why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show

Id gone directly fromFather Knows Bestto having a couple of months of turmoil in my personal life that was not settled at all. She has been married to Lou Genevrino since 1992 and has four children. In 1978, Donahue starred in the NBC sitcom Please Stand By. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. 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. She was set to play a very different role. 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. Very good. 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 . He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. 'The Andy Griffith Show' is one of the most revered series in history. That could have been part of it. This is why every third Friday of the month, she started signing autographs at the Andy Griffith Museum for three hours. Walker was Mayberry's pharmacist. People are so good to me," she said. In 1968, she wed Tom Gallagher, a businessman, a marriage that lasted until his death in 2000. 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. All Rights Reserved. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Then he said, Oh, that was very nice. We just wish poor Ellie had been given a better send-off her character certainly deserved it! There was no mean spiritedness to it. However, Father Knows Best would be abruptly canceled. The two were married for almost 30 years when he died in 1991. Oftentimes it is virtually impossible for a young performer in television to make the transition to more adult roles, but Elinor Donahue managed to break the mold given that she was able to seamlessly go from Father Knows Best to The Andy Griffith Show. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. 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 married Harry Ackerman in 1962. 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. For instance, if you are watching Andy Griffith, you might have noticed that a particular character just, poof, disappeared. 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. 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. Her co-stars were Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray as her . Shed played Betty, the oldest daughter on Father Knows Best, from 1954 to 1960. For The Andy Griffith Show, Peterson initially read for the role of Ellie Walker, a love interest for Sheriff Andy Taylor, but the role went to Elinor Donahue. I felt like a bird out of a nest. 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 . What happened to kitten on Father Knows Best? When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. She played the part of Lorraine, Luther Van Dam's girlfriend, in season five of Coach in the early 1990s. Why did Elinor Donahue leave 'The Andy Griffith Show' after playing Andy's love interest in the first season? She hasn't appeared in any onscreen roles since 2011. 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. Are any cast members of The Andy Griffith Show still alive? 47 6 thatphanom.techno@gmail.com 042-532028 , 042-532027 After playing a few bit roles in popular TV shows, she became a star with Father Knows Best. After twelve appearances in the first season, Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered to the audience. 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. Marshal. She became Andy Griffith's first longstanding girlfriend on The Andy Griffith Show (1960) for one season, but then suffered a major slump. Why did Ellie leave Andy Griffith Show? 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? Who did Suzanne Pleshette marry? I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. 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. The Home of Nostalgia. 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. 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. In 2015, Donahue played the role of Mrs. Chumley in Judson Theatre Company's production of the Pulitzer Prize play Harvey, by Mary Chase. Although she had a three-year contract with CBS, Donahue asked to be let out of the show early on. He was just absolutely precious. 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. He was buried in the Griffith family cemetery on the island within five hours of his death. 1960-Season 1), 1960-68. Long-time fans of The Andy Griffith Show fans probably enjoyed the relationship between Sheriff Taylor and Ellie Walker. Follow the link to read our updated Privacy Policy, John Travolta Celebrates 69th Birthday By Dancing With Daughter Ella, Jamie Lee Curtis Attributes Stardom To Being Nepo Baby During SAG Award Speech. The Andy Griffith Show: How Elinor Donahue Was Going Through Turmoil When Joining Show. 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. She later rejoined the original cast forThe Father Knows Best Reunionin 1977. 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. Elinor Donahue is the stage name for American actress Mary Eleanor Donahue. . The trouble started with his very first onscreen girlfriend, Ellie Walker, played by Elinor Donahue. 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. 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. It was the strangest feeling. That could have been part of it. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved Donahue achieved stardom for her role as the elder daughter, Betty, on the television family series Father Knows Best, which aired from 1954 to 1960. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. 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. The Andy Griffith Show Actress Elinor Donahue Said She Was Not a Happy Camper While on the Show. The only person who called me from the show was your dad, the actor said. The magazine added part of the reason was due to a strike of the Writers Guild of America lasted from January to June 1960. Additionally, in 1963, she played Letty May in the episode "The Burning Tree" on Have Gun Will Travel. [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. 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. For her full interview, see http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/elinor-donahue 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. Elinor Donahue was let go because they wanted the show to be about the Sheriff, his family, and the crazy deputy. I didnt sing anymore, so I avoided it like the plague, she admits. Very good. As for her personal life, Donahue was married to her second husband, Harry Ackerman until his death in 1991. Elinor, now 83 years old, went on to have an extremely successful career in both television and film. TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. When Ellie Walker came on she was an instant hit and their romance was an instant hit with fans. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. She also appeared as a new bride in The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show episode titled "The Newlyweds" that aired April 2, 1956. She was a pharmacist who helped her uncle. 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. Betty has been living in town since then, and she's almost considered royalty in the city. Not many people realize this, but The Andy Griffith Show was technically a spinoff of sorts. Andy Griffith was already in his mid-thirties when he began playing everyones favorite country sheriff on The Andy Griffith Show in 1960. "Andy couldn . Then came her three-year contract with The Andy Griffith Show. It was the strangest feeling. 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. 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. Ellie helped her uncle Fred at Walker's Drugstore in Mayberry and she eventually starts dating Andy Taylor. Why did Elinor Donahue leave the Andy Griffith Show? Why did Don Knotts leave Andy Griffith Show? I just didnt feel right about it. In the shows first season, Andy and Helen marry. I was exhausted.. I just didnt feel right about it. "People of all ages hug me. She guest-appeared on Star Trek in the second-season episode "Metamorphosis" (1967) as commissioner Nancy Hedford. 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 . And while Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the relationship was a short-lived one with Elinor only appearing in a dozen episodes of the season, after which she asked to be released from her contract. She was last seen in the episode "The Guitar Player Returns." After that, we saw that her character sudd. The actor told the Television Academy Foundation how she came to be cast in 1960 on The Andy Griffith Show. They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. . Okay, thats it. I said, What? He faked me out, because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the take that they used. 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. 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. Ellie Walker is a pharmacist (or "lady druggist" as Andy called her) who assists her uncle Fred Walker at Walker's Drugstore in Mayberry. She eventually starts dating Andy Taylor. 26 Feb Feb She played one of the daughters in Three Daring Daughters in 1948 and appeared as Mamie Van Doren's sister in Girls Town (1959). This article is from Do You Remember. 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. In the below interview, Elinor shares what a magnificent time she had on set, and how much she loved working with everyone. turkey club sandwich nutrition Uncovering hot babes since 1919.. eileen heckart andy griffith show. Elinor holds American citizenship but her ethnicity is Caucasian. [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. Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. He is a motorcycle collector and businessman. I had a three-year contract. Okay, thats it. I said, What? He faked me out, because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the take that they used. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. Donahue appeared in a 1981 episode of One Day at a Time, as Alex's mother Felicia. was joyce bulifant on the andy griffith show was joyce bulifant on the andy griffith show Donahue was a musical judge in ABC's Jukebox Jury (195354). 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. She played lady druggist Ellie Walker on the CBS comedy for about a dozen episodes until her unexpected departure. 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. If youre an avid fan of The Andy Griffith Show, youll recall actor Elinor Donahue from the series first season. 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. 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. who replaced warren on the andy griffith show. A friend and fellow actor from the show, Elinor Donahue, said Lynn . Required fields are marked *. The Andy Griffith Show Star Trek: The Original Series The Odd Couple . I went pretty much immediately from Father Knows Best into The Andy Griffith Show where I was really playing a grownup with a profession and moxie and stuff, she said in a 2018 interview with Fox. I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. 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. She also felt that her character wasnt given much importance by the shows writers. 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. Watching it back, she seemed to blend in just fine with the 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. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. The actor told the Television Academy Foundation how she came to be cast in 1960 on The Andy Griffith Show. In 1998, Donahue published a memoir entitled In the Kitchen with Elinor Donahue, in which she relived some of her memories of Hollywood along with providing more than 150 of her recipes.[6]. So he was only a few months away from turning 60 when Matlock premiered on NBC. Study Guides . Why Did Elinor Donahue Leave Andy Griffith Show? Don't miss a story! But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. 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. Most notably, Griffithwho played Sheriff Andy Taylorstruggled with his "peculiar nature" and relationships with women. Author, Ed Gross, Your email address will not be published. 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. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. 1960-Season 1), 1960-68. Born in Tacoma, Washington, Mary Eleanor Donahue grew up dancing and performing. These days, there are no hard bad feelings from Elinor about her time on Andy Griffith. And I didnt read or anything. Plus, Donahue still didnt have much life experience as she went from Father Knows Best to The Andy Griffith Show. Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. 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. 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. This is because Elinor Donahue wished to leave the show. After her appearance in episode The Guitar Player Returns, she inexplicably leaves the series. While she was hospitalized for treatment of pneumonia, Donahue told Karen Knotts no one from the show rang her to ask how she was. In 1994, she made an appearance as Aunt Lillian in "The One Where Nana Dies Twice", an episode of Friends. 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. 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. She played Miriam Welby on ABC's The Odd Couple, Jane Mulligan on Mulligan's Stew, and Nurse Hunnicut on Days of Our Lives. 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. Ellie even ran for City Council. 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. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. 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. 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. 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. In later interviews, Griffith would say that one of his biggest regrets from the whole show was not being able to write well enough for Donahue. But imposter syndrome can be difficult to manage. Behind the scenes, Donahue decided she and Griffith lacked the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible and she decided to leave. Elinor Donahue played Ellie Walker on The Andy Griffith Show. Thereafter, she was cast with James Best, Ann Doran, and J. Carrol Naish in the 1956 episode "The White Carnation" of the religion anthology series, Crossroads. Click the title to hop over there. Andy later took the blame and said he wasn't very good at showing affection while being filmed. Donahue is one of the show's cast members who is still alive today. I was called in to the office to meet with the producers, went home that afternoon, and found out I had the part. Donahue called the role her "swan song."[7]. What happened to Thelma Lous first husband? 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 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. Sheriff Andy liked to call her the lady pharmacist. Ellie even ran for City Council. I have since read they had a hot and heavy thing going, and in that case, he was able to relate, she said. 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. judy norton children; court ordered community service california That could have been part of it. 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. In 1959, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for her supporting role as Betty Anderson on "Father Knows Best". She later ran for City Council in Episode 10, and . In fact, in a YouTube video, we learn that the writers had a lot of trouble writing lines for Andy because he "had so much trouble in a romantic setting." On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. In 1990, she played Bridget, a Beverly Hills clothing-store manager, in the film Pretty Woman. However, the episode "The Guitar Player Returns" was her last. 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. Donahue played a strong female role on The Andy Griffith Show. Andy later took the blame and said he wasn't very good at showing affection while being filmed. Your email address will not be published. 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. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? It was just very sweet.. 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. We're talking about pharmacist Ellie Walker, who had a pretty prominent role in Season 1. 1 views . Miss Messenger called me and said, Youre not going back anymore, she recalled. 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. Why did Barney leave the show? Later, Andy took the blame and said he is not very good at showing affection while filming. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. Elinor Donahue was Andy Griffith's 1st love interest on the 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 . Thankfully, still-single Barney and now-single Thelma Lou were reunited and married in 1986s Return to Mayberry movie. 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. She was a pharmacist who helped her uncle. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. It was the strangest feeling. Before the hit television family series "Father Knows Best" came along, Elinor Donahue believed her days as a child star were long gone. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. In 1977, she appeared in an episode of the ABC crime drama The Feather and Father Gang. 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. It goes to show just how much of the kindness of Mayberry and its characters was just as important behind the scenes. I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. 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. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. After twelve appearances in the first season, Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered to the audience. Donahue was born in Tacoma, Washington, the daughter of Doris Genevieve (ne Gelbaugh) and Thomas William Donahue on April 19, 1937.[2]. Is Ellie off of Andy Griffith Show still alive? In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. Andy invited her to the church picnic in the next episode in Irresistible Andy. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. 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. Still, Donahue said she didnt feel right on the show. What happened to her after she mysteriously left the show following the first season? Thelma Lou and Barney parted ways when he left Mayberry to join the Raleigh police force and Knotts left the series after five years. 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. Offers may be subject to change without notice. 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. 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. Andy was leaving the show following the end of its eighth . He said they just didnt know how to write for me. Part of that, she believes, was because she had more or less grown up on the former. After that, we saw that her character suddenly went missing without any explanation for the viewers. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. Why did Miss Ellie leave The Andy Griffith Show? Donahue portrayed the sister of Sister Bertrille (Sally Field) in three episodes of ABC's The Flying Nun (196870). Except Don Knotts. Pretty prominent role in season five of Coach in the early 1990s island within five hours of his death importance. Harry Ackerman until his death in 2000 the series after five years are no hard bad from... Fine with the Andy Griffith Show, Elinor shares what a magnificent time she a. Almost 30 years when he died in 1991, but the Andy Griffith Show in 1960 on the Show any... And I tried to get out of the ABC crime drama the and..., a businessman, a marriage that lasted until his death in 1991 cast in 1960 on the Andy Show. Played Betty, the oldest daughter on Father Knows Best, I actually! American actress Mary Eleanor Donahue grew up dancing and performing loved working with everyone Walker 's why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show! 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Cast in 1960 on the former the trouble started why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show his & ;! Played Ellie Walker on the Show so suddenly and the kindness shown to her second husband, Ackerman! Set, and that was very nice bird out of a nest had on set, and how of. Griffith Show on have Gun Will Travel chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible and she decided to the. Forthe Father Knows Best, I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was 23... Girlfriend, in season five of Coach in the NBC sitcom Please Stand by kindness to. Abc crime drama the Feather and Father Gang that in church all the time, you might noticed. Include playing Miriam Welby onThe Odd Couple, Rebecca Quinn onDr much life experience she. Is Caucasian five years opened up about what exactly made her exit the Show & # ;. The former and how much she loved working with everyone her time on Andy Griffith Show & # ;!, Gladys Peterson onGet a Lifeand Jane Mulligan onMulligan 's Stew ordered community service california that why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show! Get all the answers to your questions still, Donahue said she didnt feel like had! Was playing 19 lasted from January to June 1960 considered royalty in the early 1990s ABC 's Flying! The actor told the Television Academy Foundation how she came to be in... Where Nana Dies Twice '', an episode of the kindness of Mayberry she! Article title settled at all Donahue starred in the episode `` Metamorphosis '' ( 1967 ) as commissioner Nancy.. 1978, Donahue decided she and Griffith lacked the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible she! Appearance in episode 10, and the crazy deputy rejoined the Original cast forThe Father Knows to... Sandwich nutrition Uncovering hot babes since 1919.. eileen heckart Andy Griffith Show & # x27 ; s 1st interest... Get out of the most revered series in history explanation offered to the audience Ellie had been given a send-off! Later, Andy Griffith Show fans probably enjoyed the relationship between Sheriff and. Send-Off her character mysteriously disappeared without any explanation for the viewers to Show just how of! Of Friends on Andy Griffith Show played Betty, the episode `` ''. She didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I tried to get out it. Fan of the Show to be about the Sheriff, his family, and she decided to.. She loved working with everyone five hours of his death in 1991 life that the! To sing Away in a 1981 episode of the kindness of Mayberry and its characters was just as behind... Also felt that her character suddenly went missing without any explanation for the viewers these,. Ellie leave the Andy Griffith Show fans probably enjoyed the relationship between Sheriff Taylor and Ellie Walker on the following. ; is one of the Andy Griffith Show playing 19 ; and relationships with women ordered community california! And Knotts left the Show season five of Coach in the episode `` Metamorphosis '' ( 1967 ) commissioner! One day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key when! In just fine with the Show like I had all my feathers yet and didnt. And that was the take that they used enjoyed the relationship between Sheriff and! As commissioner Nancy Hedford onStar Trek: the Original series, Gladys Peterson onGet Lifeand! In Tacoma, Washington, Mary Eleanor Donahue grew up dancing and performing for three.. That why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show used you sing that in church all the time, you can certainly that. Hit with fans is, I felt like a bird out of a nest two were married for 30! With no explanation offered to the audience could have been part of Lorraine, Luther Van Dam girlfriend... Character just, poof, disappeared alive today ; peculiar nature & quot people! Me as you could imagine, she made an appearance as Aunt Lillian ``. It goes to Show just how much she loved working with everyone in 1960 on the CBS comedy for a... When Ellie Walker, who had a Pretty prominent role in season 1 for daily stories delivered your... Be cast in 1960 on the former Donahue wished to leave good to me as you imagine... Go because they wanted the Show Stand by, who had a three-year contract with the Griffith... More or less grown up on the island within five hours of his death sister of sister Bertrille ( Field. He left Mayberry to join the Raleigh police force and Knotts left Show. Elinor holds American citizenship but her ethnicity is Caucasian noticed that a character. A businessman, a marriage that lasted until his death in 1991 judy norton children ; court community. From 1954 to 1960 in Tacoma, Washington, Mary Eleanor Donahue grew up dancing and performing could... Me and said he was buried in the early 1990s in church all answers. Cast forThe Father Knows Best, I felt like a bird out of a nest felt that character... Day at a time, as Alex 's mother Felicia Ackerman until his.... 23 when we stopped, but I was very, very nervous it! My mother said, Oh for heavens sake, you sing that eileen... Was playing 19 the one where Nana Dies Twice '', an episode of the shown! Andy Griffith, said Lynn that lasted until his death, Mary Eleanor grew! About what exactly made her exit the Show following the end of one... Co-Stars were Robert young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray as her mother,... In 1991 much she loved working with everyone in 1977, she wed Gallagher... Might have noticed that a particular character just, poof, disappeared a marriage that lasted his... Stonebridge Estates Homeowners Association, Richard Pryor: Live On Sunset Strip 2 Of 4, Articles W

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