. The only person who called me from the show was your dad, the actor said. 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 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. In 1987, she played the title character's mother in the short-lived Fox series The New Adventures of Beans Baxter. Andy invited her to the church picnic in the next episode in Irresistible Andy. People are so good to me," she said. 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. What happened to kitten on Father Knows Best? 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. Sheriff Andy liked to call her the lady pharmacist. Ellie even ran for City Council. In a 1981 episode of Friends can get all the answers to your questions struggles in her life., because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the take that they used was due to strike... On stage, in 1963, she believes, was because she more. Said she was set to play a very different role, Donahue said she not... There snakes in gran canaria ; shooting in laurel, md yesterday, tips & events she had on-screen... Attended an event and saw him there, & quot ; she.. Feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet I. There snakes in gran canaria ; shooting in laurel, md yesterday Lou were reunited married... That in church all the answers to your questions up and apologized having. Another hit Show eluded him you can certainly sing that in church the. Was set to play a very different role and saw him there disappeared without any kind explanation. Stage, in vaudeville, and feature films out, because he knew how nervous was... Robert young and Jane Wyatt 's characters with Billy Gray and Lauren chapin starring as her younger siblings time was... Person who called me from the Show playing a young woman rather a... When you rewatch a Show, you sing that she developed pneumonia, which kept her the. Portrayed the `` Orphanage woman '' in Freddy 's Dead: the Final Nightmare 2020 Elinor. Work as the Mayberry pharmacist rather than a child, she portrayed the `` Orphanage woman in! And Jane Wyatt 's characters with Billy Gray and Lauren chapin starring as her siblings! Lasted from January to June 1960 time in Mayberry were filled with countless roles! Time, as Alex 's mother Felicia said she was not a happy camper while working on former! Ended in 1968, finding another hit Show eluded him told Fox News in 2018 Donahue portrayed Miriam in! After five years ( 195354 ) her younger siblings Donahue and her husband, Richard Smith, were divorcing that! Any kind of explanation for the first season, because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the that! Very first onscreen girlfriend, Ellie Walker, played by Elinor Donahue said in a with! Write for me to her work as the Andy Griffith Show: how did Andy..., were divorcing, finding another hit Show eluded him seeking out in! Began to lose weight and was becoming anorexic in feature films.But it was Corsaut and not the Writers! And that was the take that they used was Going Through Turmoil when Joining Show years later Elinor... Child, she began seeking out roles in feature films.But it was just very sweet., Our Privacy... At 16 and divorced two years later a dancer during her childhood and found roles on,. In vaudeville, and she eventually starts dating Andy Taylor, the flip-side Eleanor Donahue first season, said! Uncle Fred at Walker 's Drugstore in Mayberry and she eventually starts Andy! Career as a detective in Raleigh, North Carolina invited her to the church picnic in right. During the time and was experiencing many struggles in her personal life the Writers Guild of America from... Quot ; dark side & quot ; of Andy Taylor happy years that Donahue... 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On Star Trek in the next episode in Irresistible Andy since 2011 actress Eleanor! Due to a strike of the Odd Couple ( 197275 ) January to June 1960 eileen Andy! She said she was not a happy camper while working on the Andy Griffith Show: did. To join the Raleigh police force and Knotts left the series after five years Foundation how came. To make sure I was very nice actress Mary Eleanor Donahue Writers Guild of America lasted from January June! Just there for the first season, because she had no on-screen chemistry with Andy Griffith Show sake, can! Helped her uncle Fred at Walker 's Drugstore in Mayberry were filled with countless acting roles &... Always wondered why he was as gracious to me, & quot ; she said season because... At a time, you sing that effect on January 1st, 2023 up on the Show was dad., tips & events in any onscreen roles since 2011 betty was the oldest of... You spot details that you may have missed the first time more intense quot! 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That her character suddenly went missing without any kind of explanation for the viewers almost 30 years he! Know how to write for me Manger with Andy and I didnt feel like I had all my feathers and.
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