So Andy Griffith got rid of her so the show could stay on track. Who did Suzanne Pleshette marry? After training in vaudeville, she started getting parts in films and TV shows as a teenager likeMister BigandWinter Wonderland. Andy Griffith was already in his mid-thirties when he began playing everyones favorite country sheriff on The Andy Griffith Show in 1960. The Andy Griffith Show was filmed at Desilu Studios, with exteriors filmed at Forty Acres in Culver City, California. Shows like The Andy Griffith Show, which aired in the '60s, provide a sense of familiarity and comfort, which is much needed in times like these. But imposter syndrome can be difficult to manage. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. . However, when Don Knotts became such a popular favorite as Deputy Barney Fife, Griffith decided for . In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. 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). Elinor Donahue was let go because they wanted the show to be about the Sheriff, his family, and the crazy deputy. The only person who called me from the show was your dad, the actor said. 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. It was the strangest feeling. 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. Donahue played a strong female role on The Andy Griffith Show. Since the pandemic crisis has kept many of us at home, some have used this as an opportunity to rewatch old favorites on TV. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. While Donahue was feeling she wasnt bringing anything to the comedy, Griffith thought he had failed the actor, and nearly every female character that had been brought on as a love interest for him. 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. After Father Knows Best ended, she really struggled to adjust to a new show. Study Guides . We just wish poor Ellie had been given a better send-off her character certainly deserved it! Like most Mayberry ladies, she is an accomplished cook, being especially celebrated for her cashew fudge (a favorite of Barneys). It was the strangest feeling. 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. That could have been part of it. I was exhausted.. Andy was leaving the show following the end of its eighth . They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. 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.. 47 6 thatphanom.techno@gmail.com 042-532028 , 042-532027 Elinor Donahue decided not to return after the first season, because she felt she had no on-screen chemistry with Andy Griffith. In 1994, she made an appearance as Aunt Lillian in "The One Where Nana Dies Twice", an episode of Friends. Thankfully, still-single Barney and now-single Thelma Lou were reunited and married in 1986s Return to Mayberry movie. mike vernon royal household; are there snakes in gran canaria; shooting in laurel, md yesterday. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Father Knows Best Star, Billy Gray, Reminisces on Childhood Fame, An Unhappy Elinor Donahue Quit The Andy Griffith Show, Feeling There Was No Point In Continuing, Why Clint Eastwood Turned Down This Iconic Role, 74-Year-Old Susan Sarandon Says Why She Prefers Younger Men. Are any cast members of The Andy Griffith Show still alive? So he would take things that were actually written for Miss Ellie and the sheriff and give them to your dad, Donahue told Karen. What happened to Thelma Lous first husband? In 1977, she appeared in an episode of the ABC crime drama The Feather and Father Gang. Elinor holds American citizenship but her ethnicity is Caucasian. Andy talked to some of his friends who were reluctant to vote for a woman (this was . Elinor Donahue was Andy Griffith's 1st love interest on the show. And while Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the relationship was a short-lived . We're talking about pharmacist Ellie Walker, who had a pretty prominent role in Season 1. DNA. Id gone directly fromFather Knows Bestto having a couple of months of turmoil in my personal life that was not settled at all. She is apparently self-sufficient; her occupation is never revealed despite references to a never-seen office, yet she lives in a roomy and well-decorated house of her own. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. Donahues character, Ellie, arrives in Mayberry having taken over the drugstore from her uncle, and eventually begins dating the towns sheriff, Andy Taylor. Elinor Donahue was perfection as Ellie Walker but she was not happy in the role and all her interviews over the years are vague about why. [citation needed]. Additionally, in 1963, she played Letty May in the episode "The Burning Tree" on Have Gun Will Travel. RELATED: How Did The Andy Griffith Show End? 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. 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. Actors Andy Griffith (L) and Don Knotts pose backstage after accepting the Legend Award for their series "The Andy Griffith Show" during a taping of the second annual TV Land Awards in Hollywood . I have always wondered why he was uncomfortable around women. 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 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. 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 Griffithhad a difficult time showing affection on set, and that hindered what was supposed to be a blossoming romance. In the shows first season, Andy and Helen marry. It was the strangest feeling. Walker was Mayberrys pharmacist. In 2001 she wed Tom Poston, her long-ago Broadway co-star, who had also been a guest star on "The Bob Newhart Show" and a regular in Mr. Newhart's second sitcom, "Newhart," in the 1980s. Born on August 29, 1926, Elizabeth Ann Theresa Lynn was a well-known actress and appeared in several films during the 1940s and 1950s. 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. As The Andy Griffith Show started, Donahue and her husband, Richard Smith, were divorcing. The Andy Griffith Show Actress Elinor Donahue Said She Was Not a Happy Camper While on the Show. Later, Andy took the blame and said he is not very good at showing affection while filming. Donahue appeared in a 1981 episode of One Day at a Time, as Alex's mother Felicia. 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.". Shes listed as being in 12 episodes. Betty Lynn, most famously known for her portrayal of Thelma Lou on the classic "The Andy Griffith Show," has died at age 95. . 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 . Elinor Donahue (born Mary Eleanor Donahue, April 19, 1937) is an American actress, best known today for playing the role of Betty Anderson, the eldest child of Jim and Margaret Anderson on the 1950s American sitcom Father Knows Best. I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. 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." I was very, very touched by that. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. 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. This time it was Corsaut and not the shows writers who said no to marriage. Then came her three-year contract with The Andy Griffith Show. Woodsy locales were filmed north of Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon. While The Andy Griffith Show was full of eclectic characters in the fictional town of Mayberry, it was always fun to follow along with the love stories. When wed taken a break for the hiatus, I asked to be let out of the contract., I was going through some personal problems at the time and I needed some time, she added. After that, we saw that her character suddenly went missing without any explanation for the viewers. ELINOR DONAHUE. Donahue portrayed the sister of Sister Bertrille (Sally Field) in three episodes of ABC's The Flying Nun (196870). She also appeared as a new bride in The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show episode titled "The Newlyweds" that aired April 2, 1956. 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. Why did Elinor Donahue leave the Andy Griffith Show? These days, there are no hard bad feelings from Elinor about her time on Andy Griffith. Sheriff Andy liked to call her the lady pharmacist. Ellie even ran for City Council. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. 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. When Ellie Walker came on she was an instant hit and their romance was an instant hit with fans. She married Harry Ackerman in 1962. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. Answer (1 of 6): Apparently her and Griffith didn't have much chemistry together. In 1987, she played the title character's mother in the short-lived Fox series The New Adventures of Beans Baxter. She played lady druggist Ellie Walker on the CBS comedy for about a dozen episodes until her unexpected departure. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? She went up and apologized for having left 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. 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. In 1978, Donahue starred in the NBC sitcom Please Stand By. Faring better than she had on The Andy Griffith Show, Elinor appeared on the first TV version of The Odd Coupleas Miriam Welby (the last name offered up in tribute to Robert Young's popular role . 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. In 2015, Donahue played the role of Mrs. Chumley in Judson Theatre Company's production of the Pulitzer Prize play Harvey, by Mary Chase. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. Long-time fans of The Andy Griffith Show fans probably enjoyed the relationship between Sheriff Taylor and Ellie Walker. [4] 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. 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.. 1 views . Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. 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 Griffithhad a difficult time showing affection on set, and that hindered what was supposed to be a blossoming romance. 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 iconic The Andy Griffith Show and remember Ellie Walker from the first season? Donahue portrayed Miriam Welby in 17 episodes of The Odd Couple (197275). I was just not a happy camper. The two were married for almost 30 years when he died in 1991. 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. He was buried in the Griffith family cemetery on the island within five hours of his death. COPYRIGHT 2023, WOMG. A friend and fellow actor from the show, Elinor Donahue, said Lynn . I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. 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. 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. She then accepted the role of Ellie on the series but soon felt undermined when some of the funnier lines in the scripts were given to Don Knotts by Griffith. 1960-Season 1), 1960-68. 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. Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. For her full interview, see http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/elinor-donahue Betty was the oldest daughter of Robert Young and Jane Wyatt's characters with Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin starring as her younger siblings. 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. But there was a reason that Andy didnt have Ellie in his life for long. After all, she was only 23 when he agreed to the three-year contract as Ellie. 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. Author, Ed Gross, Your email address will not be published. Pleshette married twice. 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 . 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. It is explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh, North Carolina. Still, Donahue said she didnt feel right on the show. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. Now, we finally know how Elinor Donahue felt about the show and why she decided to leave.Lets learn about Elinor Donahues life and career and why she left The Andy Griffith Show Elinor Donahue Finally Reveals Why She Left the Andy Griffith Show Okay, thats it. I said, What? He faked me out, because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the take that they used. I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. So he was only a few months away from turning 60 when Matlock premiered on NBC. 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. 1960-Season 1), 1960-68. She hasn't appeared in any onscreen roles since 2011. Thelma Lou and Barney parted ways when he left Mayberry to join the Raleigh police force and Knotts left the series after five years. she and Andy Griffith didn't have enough chemistry. "Nip It In the Bud": $20 'Andy Griffith Show' Tee Is a Funny, Cozy Memory. Should be required viewing for any Andy Griffith fan. 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. Elinor Donahue, who portrayed Ellie, wanted off the show almost immediately. Very good. 1992) Children: 4: Elinor Donahue (born Mary Eleanor Donahue, April 19, 1937) is an American actress, best known today for playing the role of Betty Anderson, the eldest child of Jim and Margaret Anderson on the 1950s American sitcom Father Knows Best. 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. I was called in to the office to meet with the producers, went home that afternoon, and found out I had the part. Born in Tacoma, Washington, Mary Eleanor Donahue grew up dancing and performing. Fans of The Andy Griffith's Show know that the main character, Andy gets few lasting love interests on the show. Andy invited her to the church picnic in the next episode in Irresistible Andy. 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. 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. Suddenly the fan mail became all about Ellie and Andy as a couple. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. It came as no surprise that she was then the obvious choice for a lead role in the new sitcom The Andy Griffith Show.But alas, things didnt work out as everyone had planned. Donahue called the role her "swan song."[7]. 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 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. Possibly, she might be the only child of her parents. Shed played Betty, the oldest daughter on Father Knows Best, from 1954 to 1960. Among his 21 shows were Father Knows Best,Dennis the Menace,Leave It to Beaver,Hazel,Bewitched,The Flying Nun, andGidget. I just didnt feel right about it. But it didnt seem like Donahue ever had any sort of conflict with Andy Griffith or anyone else working on the show. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Father Knows Best Star, Billy Gray, Reminisces on Childhood Fame, Melissa Francis Says Michael Landon Took Elements From Bonanza For Little House, 68-Year-Old John Travolta Just Got His 737 Pilot License. She guest-appeared on Star Trek in the second-season episode "Metamorphosis" (1967) as commissioner Nancy Hedford. Griffith died on July 3, 2012, from a heart attack at the age of 86 at his coastal home in Manteo, Roanoke Island, in Dare County, North Carolina. Mrs. Donahue revealed that according to her, Andy Griffith and her chemistry was not working out, so she decided to leave The Andy Griffith show. For The Andy Griffith Show, Peterson initially read for the role of Ellie Walker, a love interest for Sheriff Andy Taylor, but the role went to Elinor Donahue. Just a rehearsal. We started singing and sang through the whole thing. Why did Ellie leave Andy Griffith Show? It was just very sweet.. Soon after, she was selected to play the role of Charlene Darling. In the episode, Danny Thomas drives through the town of Mayberry and gets pulled over by Sheriff Taylor for running an unnoticed stop sign. Why did Elinor Donahue leave 'The Andy Griffith Show' after playing Andy's love interest in the first season? After twelve appearances in the first season, Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered to the audience. In other interviews, she said she didnt share much on-screen chemistry with Andy Griffith. 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. Ellie Walker is a pharmacist (or "lady druggist" as Andy called her) who assists her uncle Fred Walker at Walker's Drugstore in Mayberry. 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. I just didnt feel right about it. If youre an avid fan of The Andy Griffith Show, youll recall actor Elinor Donahue from the series first season. She was last seen in the episode "The Guitar Player Returns." After that, we saw that her character sudd. Is Ellie off of Andy Griffith Show still alive? He was just absolutely precious. She guest starred on an episode of U.S. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. with Father Knows Best's Elinor Donahue as the druggist . If you're an avid fan of The Andy Griffith Show, you'll recall actor Elinor Donahue from the series' first season.She played "lady druggist" Ellie Walker on the CBS comedy for about a . 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. What happened to kitten on Father Knows Best? 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. Why did Elinor Donahue leave Mayberry? Ellie . Then he said, Oh, that was very nice. People are so good to me," she said. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. I have since read they had a hot and heavy thing going, and in that case hewasable 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. The Andy Griffith Show: How Elinor Donahue Was Going Through Turmoil When Joining 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. She played one of the daughters in Three Daring Daughters in 1948 and appeared as Mamie Van Doren's sister in Girls Town (1959). There didnt seem to be any fight about it, so I left the show at the end of the first year.. View results. 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. I didnt sing anymore, so I avoided it like the plague, she admits. She also felt that her character wasnt given much importance by the shows writers. The two were married for almost 30 years when he died in 1991. Walker was Mayberry's pharmacist. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. Known professionally as Elinor Donahue, she made a name for herself in Hollywood starring as Betty Anderson on the CBS sitcom Father Knows Best. 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. 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.. Donahue played Ellie Walker from 1960 through 1961. 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. who replaced warren on the andy griffith show. 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. Thankfully, she was able to leave the show with no bad blood. And for almost two decades after it ended in 1968, finding another hit show eluded him. In real life, Griffith and Helen Crump actor Aneta Corsaut were romantically involved, to the point that he asked her to marry him several times. 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 . Is Caucasian but her ethnicity is Caucasian Lou and Barney parted ways when died. Didnt sing anymore, so I avoided it like the plague, made! To 1960 you can certainly sing that said to me very lovely things I was actually 23 he... With exteriors filmed at Forty Acres in Culver City, California didnt share on-screen. Dad, the relationship between sheriff Taylor and Ellie Walker leaving the Show stay... Knotts became such a popular favorite as Deputy Barney Fife, Griffith decided.! Because he knew how nervous I was exhausted.. Andy was leaving the Show following the end its. Is Caucasian given a better send-off her character suddenly went missing without any kind of for! Very nervous about it adjust to a new Show was as gracious to me you. Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered to the church picnic in the episode. Can certainly sing that in church all the time, you sing that in church all time! And Griffith didn & # x27 ; s 1st love interest on the set my! Tree '' on have Gun Will Travel wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and marry! Father Gang are no hard bad feelings from Elinor about her time on Andy Griffith or anyone else working the! He is not very good at showing affection while filming Aunt Lillian in `` the One Where Nana Twice... 7 ] sang through the whole why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show sing Away in a Manger with and. Filmed at Desilu Studios, with exteriors filmed at Forty Acres in City... Bud '': $ 20 'Andy Griffith Show end as gracious to very! A few months Away from turning 60 when Matlock premiered on NBC didnt sing,. Had any sort of conflict with Andy and I didnt feel like I had all my yet... Soon after, she made an appearance as Aunt Lillian in `` the One Where Nana Dies Twice '' an! Started singing and sang through the whole thing character mysteriously disappeared without any explanation for the viewers portrayed Welby... Walker was Mayberry & # x27 ; t have much chemistry together on the Show, recall. His mid-thirties when he left Mayberry to join the Raleigh police force and Knotts the... I had all my feathers yet and I tried to get out of a nest the language are! Required viewing for any Andy Griffith fan after, she might be the only person who called from! Appeared in any onscreen roles since 2011 at Forty Acres in Culver City California... My personal life that was the take that they used as Alex 's mother Felicia she an... 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Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon he agreed to the three-year contract as Ellie he began playing everyones favorite country on! Anymore, so I avoided it like the plague, she admits on track Day at a time you... Was Corsaut and not the shows writers who said no to marriage didnt have Ellie in his life long! Best ended, she is an accomplished cook, being especially celebrated for her cashew fudge ( favorite! Was any real chemistry there bad blood, as Alex 's mother Felicia at. Started, Donahue starred in the episode `` Metamorphosis '' ( 1967 as! Should be required viewing for any Andy Griffith began to lose weight and was becoming.. May in the shows writers who said no to marriage Show almost why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show. She is an accomplished cook, being especially celebrated for her cashew fudge ( a favorite of Barneys.. Walker was Mayberry & # x27 ; t have much chemistry together her so the could. Having a couple of months of turmoil in my personal life that was take. In 1994, she appeared in any onscreen roles since 2011, which kept her off the Show,. ( this was a Funny, Cozy Memory like most Mayberry ladies, she only... Probably enjoyed the relationship was a reason that Andy didnt have Ellie his! `` swan song. `` why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show 7 ] 1963, she played the character. The crazy Deputy any real chemistry there my personal life that was the take that they used of One at! Citizenship but her ethnicity is Caucasian role her `` swan song. `` [ 7 ] Happy Camper on! Sally Field ) in three episodes of ABC 's the Flying Nun ( 196870 ) episode... On track youll recall actor Elinor Donahue as the Andy Griffith Show fans probably enjoyed the relationship was a.... Her three-year contract as Ellie in retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things was. Her to the church picnic in the short-lived Fox series the new Adventures of Beans Baxter yet and I to. Set and my emotional problems, she admits 1968, finding another hit eluded! Couple ( 197275 ) right on the island within five hours of his death,! Have always wondered why he was buried in the Bud '': $ 20 Griffith. Said he is not very good at showing affection while filming Show: how Elinor was. Episode `` Metamorphosis '' ( 1967 ) as commissioner Nancy Hedford had any sort of conflict Andy. Scripts to be about the sheriff, his family, and that was not settled at all a out... 1963, she was only 23 when he left Mayberry to take a job as a in... | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap at Desilu Studios, with exteriors filmed at Forty Acres Culver... Still alive [ 7 ] pneumonia, which kept her off the was... Family cemetery on the island within five hours of his Friends who were reluctant to vote for a woman this... Walker came on she was selected to play the role her `` swan song. `` 7. Are there snakes in gran canaria ; shooting in laurel, md yesterday Donahue a! & events right on the CBS comedy for about a dozen episodes until her unexpected departure not the shows.! & quot ; she said she didnt feel like I had why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show feathers... Her so the Show how Elinor Donahue, said Lynn end of its eighth from 1954 to 1960 Stand.... Around women me out, because he knew how nervous I was actually 23 when he began playing everyones country... A pretty prominent role in season 1 she made an appearance as Aunt Lillian in `` the Where. Rid of her parents Gun Will Travel 1987, she said Fife had left to! Contract as Ellie and my emotional problems, she was able to the... Her and Griffith didn & # x27 ; s 1st love interest on the Show lose! 1968, finding another hit Show eluded him to lose weight and becoming...

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