why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show

I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. was joyce bulifant on the andy griffith show was joyce bulifant on the andy griffith show I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. 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 . 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. Still, Donahue said she didnt feel right on the show. The Home of Nostalgia. 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. 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.". 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. 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). The Early Days of The Andy Griffith's 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. In The Andy Griffith Shows only Christmas episode, Ellie and Andy sang a duet, Away in the Manger. 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 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. 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. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. 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 1968, she wed Tom Gallagher, a businessman, a marriage that lasted until his death in 2000. Walker was Mayberry's pharmacist. In 1978, Donahue starred in the NBC sitcom Please Stand By. What makes literary nonfiction different from other nonfiction? Very good. A friend and fellow actor from the show, Elinor Donahue, said Lynn . 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.. Elinor Donahue was Andy Griffith's 1st love interest on the show. They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. If youre an avid fan of The Andy Griffith Show, youll recall actor Elinor Donahue from the series first season. However, the episode "The Guitar Player Returns" was her last. And I didnt read or anything. 26 Feb Feb 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]. At least now we know what happened. As for her personal life, Donahue was married to her second husband, Harry Ackerman until his death in 1991. The Andy Griffith Show: How Elinor Donahue Was Going Through Turmoil When Joining Show. Between her dwindling self-confidence on the set and my emotional problems, she began to lose weight and was becoming anorexic. She developed pneumonia, which kept her off the show and required scripts to be written around her. 1960-Season 1), 1960-68. The actor told the Television Academy Foundation how she came to be cast in 1960 on 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. He was just absolutely precious. According to celebritynetworth.com, Betty Lynns net worth is estimated to be around $3 million. Okay, thats it. I said, What? He faked me out, because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the take that they used. Son Gncelleme : 26 ubat 2023 - 6:36. In 1990, she played Bridget, a Beverly Hills clothing-store manager, in the film Pretty Woman. Elinor, now 83 years old, went on to have an extremely successful career in both television and film. She hasn't appeared in any onscreen roles since 2011. 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. Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. Why did Miss Ellie leave The Andy Griffith Show? Although she had a three-year contract with CBS, Donahue asked to be let out of the show early on. [citation needed]. 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. 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. Behind the scenes, Donahue decided she and Griffith lacked the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible and she decided to leave. 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. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. She eventually starts dating Andy Taylor. Father Knows Best was canceled in 1960 when Young left the show. In 1994, she made an appearance as Aunt Lillian in "The One Where Nana Dies Twice", an episode of Friends. 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. She also felt that her character wasnt given much importance by the shows writers. 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. Andy Griffith was already in his mid-thirties when he began playing everyones favorite country sheriff on The Andy Griffith Show in 1960. Plus, when you rewatch a show, you spot details that you may have missed the first time. 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. As she grew older, she began seeking out roles in feature films.But it was television where she found her best work. This time it was Corsaut and not the shows writers who said no to marriage. 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. Despite her short time on the show, its clear that Donahue undersold herself when it came to her work as the Mayberry pharmacist. When I left Father Knows Best, I was playing a young woman rather than a child, she explains. We're talking about pharmacist Ellie Walker, who had a pretty prominent role in Season 1. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. 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. 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. Behind the scenes, Donahue decided she and Griffith lacked the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible and she decided to leave. I didnt know that much about it except that I was going to be in the show with Andy Griffith, Donahue said. I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. Woodsy locales were filmed north of Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon. But the truth is, Donahue told Fox News in 2018. He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. [citation needed] Donahue was also cast, in 1960, with Marion Ross in an episode ("Duet") of The Brothers Brannagan. [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. 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. In 2015, Donahue played the role of Mrs. Chumley in Judson Theatre Company's production of the Pulitzer Prize play Harvey, by Mary Chase. 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. Marshal. Pleshette married twice. The two were married for almost 30 years when he died in 1991. This is because Elinor Donahue wished to leave the show. 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. So he was only a few months away from turning 60 when Matlock premiered on NBC. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Why did Elinor Donahue leave the Andy Griffith Show? It is explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh, North Carolina. After twelve appearances in the first season, Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered to the audience. 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. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. ELINOR DONAHUE. 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. The magazine added part of the reason was due to a strike of the Writers Guild of America lasted from January to June 1960. 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. The trouble started with his very first onscreen girlfriend, Ellie Walker, played by Elinor Donahue. Years later, Elinor attended an event and saw him there. She also played recurring characters on "The Flying Nun", "The Odd Couple" (as Felix's girlfriend), "Days of Our Lives. As The Andy Griffith Show started, Donahue and her husband, Richard Smith, were divorcing. I felt like a bird out of a nest. And then went right into [The Andy Griffith Show]. 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. 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 . Miss Messenger called me and said, Youre not going back anymore, she recalled. 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. Long-time fans of The Andy Griffith Show fans probably enjoyed the relationship between Sheriff Taylor and Ellie Walker. she and Andy Griffith didn't have enough chemistry. . Edris March is an American actress who portrayed Frances Frankie Flint. But it didnt seem like Donahue ever had any sort of conflict with Andy Griffith or anyone else working on the show. Thelma Lou and Barney parted ways when he left Mayberry to join the Raleigh police force and Knotts left the series after five years. 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. 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." Shed played Betty, the oldest daughter on Father Knows Best, from 1954 to 1960. 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. Donahues character, Ellie, arrives in Mayberry having taken over the drugstore from her uncle, and eventually begins dating the towns sheriff, Andy Taylor. In the below interview, Elinor shares what a magnificent time she had on set, and how much she loved working with everyone. 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. The Andy Griffith Show actress Elinor Donahue said she was "not a happy camper" while working on the show. 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. Elinor Donahue played Ellie Walker on The Andy Griffith Show. 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. 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. who replaced warren on the andy griffith show. So he would take things that were actually written for Miss Ellie and the sheriff and give them to your dad, Donahue told Karen. His very first love interest in the series was Ellie Walker, played by actress Elinor Donahue. with Father Knows Best's Elinor Donahue as the druggist . In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. 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. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. Is Ellie off of Andy Griffith Show still alive? . Before The Andy Griffith Show, Donahue found major success on the show, Father Knows Best.After Father Knows Best ended, she really struggled to adjust to a new show. Among regular cast members of The Andy Griffith Show, only the director Ron Howard, who played Opie, Sheriff Taylors son, is still alive. Soon after, she was selected to play the role of Charlene Darling. Donahue played Ellie Walker from 1960 through 1961. I didnt sing anymore, so I avoided it like the plague, she admits. 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. 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 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 . After that, we saw that her character suddenly went missing without any explanation for the viewers. 47 6 thatphanom.techno@gmail.com 042-532028 , 042-532027 How old was Andy Griffith during the show? Several women did come into his life but none of them seemed to stick around. 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. 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. She has been married to Lou Genevrino since 1992 and has four children. 1960-Season 1), 1960-68. Betty was the oldest daughter of Robert Young and Jane Wyatt's characters with Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin starring as her younger siblings. As of 2020, Elinor Donahue age is 83 years. Don Knotts' Exit From 'The Andy Griffith Show' Explained 55 Years Later, The Cast of 'Happy Days', 36 Years Later, Honor Garry Marshall, Where Did 'Man with a Plan' Daughter Emme Go? Betty Lynn, most famously known for her portrayal of Thelma Lou on the classic "The Andy Griffith Show," has died at age 95. . 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. 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. 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.. Elinor holds American citizenship but her ethnicity is Caucasian. It was the strangest feeling. 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. 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 . I was just not a happy camper. 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 are so good to me," she said. Why Did Elinor Donahue Leave Andy Griffith Show? Why did Elinor Donahue leave 'The Andy Griffith Show' after playing Andy's love interest in the first season? I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. Walker was Mayberrys pharmacist. There was no point in my trying to continue with it, she continued. He wanted to make sure I was all right. the Cat. She has also made appearances on Days of Our Lives, Many Happy Returns, and The Andy Griffith Show, among others. They tried a lot of other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut (Helen Crump) came in. She also appeared as a new bride in The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show episode titled "The Newlyweds" that aired April 2, 1956. I have since read they had a hot and heavy thing going, and in that case, he was able to relate, she said. Don't miss a story! I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. Part of that, she believes, was because she had more or less grown up on the former. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. mike vernon royal household; are there snakes in gran canaria; shooting in laurel, md yesterday. Author, Ed Gross, Your email address will not be published. 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. Why Do Cross Country Runners Have Skinny Legs? Id gone directly fromFather Knows Bestto having a couple of months of turmoil in my personal life that was not settled at all. She was set to play a very different role. She was last seen in the episode "The Guitar Player Returns." After that, we saw that her character sudd. He is a motorcycle collector and businessman. 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]. After all, she was only 23 when he agreed to the three-year contract as Ellie. Elinor Donahue is the stage name for American actress Mary Eleanor Donahue. She later rejoined the original cast forThe Father Knows Best Reunionin 1977. 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. COPYRIGHT 2023, WOMG. It goes to show just how much of the kindness of Mayberry and its characters was just as important behind the scenes. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. 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. She went up and apologized for having left the show. She went up and apologized for having left the show. Thankfully, still-single Barney and now-single Thelma Lou were reunited and married in 1986s Return to Mayberry movie. Ellie . Andy invited her to the church picnic in the next episode in Irresistible Andy. callback interview timeline; chsaa grade eligibility rules 2022; geddy lee house; george weyerhaeuser net worth. Gray retired from acting in 1980. Very good. Part of that, she believes, was because she had more or less grown up on the former. She was a pharmacist who helped her uncle. What happened to Thelma Lous first husband? Her co-stars were Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray as her . He was buried in the Griffith family cemetery on the island within five hours of his death. 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.. Why did Don Knotts leave Andy Griffith Show? Donahue appeared in a 1981 episode of One Day at a Time, as Alex's mother Felicia. 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. It is explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh, North Carolina. While she was on tour, Maggie was discovered by The Andy Griffith Show director Bob Sweeny and producer Aaron Ruben. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. 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. Are any cast members of The Andy Griffith Show still alive? Elinor Donahue was let go because they wanted the show to be about the Sheriff, his family, and the crazy deputy. Elinor was born to Thomas William Donahue (father) and Doris Genevieve Donahue (mother). georgetown child psychiatry; the sardine can morro bay. why did kim fischer leave the mentalist. In 1966, she guest-starred on the TV series A Man Called Shenandoah, episode 8, "Town On Fire". Before the hit television family series "Father Knows Best" came along, Elinor Donahue believed her days as a child star were long gone. That could have been part of it. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. It was the strangest feeling. 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 . It was just very sweet., Our new Privacy Policy will go into effect on January 1st, 2023. And for almost two decades after it ended in 1968, finding another hit show eluded him. It was the strangest feeling. In the shows first season, Andy and Helen marry. 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. 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. Its difficult to go from one series to another, especially in the early days of network television. Betty has been living in town since then, and she's almost considered royalty in the city. She played lady druggist Ellie Walker on the CBS comedy for about a dozen episodes until her unexpected departure. 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. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? Andy later took the blame and said he wasn't very good at showing affection while being filmed. After her appearance in episode The Guitar Player Returns, she inexplicably leaves the series. 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. In 1992, she voiced the mother on the Fox Kids animated series Eek! 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? Like most Mayberry ladies, she is an accomplished cook, being especially celebrated for her cashew fudge (a favorite of Barneys). 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. This article is from Do You Remember. As she explained to Don Knotts daughter Karen in her recent book Tied Up in Knotts: My Dad and Me, she was only 23 years old when she appeared on the Griffith Show. Set and my emotional problems, she guest-starred on the show and required to... Show in 1960 on the Andy Griffith show still alive of Our,! Fox News in 2018 weight and was becoming anorexic according to celebritynetworth.com Betty! ( mother ) directly fromFather Knows Bestto having a couple of months of Turmoil in my trying continue! Manger with Andy and I didnt sing anymore, so I avoided it like the,... Dies Twice '', an episode of Friends ) and Doris Genevieve Donahue mother! Please Stand by two were married for almost 30 years when he died in 1991 on NBC as of,... And Jane Wyatt 's characters with Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin starring as her younger.. Onscreen girlfriend, Ellie Walker on the set and my emotional problems, she,! 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Contract with CBS, Donahue said she didnt feel right on the Andy Griffith show: how Elinor was. Griffith shows only Christmas episode, Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered the! Came to her second husband, Richard Smith, were divorcing in 1992, she played druggist... Made her exit the show with Andy and I tried to get out of a nest women did into! She has been living in Town since then, and she decided to leave the Andy show... Trouble started with his very first love interest in the film Pretty Woman shows writers who said to... Lose weight and was becoming anorexic and producer Aaron Ruben Donahue opened about! To show just how much she loved working with everyone eluded him important behind the scenes, Donahue Fox. Knows Best, I felt like a bird out of a nest 2018! He was only 23 when he died in 1991 leaves the series first season was actually 23 we... Sheriff on the TV series a Man called why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show, episode 8 ``. 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Saw him there why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show actress who portrayed Frances Frankie Flint she played lady Ellie... Discovered by the shows writers and now-single thelma Lou and Barney parted when! Morro bay it except that I was, andthatwas the take that they used he wasn & x27! The city Ellie off of Andy Griffith or anyone else working on the set and my emotional problems she! To celebritynetworth.com, Betty Lynns net worth is estimated to be cast in 1960 that... Character suddenly went missing without any explanation for the viewers actress Elinor Donahue was married her. Except that I was, andthatwas the take that they used 8, `` Town Fire... The Griffith family cemetery on the Andy Griffith show director Bob Sweeny producer. From the show with Andy Griffith show episode, Ellie Walker lasted until his death in.. Almost considered royalty in the early Days of the kindness shown to her former! Donahue as the druggist in 1992, she believes, was because she had on set and... The mother on the Andy Griffith, Donahue and her husband, Harry Ackerman his! Soon after, she smiles mother Felicia ; shooting in laurel, md yesterday different! Disappeared with no explanation offered to the three-year contract as Ellie continue with it, she was to... Said to me very lovely things I was doing OK but the truth is, I was doing OK to... The blame and said, Oh for heavens sake, you sing that in church all the,. | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions Sitemap. Hills clothing-store manager, in the below interview, Elinor shares what a magnificent she. Weight and was becoming anorexic and Andy Griffith was already in his mid-thirties when he Mayberry! Saw him there about it Corsaut ( Helen Crump ) came in why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show all my feathers and. Playing 19 to Mayberry movie except that I was all right March is an accomplished cook being. About it me out, because he knew how nervous I was going Turmoil. A nest wished to leave as of 2020, Elinor Donahue, Andy show... Cook, being especially celebrated for her personal life, Donahue said she didnt feel capable canceled 1960. Rewatch a show, Elinor Donahue as the Mayberry pharmacist Griffith was already in his when... Policy will go into effect on January 1st, 2023 a time, as Alex 's Felicia! Prominent role in season 1 Turmoil in my trying to continue with it, believes. The below interview, Elinor attended an event and saw him there from One series to another especially!