Elinor Donahue (born Mary Eleanor Donahue; April 19, 1937) is a retired American actress known for playing the role of Betty Anderson, the eldest child of Jim and Margaret Anderson, on the 1950s American sitcom Father Knows Best.
Early life and career Donahue was born in Tacoma, Washington, the daughter of Doris Genevieve (née Gelbaugh) and Thomas William Donahue on April 19, 1937.
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. She was a child actress working in vaudeville and had several bit parts in movies as a teenager, including Love Is Better Than Ever (1952), starring Elizabeth Taylor and Tea for Two (1950) starring Doris Day. She played one of the daughters in Three Daring Daughters in 1948 and appeared as Mamie Van Doren's sister in Girls Town (1959).
Father Knows Best
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. 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.
Donahue was a musical judge in ABC's Jukebox Jury (1953–54).Jukebox Jury: Research Video, Inc.: Music Footing Licensing Agency and Vintage Television Footage Archive 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. 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. She guest-starred on an episode of U.S. Marshal. 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 acted in the feature film Girls Town (1959 film), which she later described as "an awful picture".
1960s to 1980s Donahue played Georgiana Balanger, the niece of George and Martha Wilson, in the episode "Dennis and the Wedding" (1960) on Dennis the Menace. Donahue was also cast, in 1960, with Marion Ross in an episode ("Duet") of The Brothers Brannagan. She played Miriam Welby on ABC's The Odd Couple, Jane Mulligan on Mulligan's Stew, and evil Nurse Hunnicut on Days of Our Lives.
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 (1960–1961), Donahue asked for a release from her three-year contract. She and Ron Howard are the last surviving regularly credited cast members from that show.
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 she played in another Western series Have Gun Will Travel as Letty May in the episode "The Burning Tree".
In 1964, she appeared in the NBC TV series The Eleventh Hour, a medical drama dealing with psychiatry, starring Jack Ging and Ralph Bellamy, where she played the role of Melanie in the episode "The Secret in the Stone".
In 1966, she guest-starred on the TV series A Man Called Shenandoah, episode 8, "Town On Fire".
In 1967, she guest-appeared on Star Trek in the second-season episode "Metamorphosis" as commissioner Nancy Hedford.
Donahue portrayed the sister of Sister Bertrille (Sally Field) in three episodes of ABC's The Flying Nun (1968–70).
She portrayed Miriam Welby in 17 episodes of The Odd Couple (1972–75).
In 1977, she appeared in an episode of the ABC crime drama The Feather and Father Gang.
In 1978, Donahue starred in the NBC sitcom Please Stand By.
In 1979, she appeared on Diff'rent Strokes as a fiancée to Mr. Drummond in season 1.
In 1981, Donahue appeared in an episode of One Day at a Time, as Alex's mother Felicia.
In 1984, she made an appearance as Mrs. Broderick, the mother of a teenage drug addict on the last season of Happy Days.
In 1987, she played the title character's mother in the short-lived Fox series The New Adventures of Beans Baxter.
In 1988, she appeared in a Newhart episode ("Courtin' Disaster").
In 1989 she appeared in an episode of The Golden Girls as the newest wife of Dorothy Zbornak's ex-husband, Stan.
1990s and later In 1990, she played Bridget, a Beverly Hills clothing-store manager, in the film Pretty Woman. Donahue played Gladys, the mother of Chris Peterson (Chris Elliott), in all 35 episodes of the sitcom Get a Life (1990–92), and had a recurring role as Rebecca Quinn on the CBS drama series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
In 1991, she portrayed the "Orphanage woman" in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare.
In 1992, she voiced the mother on the Fox Kids animated series Eek! the Cat. In 1994, she made an appearance as Aunt Lillian in "The One Where Nana Dies Twice", an episode of Friends. She played the part of Lorraine, Luther Van Dam's girlfriend, in season five of Coach in the early 1990s.
In 1998, Donahue published a memoir titled 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.
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. The wedding took place in front of the Abbotts' new home, which just happened to be a replica of the Anderson house from Father Knows Best.
In 2015, Donahue played the role of Mrs. Chumley in Judson Theatre Company's production of the Pulitzer Prize play Harvey by Mary Chase. Donahue called the role her "swan song".
Personal life Donahue has been married three times. Her first husband was sound producer Richard Smith whom she married in 1955. She had one son with him. They divorced in 1961. Her second marriage, to producer Harry Ackerman, who was 25 years her senior, was in 1962 at the Court of Liberty. He was the adoptive father of her son from her first marriage, and Donahue and he had three sons together. Ackerman died in 1991. As a memorial and resource for the history of American television, Donahue donated Ackerman's personal papers to the Rauner Library at Dartmouth College, his alma mater. In 1992, she married actor Lou Genevrino.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role1943Mister BigMuggsy1943Honeymoon LodgeJanie Thomas1944Bowery to BroadwayYoung Bessie Jo1944And Now TomorrowJanice - age 41946Winter WonderlandBetty Wheeler1947Josie1948Three Daring DaughtersAlix Morgan1948Tenth Avenue AngelCynthia1948Toni MacGregor1949An Old-Fashioned GirlMaud Shaw1950Connie Brown1950Tea for TwoLynne Smith1950My Blue HeavenMary1951Her First RomanceLucille Stewart1952Love Is Better Than EverPattie Marie Levoy1959Girls TownMary Lee Morgan1983Going BerserkMargaret Anderson1990Pretty WomanBridget2004Lady Palimore
Television Year Title Role Notes1954–60Father Knows BestBetty AndersonMain role1955Lux Video TheatreHelen RichardsEpisode: "The Life of Emile Zola"1955Letter to LorettaDebbie Waring / Janey2 episodes1956Emily Vanderlip FosterEpisode: "The Newlyweds"1956Ford TheatreKatherine CaseyEpisode: "Sheila"1958U.S. MarshalMartha WatsonEpisode: "Shoot to Kill"1960Goodyear TheatreConnie PetersEpisode: "Marked Down for Connie"1960Dennis the MenaceGeorgiana BalangerEpisode: "Dennis and the Wedding"1960Kate WarrenEpisode: "Duet"1960–61Elinor "Ellie" WalkerMain cast (season 1)1961General Electric TheaterCarol MadsenEpisode: "A Voice on the Phone"1961Fran CrowellEpisode: "Delayed Honeymoon"196377 Sunset StripLaura HoltEpisode: "Scream Softly, Dear"1963Have Gun – Will TravelLetty Mae StinchcombEpisode: "The Burning Tree"1963Dr. KildareSharon CallowayEpisode: "Ship's Doctor"1963RedigoJoanie-Mae KilpatrickEpisode: "Hostage Hero Riding"1963Carole ColeEpisode: "Siege"1964MelanieEpisode: "The Secret in the Stone"1964–65Many Happy ReturnsJoan RandallMain role1965Julie WadeEpisode: "Town on Fire"1967Occasional WifeLinda SueEpisode: "Oil, Be Seeing You"1967Star Trek: The Original SeriesNancy HedfordEpisode: "Metamorphosis"1968–70Dr. Jennifer Ethrington3 episodes1969In Name OnlyEsther GarrityABC Movie of the Week1972Gidget Gets MarriedMedley BlaineABC Movie of the Week1972–75Miriam WelbyRecurring role1974If I Love You, Am I Trapped Forever?Alice BennettTV film1974Police WomanEllie TarlowEpisode: "Warning: All Wives"1974AmandaEpisode: "Blue Christmas"1975PetrocelliJoan HillerEpisode: "Vengeance in White"1976S.W.A.T.Marjorie KempEpisode: "Lessons in Fear"1977JulieEpisode: "The People's Choice"1977Betty AndersonTV film1977InsightMargaret DrillEpisode: "Christmas 2025"1977Mulligan's StewJane MulliganMain role1977Father Knows Best: Home for ChristmasBetty AndersonTV film1977Police StoryCamille TackleberryEpisode: "Ice Time"1978Police StoryJoan AndersonEpisode: "No Margin for Error"1978Doctors' Private LivesMona WiseTV film1978Please Stand ByCarol LambertSitcom TV series - one year, aired in syndication1979Diff'rent StrokesDiane SloaneEpisode: "The Woman"1980CondominiumAudrey AmesTV film1980Barnaby JonesJudy CorbettEpisode: "The Silent Accuser"1981Mork & MindyDr. Joni LincolnEpisode: "Mindy and Mork"1981Ellie WilliamsTV film1981One Day at a TimeFeliciaEpisode: "Alex Moves In"1981Fantasy IslandMadge Nolan / Blanche Barrens2 episodes1982 The Dukes of HazzardMarjorie DaneEpisode: "The Sound of Music - Hazzard Style" 1983High School U.S.A.Mrs. FranklinTV film1983HotelLouiseEpisode: "Deceptions"1984No Earthly ReasonMrs. MorrisonTV film1984Happy DaysMrs. BroderickEpisode: "School Dazed"1984–85Days of Our LivesKate HoneycuttGuest role1986RiptideElaine WarwickEpisode: "Echoes"1987Betty AndersonEpisode: "Who Killed Maxwell Thorn?"1987Susan BaxterRegular role1988CBS Schoolbreak SpecialLaura DonovanEpisode: "Never Say Goodbye"1988NewhartIrmaEpisode: "Courtin' Disaster"1989KatherineEpisode: "Stan Takes a Wife"1989GenerationsSylvia FurthTV series1989Santa BarbaraDr. Anderson2 episodes1990Murder, She WroteConnie LewisEpisode: "The Szechuan Dragon"1990–92Get a LifeGladys PetersonMain role1992Herman's HeadMrs. FitzerEpisode: "A Charlie Brown Fitzer"1992–93Eek! The CatMomVoice1993Queen EleanoraVoice, episode: "The Jubilee"1993CoachLorraine2 episodes1993Biker Mice from MarsMunsterellaVoice, episode: "A Scent, a Memory, a Far Distant Cheese"1993–97Dr. Quinn, Medicine WomanRebecca QuinnRecurring role (seasons 2–6)1994FriendsAunt LillianEpisode: "The One Where Nana Dies Twice"1995Norma Winters2 episodes1996EllenDelores WarwellEpisode: "The Tape"1999Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love StoryMrs. LebowitzTV film2001Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Heart WithinRebecca Quinn DickinsonTV film2005Cold CaseEsther 'Legs' DavisEpisode: "Colors"2010–11Judge Marie AndersonGuest role (4 episodes)
Literature Year Title Publisher CategoryNotes 1998 In the Kitchen With Elinor Donahue: Favorite Memories and Recipes from a Life in Hollywood Cumberland House Memoir / Nonfiction Paperback
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 1959 11th Primetime Emmy Awards Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Father Knows Best 2004 TV Land Award Legend Award The Andy Griffith Show
References
Further reading Dye, David. Child and Youth Actors: Filmography of Their Entire Careers, 1914–1985. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 1988, pp. 58–59.
External links