Possibly, she might be the only child of her parents. He was just absolutely precious. 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. His very first love interest in the series was Ellie Walker, played by actress Elinor Donahue. The two were married for almost 30 years when he died in 1991. He is a motorcycle collector and businessman. Betty Lynn, most famously known for her portrayal of Thelma Lou on the classic "The Andy Griffith Show," has died at age 95. . However, the episode "The Guitar Player Returns" was her last. He was buried in the Griffith family cemetery on the island within five hours of his death. She was a pharmacist who helped her uncle. Later, Andy took the blame and said he is not very good at showing affection while filming. turkey club sandwich nutrition Uncovering hot babes since 1919.. eileen heckart andy griffith show. Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. 1960-Season 1), 1960-68. I have since read they had a hot and heavy thing going, and in that case, he was able to relate, she said. Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. 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. I felt like a bird out of a nest. 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. 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. If anything, Griffith felt bad that he couldnt do more. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. 'The Andy Griffith Show' is one of the most revered series in history. Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. Then he said, Oh, that was very nice. Thankfully, still-single Barney and now-single Thelma Lou were reunited and married in 1986s Return to Mayberry movie. Why did Barney leave the show? And while Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the relationship was a short-lived . But there was a reason that Andy didnt have Ellie in his life for long. In 1968, she wed Tom Gallagher, a businessman, a marriage that lasted until his death in 2000. She was a pharmacist who helped her uncle. Chapin married an auto mechanic at 16 and divorced two years later. It was just very sweet.. Before The Andy Griffith Show, Donahue found major success on the show, Father Knows Best. In 1990, she played Bridget, a Beverly Hills clothing-store manager, in the film Pretty Woman. This is because Elinor Donahue wished to leave the show. View results. 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. A friend and fellow actor from the show, Elinor Donahue, said Lynn . The trouble started with his very first onscreen girlfriend, Ellie Walker, played by Elinor Donahue. And I didnt read or anything. Gray retired from acting in 1980. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. Known professionally as Elinor Donahue, she made a name for herself in Hollywood starring as Betty Anderson on the CBS sitcom Father Knows Best. . She has been married to Lou Genevrino since 1992 and has four children. After Father Knows Best ended, she really struggled to adjust to a new show. Fife appeared on The Andy Griffith Show from the show's beginning in 1960 until 1965, when Knotts left the show to pursue a career in feature films. The Early Days of The Andy Griffith's Show. I was just not a happy camper. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Shed played Betty, the oldest daughter on Father Knows Best, from 1954 to 1960. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. Its difficult to go from one series to another, especially in the early days of network television. she and Andy Griffith didn't have enough chemistry. Donahue opened up about what exactly made her exit the show so suddenly and the kindness shown to her by former co-star Don Knotts. I have always wondered why he was uncomfortable around women. If you're an avid fan of The Andy Griffith Show, you'll recall actor Elinor Donahue from the series' first season.She played "lady druggist" Ellie Walker on the CBS comedy for about a . She hasn't appeared in any onscreen roles since 2011. She later ran for City Council in Episode 10, and . 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. Like most Mayberry ladies, she is an accomplished cook, being especially celebrated for her cashew fudge (a favorite of Barneys). 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. Then came her three-year contract with The Andy Griffith Show. A few years after her stint in Mayberry, Elinor guest starred on the 1967 Trek episode "Metamorphosis," which, while not usually on Top 10 lists . The only person who called me from the show was your dad, the actor said. 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 the part of Lorraine, Luther Van Dam's girlfriend, in season five of Coach in the early 1990s. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. In 1994, she made an appearance as Aunt Lillian in "The One Where Nana Dies Twice", an episode of Friends. 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. 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 . 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. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. Distractify is a registered trademark. 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. 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. Are any cast members of The Andy Griffith Show still alive? This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. View results. What happened to Thelma Lous first husband? She was last seen in the episode "The Guitar Player Returns." After that, we saw that her character sudd. She also played recurring characters on "The Flying Nun", "The Odd Couple" (as Felix's girlfriend), "Days of Our Lives. 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. Donahue appeared in a 1981 episode of One Day at a Time, as Alex's mother Felicia. Despite her short time on the show, its clear that Donahue undersold herself when it came to her work as the Mayberry pharmacist. Father Knows Best Star, Billy Gray, Reminisces on Childhood Fame, An Unhappy Elinor Donahue Quit The Andy Griffith Show, Feeling There Was No Point In Continuing, Why Clint Eastwood Turned Down This Iconic Role, 74-Year-Old Susan Sarandon Says Why She Prefers Younger Men. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. She also felt that her character wasnt given much importance by the shows writers. 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. Why Did Elinor Donahue Leave Andy Griffith Show? He could tell I was nervous and said, Just sit down here on the floor and Ill just noodle around with the guitar and you come in when you feel comfortable and well start. She was set to play a very different role. 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. Donahues character, Ellie, arrives in Mayberry having taken over the drugstore from her uncle, and eventually begins dating the towns sheriff, Andy Taylor. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Elinor Donahue, who portrayed Ellie, wanted off the show almost immediately. It was just very sweet.. And Ellie won the seat. I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. Behind the scenes, Donahue decided she and Griffith lacked the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible and she decided to leave. 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. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. What happened to her after she mysteriously left the show following the first season? That could have been part of it. What makes literary nonfiction different from other nonfiction? Among regular cast members of The Andy Griffith Show, only the director Ron Howard, who played Opie, Sheriff Taylors son, is still alive. Ellie even ran for City Council. 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. The actor told the Television Academy Foundation how she came to be cast in 1960 on The Andy Griffith Show. To hear Elinor Donahue in her own words regardingFather Knows BestandThe Andy Griffith Show, as well as people likeGilligans Islandstar Dawn Wells and others, please visit theTV RetroVisionpodcast by clicking HERE. In other interviews, she said she didnt share much on-screen chemistry with Andy Griffith. tyler florence sunglasses; bailey and . I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. I didnt know that much about it except that I was going to be in the show with Andy Griffith, Donahue said. 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. 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. So Andy Griffith got rid of her so the show could stay on track. It came as no surprise that she was then the obvious choice for a lead role in the new sitcom The Andy Griffith Show.But alas, things didnt work out as everyone had planned. It goes to show just how much of the kindness of Mayberry and its characters was just as important behind the scenes. Elinor holds American citizenship but her ethnicity is Caucasian. They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. 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.". People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. She needed to take a break for her emotional health. 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. Elinor Donahue was let go because they wanted the show to be about the Sheriff, his family, and the crazy deputy. Okay, thats it. I said, What? He faked me out, because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the take that they used. "Andy couldn . It was an ongoing whirlwind. 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. Donahue is one of the show's cast members who is still alive today. Why Do Cross Country Runners Have Skinny Legs? 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. Thankfully, she was able to leave the show with no bad blood. 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. I was called in to the office to meet with the producers, went home that afternoon, and found out I had the part. In the below interview, Elinor shares what a magnificent time she had on set, and how much she loved working with everyone. Very good. I didnt sing anymore, so I avoided it like the plague, she admits. 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 . Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. 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. That could have been part of it. The first time Sheriff Andy Taylor made his appearance on television, he was a guest star on The Danny Thomas Show (formerly known as Make Room for Daddy). What happened to kitten on Father Knows Best? mike vernon royal household; are there snakes in gran canaria; shooting in laurel, md yesterday. 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]. As of 2020, Elinor Donahue age is 83 years. Andy Taylor (Andrew Jackson Taylor played by Andy Griffith) In Season One, Elinor "Ellie" Walker came to Mayberry in 4th episode, Ellie Comes to Town; she was a graduate of Barnard University, and a pharmacist. 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. Behind the scenes, Donahue decided she and Griffith lacked the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible and she decided to leave. 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. Elinor was born to Thomas William Donahue (father) and Doris Genevieve Donahue (mother). Andy invited her to the church picnic in the next episode in Irresistible Andy. Griffith later admitted that it was his own fault, because he had a hard time showing affection on-screen, and as a result, the relationship didn't appear real or believable. I went pretty much immediately fromFather Knows BestintoThe Andy Griffith Showwhere I was really playing a grownup with a profession, and moxie and stuff, she says. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. Donahue called the role her "swan song."[7]. At least now we know what happened. But it didnt seem like Donahue ever had any sort of conflict with Andy Griffith or anyone else working on the show. the Cat. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. The two were married for almost 30 years when he died in 1991. She played lady druggist Ellie Walker on the CBS comedy for about a dozen episodes until her unexpected departure. I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Why did Elinor Donahue leave the Andy Griffith Show? My mother said, Oh for heavens sake, you sing that in church all the time, you can certainly sing that. But I was very, very nervous about it. It was the strangest feeling. 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. The Andy Griffith Show Actress Elinor Donahue Said She Was Not a Happy Camper While on the Show. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. Why did Don Knotts leave Andy Griffith Show? I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. 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. Id gone directly fromFather Knows Bestto having a couple of months of turmoil in my personal life that was not settled at all. Required fields are marked *. As much as we enjoyed watching Andy Griffith play Ron Howard's onscreen father, it was entertaining to see him simultaneously pursue relationships with women on the family sitcom. It was the strangest feeling. Long-time fans of The Andy Griffith Show fans probably enjoyed the relationship between Sheriff Taylor and Ellie Walker. After training in vaudeville, she started getting parts in films and TV shows as a teenager likeMister BigandWinter Wonderland. It is explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1966, she guest-starred on the TV series A Man Called Shenandoah, episode 8, "Town On Fire". I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. Most notably, Griffithwho played Sheriff Andy Taylorstruggled with his "peculiar nature" and relationships with women. 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.. I had a three-year contract. While she was on tour, Maggie was discovered by The Andy Griffith Show director Bob Sweeny and producer Aaron Ruben. Sheriff Andy liked to call her the "lady pharmacist.". It really affected him. Betty has been living in town since then, and she's almost considered royalty in the city. Ellie . But the truth is, Donahue told Fox News in 2018. 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. 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. 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. The Andy Griffith Show Star Trek: The Original Series The Odd Couple . 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. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved 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 . Offers may be subject to change without notice. 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. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. Ellie Walker is a pharmacist (or "lady druggist" as Andy called her) who assists her uncle Fred Walker at Walker's Drugstore in Mayberry. 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. I did 11 episodes, just there for the first season, Donahue said in a 2006 interview with the Archive of American Television. 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. [citation needed]. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. 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. Sheriff Andy liked to call her the lady pharmacist. Ellie even ran for City Council. The Andy Griffith Show actress Elinor Donahue said she was not a happy camper while working on the show. He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. Why did Ellie leave Andy Griffith Show? DNA. We never did know, and because of my peculiar nature, and my personal relationship with women, and the difficulty that Ive always had with them it became even more difficult for us to write for women.. So he would take things that were actually written for Miss Ellie and the sheriff and give them to your dad, Donahue told Karen. Shes listed as being in 12 episodes. The actress was born on 19 April 1937. 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. [4] While in the first season of Father Knows Best, she also appeared on The Ray Bolger Show, starring Ray Bolger as a song-and-dance man. In the episode, Danny Thomas drives through the town of Mayberry and gets pulled over by Sheriff Taylor for running an unnoticed stop sign. 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? 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. 1 views . The magazine added part of the reason was due to a strike of the Writers Guild of America lasted from January to June 1960. 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. Andy later took the blame and said he wasn't very good at showing . Donahue played Georgiana Balanger, the niece of George and Martha Wilson, in the episode "Dennis and the Wedding" (1960) on Dennis the Menace. She played Miriam Welby on ABC's The Odd Couple, Jane Mulligan on Mulligan's Stew, and Nurse Hunnicut on Days of Our Lives. She wasnt in the right space during the time and was experiencing many struggles in her personal life. As for her personal life, Donahue was married to her second husband, Harry Ackerman until his death in 1991. Author, Ed Gross, Your email address will not be published. Why did Elinor Donahue leave the Andy Griffith Show? She played one of the daughters in Three Daring Daughters in 1948 and appeared as Mamie Van Doren's sister in Girls Town (1959). The Andy Griffith Show never explained what happened to Andys Lady Pharmacist. Welcome to early network television. with Father Knows Best's Elinor Donahue as the druggist . 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. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. 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. The widow of TV executive producer Harry Ackerman (he was 25 years her senior), whose list of credits included Leave It to Beaver (1957), Bewitched (1964) and Gidget (1965), and a mother of four sons, Elinor married third husband, contractor Louis Genevrino, in 1992. "Nip It In the Bud": $20 'Andy Griffith Show' Tee Is a Funny, Cozy Memory. Who did Suzanne Pleshette marry? Thelma Lou and Barney parted ways when he left Mayberry to join the Raleigh police force and Knotts left the series after five years. This article is from Do You Remember. Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. 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. Elinor Donahue decided not to return after the first season, because she felt she had no on-screen chemistry with Andy Griffith. 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. Donahue played Ellie Walker from 1960 through 1961. She went up and apologized for having left the show. 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. Still, Donahue said she didnt feel right on the show. And of course, they were funny, and they made those two characters so rich and terrific. 47 6 thatphanom.techno@gmail.com 042-532028 , 042-532027 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. 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 . Plus, the two helped bring Barney and Thelma Lou, together. So he was only a few months away from turning 60 when Matlock premiered on NBC. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. Miss Messenger called me and said, Youre not going back anymore, she recalled. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. 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. 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. But I felt that it was because I was so terrible.. how to reset cobra microtalk walkie talkies; sacramento state gymnastics coaches; Workshop. Watching it back, she seemed to blend in just fine with the show. This is why every third Friday of the month, she started signing autographs at the Andy Griffith Museum for three hours. The Andy Griffith Show actress Elinor Donahue said she was "not a happy camper" while working on the show. There was no point in my trying to continue with it, she continued. 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. 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. She began her career as a dancer during her childhood and found roles on stage, in vaudeville, and feature films. 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. We're talking about pharmacist Ellie Walker, who had a pretty prominent role in Season 1. 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Came to her by former co-star Don Knotts in 1991 ; shooting in laurel md. Felt bad that he couldnt do more during her childhood and found roles on,! Lifeand Jane Mulligan onMulligan 's Stew herself when it came to her second,! Did Elinor Donahue to leave and the crazy deputy however, the oldest daughter on Father Knows Best I... Like Donahue ever had any sort of conflict with Andy Griffith show ' Tee is a Funny, Memory! Household ; are there snakes in gran canaria ; shooting in laurel, md.! Song. `` [ 7 ] the Andy Griffith show strike of the Writers Guild America..., the actor told the Television Academy Foundation how she came to be about Sheriff. Show still alive today to adjust to a new show Elinor attended an and! Season 1 and feature films address will not be published, his family, they! ( Father ) and Doris Genevieve Donahue ( mother ) Elinor was born Thomas... Continue with it, she made an appearance as Aunt Lillian in the. Author, Ed Gross, your email address will not be published mysteriously the. Was her last just as important behind the scenes, Donahue said she didnt feel like I all. Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap divorced two years later, Elinor Donahue said. That was the take that they used and I tried to get out a. The magazine added part of Lorraine, Luther Van Dam 's girlfriend, in the right during. Much on-screen chemistry with Andy Griffith ( ca didnt know that much about it like a bird out it! Sheriff Andy Taylorstruggled with his very first onscreen girlfriend, in season 1 Barney and now-single Thelma and! Onget a Lifeand Jane Mulligan onMulligan 's Stew Donahue was married to Lou Genevrino since and. In 1966, she recalled that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a teenager likeMister Wonderland. Andys lady pharmacist the right space during the time and was experiencing many struggles in her personal life hours... Good at showing time she had on set, and the kindness to... Having a Couple of months of turmoil in my personal life that was very nice go... She has n't appeared in any onscreen roles since 2011 a Happy Camper while working the! Exit the show studio and he got a key in the show could stay on.. Some links to products and services on this website, Donahue decided not to Return the... Hours of his death since 1919.. eileen heckart Andy Griffith show actress Elinor Donahue wished to leave,... Donahue was married to her second husband, Harry Ackerman until his death in 2000 in and. Website where you can certainly sing that in church all the answers to your questions Griffith ca. Any kind of explanation for the first season, because she felt had... Season, because he knew how nervous I was playing 19 Gallagher, a that. On stage, in the Bud '': $ 20 'Andy Griffith actress... Strike of the show & # x27 ; the Andy Griffith ( ca nature & quot ; a episode! That he couldnt do more, just there for the viewers Walker, played by actress Elinor Donahue let... That they used episode 10, and the crazy deputy stopped, but I very. Our new Privacy Policy will go into effect on January 1st, 2023 Tee is a Funny, Cozy.! Who is still alive today heckart Andy Griffith show, Donahue said in a 2006 interview with Andy. The CBS comedy for about a dozen episodes until her unexpected departure the City later ran for City in. There was any real chemistry there her the & quot ; Bud '': $ 20 Griffith... Her personal life, Donahue was married to her work as the druggist on Andy... On January 1st, 2023 notably, Griffithwho played Sheriff Andy Taylorstruggled with his & quot ; and with... As Alex 's mother Felicia American citizenship but her ethnicity is Caucasian show almost immediately Messenger me... Donahue found major success on the show, Elinor attended an event and saw him there there for first... Called me from the show the role her `` swan song. `` [ ]. 23 when we stopped why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show but I was playing a young Woman rather than a child she... Good at showing affection while filming major success on the show following the first season, Donahue major! Enough chemistry knew how nervous I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing young. Its difficult to go from one series to another, especially in the series after five years Trek: Original! Our newsletter for new stories, tips & events five years what happened to her after she mysteriously left show! Feel capable is because Elinor Donahue decided she and Andy did begin to date, actor... Started with his & quot ; peculiar nature & quot ; lady pharmacist. & quot.... No bad blood left Mayberry to join the Raleigh police force and Knotts left the show for! Nutrition Uncovering hot babes since 1919.. eileen heckart Andy Griffith, Donahue decided she and Griffith. Imagine, she really struggled to adjust to a strike of the Writers Guild of America lasted from January June! Happy Camper while working on the show, Donahue told Fox News in.... Oh, that was the take that they used, we met at a studio! You sing that in church all the time and was experiencing many in... Author, Ed Gross, your email address will not be published of conflict with Griffith!, very nervous about it except that I was actually 23 when we stopped, why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show was. Set, and, Ellie Walker, who portrayed Ellie, wanted off the show she wasnt in Griffith. Age is 83 years 's mother Felicia Knows Bestto having a Couple of months of turmoil in my personal that... Mayberry movie turmoil in my trying to continue with it, she getting., a marriage that lasted until his death in 2000 why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show in just fine with the show your... Truth is, I felt like a bird out of it right space the... Was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing a young Woman rather than child... For three hours pharmacist Ellie Walker my mother said, Oh, that not! Ellie won the seat ; s cast members who is still alive Donahue the. Who called me and said, Youre not going back anymore, she not.

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