Elinor Donahue
Mary Eleanor Donahue (born April 19, 1937), credited as Elinor Donahue, is an American actress, best remembered today for playing the role of Betty Anderson, the eldest child of Robert Young and Jane Wyatt, on the 1950s American sitcom Father Knows Best.
Donahue achieved stardom for her role as the elder daughter, Betty, on the television family series Father Knows Best. 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). 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 played Georgiana Balanger in the episode "Dennis and the Wedding" (1960) on Dennis the Menace.[5] 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 Nurse Hunnicut on Days of Our Lives.
She was featured in 12 episodes of CBS's The Andy Griffith Show as pharmacist Ellie Walker, even getting a mention in the opening credits. The character was intended to be a love interest for Sheriff Andy Taylor, but after one season (1960–1961), Donahue decided to ask for a release from her three-year contract.[6]
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.
Additionally, on February 9, 1963, she played Letty May in the episode "The Burning Tree" on Have Gun Will Travel.
In the 1964–65 season, Donahue costarred as Joan Randall, the daughter of Walter Burnley, played by John McGiver, on the CBS sitcom, Many Happy Returns about the complaint department of a fictitious Los Angeles department store. She guest-appeared on Star Trek in the second-season episode "Metamorphosis" (1967) as commissioner Nancy Hedford.
In 1966, she guest starred on the TV series A Man Called Shenandoah, episode 8, "Town On Fire."
Donahue achieved stardom for her role as the elder daughter, Betty, on the television family series Father Knows Best. 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). 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 played Georgiana Balanger in the episode "Dennis and the Wedding" (1960) on Dennis the Menace.[5] 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 Nurse Hunnicut on Days of Our Lives.
She was featured in 12 episodes of CBS's The Andy Griffith Show as pharmacist Ellie Walker, even getting a mention in the opening credits. The character was intended to be a love interest for Sheriff Andy Taylor, but after one season (1960–1961), Donahue decided to ask for a release from her three-year contract.[6]
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.
Additionally, on February 9, 1963, she played Letty May in the episode "The Burning Tree" on Have Gun Will Travel.
In the 1964–65 season, Donahue costarred as Joan Randall, the daughter of Walter Burnley, played by John McGiver, on the CBS sitcom, Many Happy Returns about the complaint department of a fictitious Los Angeles department store. She guest-appeared on Star Trek in the second-season episode "Metamorphosis" (1967) as commissioner Nancy Hedford.
In 1966, she guest starred on the TV series A Man Called Shenandoah, episode 8, "Town On Fire."
Known for
![Star Trek: Inside the Roddenberry Vault](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/7ljtwcMht9hzNguP3NLdGZqke3c.jpg)
Star Trek: Inside the Roddenberry Vault
![The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/5XToqGcE4qdfOSaCPWI7kAb1bm7.jpg)
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
![Cold Case](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/5dmiNE8UdAqIyjjwZZWsjMhhV0b.jpg)
Cold Case
![Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Heart Within](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/5PgDrO3ReUqYvWjTuDSCMMI75Br.jpg)
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Heart Within
![Dear God](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/mHc6hY6Rv7S7kS50vW2vVdHWG79.jpg)
Dear God
![E! True Hollywood Story](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/zuXXivVEjOkMswJvNFFRmJW0bTZ.jpg)
E! True Hollywood Story
![Friends](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/2koX1xLkpTQM4IZebYvKysFW1Nh.jpg)
Friends
![Ellen](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/f9yc6wZLRQ3GSaN3IP7ailn8J4r.jpg)
Ellen
![Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/rF32uo83bzezkEUQ8VGarbCJi32.jpg)
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
![Eek! The Cat](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/scqjDAOkZiswdZwG5Z1C9LKyLwr.jpg)
Eek! The Cat
![Herman's Head](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/i2FWG2EureiEbTA2iD4c2y29bF0.jpg)
Herman's Head
![Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/e4qh58n2WaG4Gyh9VhjOUeN9Mhv.jpg)
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
![Get a Life](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/x5u3xjVAtOn5gCfOWXwXA8w9En1.jpg)
Get a Life
![Pretty Woman](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/dZXpE4BlesBJwLl53jUJ9mT1Jxr.jpg)
Pretty Woman
![The New Adventures of Beans Baxter](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/5NNcqsRfO81UL7RROskwVgMOtge.jpg)
The New Adventures of Beans Baxter
![The Golden Girls](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/lJKAjneNGquVBmUqHY6ZFOFImfD.jpg)
The Golden Girls
![Murder, She Wrote](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/3UxBFG4fiuZ0P9n2sCrjXh64Avy.jpg)
Murder, She Wrote
![High School U.S.A.](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/jV9Zg3DCWltwxRuOktMoXm4gx2q.jpg)
High School U.S.A.
![Going Berserk](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/1NWmIPcEK8PkvfklNLAJXveIuQi.jpg)
Going Berserk
![Just an Overnight Guest](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/vCWHnxte0QOEBupx7l2NvmAECRg.jpg)
Just an Overnight Guest
![Hotel](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/bYOQJm7O7cEPvkcMp3VI6TSP6Eg.jpg)
Hotel
![Condominium](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/9AS3vrblZwMcs82J7MFx0R45flu.jpg)
Condominium
![Diff'rent Strokes](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/7Z8BcfA2CD0CQ0m4ltgPqT5rdr9.jpg)
Diff'rent Strokes
![Police Story: No Margin for Error](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/yexzWpxpg8pmYyYX2vNSbg2c46G.jpg)
Police Story: No Margin for Error
![Doctors' Private Lives](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/axpiH82bIfeKHn23U3yP1vt1n77.jpg)
Doctors' Private Lives
![Father Knows Best: Home for Christmas](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/9xkkheN7KtsAIcHr5Vdyv3SGNWQ.jpg)
Father Knows Best: Home for Christmas
![Dick Clark's Good Old Days](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/6H5O23yyDEczp2TmNz5NpR8PjNi.jpg)
Dick Clark's Good Old Days
![The Love Boat](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/fnsnazlj2bt3Fuj0pJ7wBPmuMLO.jpg)
The Love Boat
![CHiPs](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/1464ScbUZQ22RjFtRtGiv4i2Zrs.jpg)
CHiPs
![Mulligan's Stew](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/i5xQesQEHpeMEudpurvaLs51nVC.jpg)
Mulligan's Stew
![The Father Knows Best Reunion](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/xOIWpFLRylPVbOavPFKNfOrDjni.jpg)
The Father Knows Best Reunion
![Battle of the Network Stars](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/4KTe1voKfQOzLDKUsiejRjUUWO1.jpg)
Battle of the Network Stars
![One Day at a Time](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/zheJWmmDRUYuApz83ZVrrPUjL2F.jpg)
One Day at a Time
![S.W.A.T.](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/u3DbvKamBWkchckwioak3PvN8j1.jpg)
S.W.A.T.
![Police Woman](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/leF62WHfjJS4Su9AjDoz4cuqO7k.jpg)
Police Woman
![Happy Days](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/sepIwNPCEhkKvFOQSjXK6tekkjR.jpg)
Happy Days
![Police Story](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/wfhiGakYfjk8XeDKRpya9P4tNu9.jpg)
Police Story
![The Rookies](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/Aprq6E5NO2GiBwKwjFop7kOGiO1.jpg)
The Rookies
![Gidget Gets Married](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/gIO5yBMCiWI3GOJuSvhQO1o2SD1.jpg)
Gidget Gets Married
![The Odd Couple](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/5NYUeWc7lXq6pbHDP0Pz3xxKhPC.jpg)
The Odd Couple
![In Name Only](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/rg2b6GBDwREtmuQo5BWCo5GEmJg.jpg)
In Name Only
![The Flying Nun](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/4LkhFq3yKKXvv81pkbkPqPfYMeh.jpg)
The Flying Nun
![Occasional Wife](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/hOCTcb0QFhAMITUKFBO8CJ95Ivu.jpg)
Occasional Wife
![Star Trek](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/1CIGsKSq4DvJpsC4M7c8mW6iTPf.jpg)
Star Trek
![Redigo](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/1g5I1UgArPEBvEucXo7ugCDHzCu.jpg)
Redigo
![The Eleventh Hour](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/tHCn6kRC5oY5lIeI3inRHzSvpCH.jpg)
The Eleventh Hour
![The Virginian](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/oAbCE44r6wtmAnfzZI2SxyeaBmW.jpg)
The Virginian
![Dr. Kildare](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/1zJFzPsnC3ih1sdY25XbHactXiB.jpg)
Dr. Kildare
![The Andy Griffith Show](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/smOam7qXPnqlfDlMx4I0UxK5ULB.jpg)
The Andy Griffith Show
![The Brothers Brannagan](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/xfHciNIHSvJgzpk4khv6LGNjza7.jpg)
The Brothers Brannagan
![Girls Town](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/nbHxQOvHLX6LrHdRfBmoiD5cQlE.jpg)
Girls Town
![Dennis the Menace](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/1zpYhxqz9SUGMB3Q9HnyKTh31E4.jpg)
Dennis the Menace
![Imitation of Life](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/xt3cUn7lsjpaGuB279A4v8zAYRn.jpg)
Imitation of Life
![77 Sunset Strip](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/3E533YY70yC3upv49XkeDcvd5z0.jpg)
77 Sunset Strip
![Have Gun, Will Travel](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/tMxuIEqgWhlGMbGfuVEmbxKTeUZ.jpg)
Have Gun, Will Travel
![Father Knows Best](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/5uvDdhz7Fq2OceIbmmOVpk2cSwx.jpg)
Father Knows Best
![Letter to Loretta](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/lIqe2Ypo2DOXnjj31BVkemWxf2m.jpg)
Letter to Loretta
![General Electric Theater](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/sNhevbrsNi11PUwz0tXsB0wh84a.jpg)
General Electric Theater
![Love Is Better Than Ever](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/gC0WrX2JOR0USgTMZKPdncw6Pwi.jpg)
Love Is Better Than Ever
![Schlitz Playhouse of Stars](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/gWT5p5TMEAQnQAx1y0g03PUJDhJ.jpg)
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
![Her First Romance](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/rfmb22CEf2YtXPnTCKJtSpK5GXu.jpg)
Her First Romance
![The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/kvCVEK1AeNTBbY5OREw2YdRa9bF.jpg)
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
![My Blue Heaven](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/sJI3ENrXdYuqYG1YQ664FrSeBSr.jpg)
My Blue Heaven
![Tea for Two](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/8qeQo1oSoA2C2uBq1av910MHHjC.jpg)
Tea for Two
![The Happy Years](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/g86d09l5VkA3vOe0vM5SspjfSJ5.jpg)
The Happy Years
![Singing Guns](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/dsOVwbGqgZ6dqWHEZfOzMLJTaRy.jpg)
Singing Guns
![An Old-Fashioned Girl](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/3l4Vdozc0Ssq8vz3W8a57HUyNQj.jpg)
An Old-Fashioned Girl
![Tenth Avenue Angel](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/hMP7SHVJuxEUBBbMTbb408VbEpA.jpg)
Tenth Avenue Angel
![Three Daring Daughters](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/sp5X8QZvVgM1c4I3DCr4aBm3ERT.jpg)
Three Daring Daughters
![The Unfinished Dance](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/3BHsGpJ9gNnQc06HE9b7EM56N5d.jpg)
The Unfinished Dance
![Winter Wonderland](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/y9M24ecvdpwgrmSQg7Ryzswkt2a.jpg)
Winter Wonderland
![And Now Tomorrow](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/4p3xBkHbviV0shBaDP4e9cbOdmZ.jpg)
And Now Tomorrow
![Honeymoon Lodge](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/d3pQsaNBcV6uxhAmAAa4aUnAQcn.jpg)
Honeymoon Lodge
![Mister Big](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/y5CoUTx0ugeQXFaCWwTU9JNq1V6.jpg)
Mister Big