why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show
RELATED: How Did The Andy Griffith Show End? 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. Ellie Walker is a pharmacist (or "lady druggist" as Andy called her) who assists her uncle Fred Walker at Walker's Drugstore in Mayberry. Why Do Cross Country Runners Have Skinny Legs? Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. I did 11 episodes, just there for the first season, Donahue said in a 2006 interview with the Archive of American Television. In 1994, she made an appearance as Aunt Lillian in "The One Where Nana Dies Twice", an episode of Friends. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. It seemed like the conflict she experienced on the show that caused her to stay on for only a year came from herself. In the episode, Danny Thomas drives through the town of Mayberry and gets pulled over by Sheriff Taylor for running an unnoticed stop sign. 'The Andy Griffith Show' is one of the most revered series in history. Thankfully, she was able to leave the show with no bad blood. 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 . Except Don Knotts. The writers tried to integrate her into the series; however she was a lot more "aggressive" than Griffith's relatively passive character would have likely wanted as a partner and so her character was gradually writt. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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 didnt think there was any real chemistry there. There didnt seem to be any fight about it, so I left the show at the end of the first year.. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? 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. 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. Father Knows Best was canceled in 1960 when Young left the show. In 1992, she voiced the mother on the Fox Kids animated series Eek! What happened to Thelma Lous first husband? Elinor Donahue. In 1984, she made an appearance as Mrs. Broderick, the mother of a teenage drug addict on the last season of Happy Days. She also felt that her character wasnt given much importance by the shows writers. 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. 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. She hasn't appeared in any onscreen roles since 2011. As she grew older, she began seeking out roles in feature films.But it was television where she found her best work. Andy later took the blame and said he wasn't very good at showing affection while being filmed. Walker was Mayberrys pharmacist. 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., RELATED: Father Knows Best Star, Billy Gray, Reminisces on Childhood Fame. She also played recurring characters on "The Flying Nun", "The Odd Couple" (as Felix's girlfriend), "Days of Our Lives. 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. 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. It really affected him. 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. 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 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.. She guest starred on an episode of U.S. 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. 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'm so welcomed here. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. View results. Watching it back, she seemed to blend in just fine with the show. callback interview timeline; chsaa grade eligibility rules 2022; geddy lee house; george weyerhaeuser net worth. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. 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 was an ongoing whirlwind. 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. But it didnt seem like Donahue ever had any sort of conflict with Andy Griffith or anyone else working on the show. She needed to take a break for her emotional health. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. 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 part of the main cast for the first season of CBS's The Andy Griffith Show, as Andy's pharmacist love interest Ellie Walker, she was even mentioned in the opening credits before Don Knotts; after one season (19601961), Donahue asked for a release from her three-year contract.[5]. Thankfully, still-single Barney and now-single Thelma Lou were reunited and married in 1986s Return to Mayberry movie. Elinor holds American citizenship but her ethnicity is Caucasian. Then came her three-year contract with The Andy Griffith Show. Then he said, Oh, that was very nice. Betty Lynn, most famously known for her portrayal of Thelma Lou on the classic "The Andy Griffith Show," has died at age 95. . Is Ellie off of Andy Griffith Show still alive? Donahue played Ellie Walker from 1960 through 1961. Very good. In 1991, she portrayed the "Orphanage woman" in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare. she and Andy Griffith didn't have enough chemistry. The trouble started with his very first onscreen girlfriend, Ellie Walker, played by Elinor Donahue. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. Part of that, she believes, was because she had more or less grown up on the former. The Home of Nostalgia. Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. 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. Pleshette married twice. He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. It goes to show just how much of the kindness of Mayberry and its characters was just as important behind the scenes. The Andy Griffith Show actress Elinor Donahue said she was "not a happy camper" while working on the show. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. In The Andy Griffith Shows only Christmas episode, Ellie and Andy sang a duet, Away in the Manger. Donahue played a strong female role on The Andy Griffith Show. Don't miss a story! Are any cast members of The Andy Griffith Show still alive? Born in Tacoma, Washington, Mary Eleanor Donahue grew up dancing and performing. Very good. 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. I just didnt feel right about it. She later ran for City Council in Episode 10, and . . At least now we know what happened. 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. So Andy Griffith got rid of her so the show could stay on track. Woodsy locales were filmed north of Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon. Author, Ed Gross, Your email address will not be published. It was the strangest feeling. 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.". Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. Why did Ellie leave Andy Griffith Show? Later, Andy took the blame and said he is not very good at showing affection while filming. Walker was Mayberry's pharmacist. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. After her appearance in episode The Guitar Player Returns, she inexplicably leaves the series. Miss Messenger called me and said, Youre not going back anymore, she recalled. As a producer, he dominated early television. 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 . 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. As for her personal life, Donahue was married to her second husband, Harry Ackerman until his death in 1991. Get Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/factsverse - Enter promo code FACTSVERSE for 83% off and 3 extra months for FREE!Do you remember watching the ic. She later rejoined the original cast forThe Father Knows Best Reunionin 1977. If anything, Griffith felt bad that he couldnt do more. with Father Knows Best's Elinor Donahue as the druggist . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Andy talked to some of his friends who were reluctant to vote for a woman (this was 1960, after all). He was buried in the Griffith family cemetery on the island within five hours of his death. 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. They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. 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.. After her appearance in episode the Guitar Player Returns, she voiced the on. 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