Acting
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."
Filmography
Star Trek: Inside the Roddenberry Vault
Film · 2016
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Film · 2004
Cold Case
Series · 2003
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Heart Within
Film · 2001
Dear God
Film · 1996
E! True Hollywood Story
Series · 1996
Ellen
Series · 1994
Friends
Series · 1994
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
Series · 1993
Eek! The Cat
Series · 1992
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
Film · 1991
Herman's Head
Series · 1991
Pretty Woman
Film · 1990
Get a Life
Series · 1990
Coach
Series · 1989
The New Adventures of Beans Baxter
Series · 1987
The Golden Girls
Series · 1985
No Earthly Reason
Film · 1984
Murder, She Wrote
Series · 1984
Going Berserk
Film · 1983
Just an Overnight Guest
Film · 1983
High School U.S.A.
Film · 1983
Hotel
Series · 1982
Newhart
Series · 1982
Condominium
Series · 1980
$weepstake$
Series · 1979
Doctors' Private Lives
Film · 1978
Police Story: No Margin for Error
Film · 1978
Diff'rent Strokes
Series · 1978
Father Knows Best: Home for Christmas
Film · 1977
Mulligan's Stew
Film · 1977
Dick Clark's Good Old Days
Film · 1977
The Father Knows Best Reunion
Film · 1977
The Love Boat
Series · 1977
Mulligan's Stew
Series · 1977
The Love Boat
Series · 1977
CHiPs
Series · 1977
The Love Boat
Series · 1977
The Love Boat
Series · 1977
Battle of the Network Stars
Series · 1976
S.W.A.T.
Series · 1975
One Day at a Time
Series · 1975
Happy Days
Series · 1974
Police Woman
Series · 1974
Petrocelli
Series · 1974
Police Story
Series · 1973
Barnaby Jones
Series · 1973
Gidget Gets Married
Film · 1972
The Rookies
Series · 1972
The Odd Couple
Series · 1970
In Name Only
Film · 1969
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
Series · 1969
The Flying Nun
Series · 1967
Star Trek
Series · 1966
Occasional Wife
Series · 1966
Many Happy Returns
Series · 1964
Redigo
Series · 1963
The Eleventh Hour
Series · 1962
The Virginian
Series · 1962
The Merv Griffin Show
Series · 1962
Dr. Kildare
Series · 1961
The Andy Griffith Show
Series · 1960
The Brothers Brannagan
Series · 1960
Girls Town
Film · 1959
Imitation of Life
Film · 1959
Dennis the Menace
Series · 1959
77 Sunset Strip
Series · 1958
Have Gun, Will Travel
Series · 1957
Father Knows Best
Series · 1954
General Electric Theater
Series · 1953
Letter to Loretta
Series · 1953
Letter to Loretta
Series · 1953
Love Is Better Than Ever
Film · 1952
Her First Romance
Film · 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Series · 1951
Singing Guns
Film · 1950
Tea for Two
Film · 1950
The Happy Years
Film · 1950
My Blue Heaven
Film · 1950
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
Series · 1950
An Old-Fashioned Girl
Film · 1949
Three Daring Daughters
Film · 1948
Tenth Avenue Angel
Film · 1948
The Arkansas Swing
Film · 1948
The Unfinished Dance
Film · 1947
Winter Wonderland
Film · 1946
And Now Tomorrow
Film · 1944
Mister Big
Film · 1943
Honeymoon Lodge
Film · 1943
Girls' Town
Film · 1942