Elinor Donahue's Actual Age on the Show? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Bugiddle · 01-04-2004, 07:27 PM

In the episode I was watching today (and in most episodes, it seems) Elinor's character seemed awfully mature for age 16 or 17. She talks more like a young adult in her 20s - she doesn't seem like your average '50s teen girl at all, espcially when you compare her to girls of the same age on shows like "Leave It To Beaver". What was her actual age while she was on "Father Knows Best?"

hawaii five-o · 01-17-2004, 02:34 PM

She was probably in her early 20's.

twinkle44301 · 03-16-2004, 07:09 PM

She was older than the character she portrayed. I remember reading somewhere she was married and pregnant with her first child while filming some of the later episodes of FKB. I also remember this was around the time she played Ellie on The Andy G. show.

I loved her character. ED was perfect for the role.

Ed · 11-16-2007, 03:15 PM

Elinor got married at 19 and got pregnant right after. So she was a couple of years older than her character. She told me about it when I interviewed her for my book (Close-Ups: Conversations with Our TV Favorites). She's a sweetheart!!

Tweety · 12-14-2007, 07:17 AM

Elinor Donahue was born in April of 1937, FKB began on TV in October 1954, so she was 17 when the show began.

Original episodes of FKB ran until September of 1960, when Donanhue was 23. She then went to "The Andy Griffith Show" in 1960, but left after one season when Griffith and the producers decided that there was a lack of romantic chemistry between Andy and Ellie.

FKB was, of course, a radio show for years (but with a question mark after the show's title, making the original "Jim" a bumbling idiot in the same manner as any sitcom "dad" today.

I believe Robert Young is the only radio cast member to make the transition to the TV show, and during the show's radio days, one of the women who played Margaret was Jean Vander Pyl, later the voice of "Wilma Flintstone".

Will Dockery · 03-14-2023, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tweety

Elinor Donahue was born in April of 1937, FKB began on TV in October 1954, so she was 17 when the show began.

Original episodes of FKB ran until September of 1960, when Donanhue was 23. She then went to "The Andy Griffith Show" in 1960, but left after one season when Griffith and the producers decided that there was a lack of romantic chemistry between Andy and Ellie.

FKB was, of course, a radio show for years (but with a question mark after the show's title, making the original "Jim" a bumbling idiot in the same manner as any sitcom "dad" today.

I believe Robert Young is the only radio cast member to make the transition to the TV show, and during the show's radio days, one of the women who played Margaret was Jean Vander Pyl, later the voice of "Wilma Flintstone".

Interesting to realize that Elinor Donahue went straight from FKB to the AGS almost immediately.

stevea · 03-14-2023, 12:45 PM

She was also in a 1960 Dennis the Menace around the same time as her Andy Griffith appearances.

She stated in her TV Archives PBS interviews that she asked to be released from her Andy Griffith contract, and the producers complied. She says she was not doing the role justice, or a similar statement. Her appearance in the Christmas show was memorable, and she also described the circumstances of that. I think she says she was nervous about singing the song, and they just told her to try it like it was a rehearsal. She did, and without her knowledge, it was a successful take.

01-04-2004, 07:27 PM	#1
Bugiddle Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 19, 2003 Posts: 229	Elinor Donahue's Actual Age on the Show? In the episode I was watching today (and in most episodes, it seems) Elinor's character seemed awfully mature for age 16 or 17. She talks more like a young adult in her 20s - she doesn't seem like your average '50s teen girl at all, espcially when you compare her to girls of the same age on shows like "Leave It To Beaver". What was her actual age while she was on "Father Knows Best?"

11-16-2007, 03:15 PM	#4
Ed Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 16, 2002 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 70	Elinor got married at 19 and got pregnant right after. So she was a couple of years older than her character. She told me about it when I interviewed her for my book (Close-Ups: Conversations with Our TV Favorites). She's a sweetheart!!
	__________________ Ed

01-17-2004, 02:34 PM	#2
hawaii five-o Book 'Em, Dano Senior Member Join Date: Jun 27, 2003 Location: At home, eating cereal straight out of the box Posts: 1,406	She was probably in her early 20's.

03-16-2004, 07:09 PM	#3
twinkle44301 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 24, 2001 Posts: 351	She was older than the character she portrayed. I remember reading somewhere she was married and pregnant with her first child while filming some of the later episodes of FKB. I also remember this was around the time she played Ellie on The Andy G. show. I loved her character. ED was perfect for the role.

12-14-2007, 07:17 AM	#5
Tweety Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 18, 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 6,804	Elinor Donahue was born in April of 1937, FKB began on TV in October 1954, so she was 17 when the show began. Original episodes of FKB ran until September of 1960, when Donanhue was 23. She then went to "The Andy Griffith Show" in 1960, but left after one season when Griffith and the producers decided that there was a lack of romantic chemistry between Andy and Ellie. FKB was, of course, a radio show for years (but with a question mark after the show's title, making the original "Jim" a bumbling idiot in the same manner as any sitcom "dad" today. I believe Robert Young is the only radio cast member to make the transition to the TV show, and during the show's radio days, one of the women who played Margaret was Jean Vander Pyl, later the voice of "Wilma Flintstone".

03-14-2023, 12:45 PM	#7
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,217	She was also in a 1960 Dennis the Menace around the same time as her Andy Griffith appearances. She stated in her TV Archives PBS interviews that she asked to be released from her Andy Griffith contract, and the producers complied. She says she was not doing the role justice, or a similar statement. Her appearance in the Christmas show was memorable, and she also described the circumstances of that. I think she says she was nervous about singing the song, and they just told her to try it like it was a rehearsal. She did, and without her knowledge, it was a successful take.