Mixed Feelings re Elinor Donohue's Me TV Promo - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

PracTz · 01-09-2017, 02:53 PM

I've always liked Miss Donohue and thought she did an excellent turn as Ellie Walker the pharmacy owner in TAGS for the year she was on and, yes, would have preferred it had SHE been the 2nd Mrs. Taylor instead of Miss Helen Crump.

Not only was affectionate to Andy and doting to Opie but by the fact that, in her early 20's, she'd somehow obtained pharmaceutical certification then was able to use that to obtain/open Mayberry's only pharmacy in a rather conservative town that wasn't used to independent women. Even though they tried to make it seem like she was just a malt-shop worker at times, for her character to have done that was quite impressive and showed that she was quite determined and intelligent. Alas, Ellie abruptly left after a single year without any explanation.

Fast forward to now, 79-year-old Elinor Donohue is promoing TAGS as the character of Ellie Walker showing clips of her younger days interacting with Andy and Opie. I understand that time speeds faster than one would like but it kind of saddened me to think that not only did the pretty Ellie Walker evidently never marry or have children but that even in her senior years, she appeared to believe that her brief romance with Sheriff Taylor was THE highlight of her life.

I know that Betty White has appeared as Sue Ann Nivens promoing the MTM show but Sue Ann was already middle aged by that point and Vicki Lawrence promoed 'Mama's Family' but SHE played a character decades her senior but now herself is finally about her character's age. Also, Dawn Welles appearing as Mary Ann to promo GI wasn't so jarring as somehow I can imagine Miss Welles wishes she COULD still throw a coconut cream pie at Gilligan (considering how great pals they were offscreen).
Yes, Miss Donohue is one of the few 'adult' performers TAGS still has left (and I know she's been wed a few times with kids of her own) but somehow it was sad to think that Ellie Walker may have had nothing better happen in her life in all the decades since her time on TAGS.

PhoenixAcres · 01-09-2017, 05:10 PM

Ellie was a great character. I too always liked her better than Ms. Crump for some reason, probably because Elinor Donohue brought a lot of warmth and joy to the character. I remember reading that it was her decision to leave the show, due to her and Andy having an on-screen relationship not as romantic or intimate as what they were striving for. It was still a great run IMO, as short as it was. She secured her place in history as Andy's first love interest on the show.

As far as the future of her character, I see no reason why she wouldn't go on to success. They never explained what happened to her, but she may have moved to Raleigh or some other town and opened a bigger pharmacy and maybe even went on to become an executive. She could have also married; just because Ms. Donohue is by herself in the promos doesn't mean her character is still single.

scrapple · 01-14-2017, 09:54 PM

I'm always torn between Ellie and Peggy as the ideal woman for Andy...anybody but that shrew he ended up with.

AB · 01-15-2017, 03:58 PM

I thought she would have been better suited for Barney Fife. They would have made a fun couple.

01-09-2017, 02:53 PM	#1
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	Mixed Feelings re Elinor Donohue's Me TV Promo I've always liked Miss Donohue and thought she did an excellent turn as Ellie Walker the pharmacy owner in TAGS for the year she was on and, yes, would have preferred it had SHE been the 2nd Mrs. Taylor instead of Miss Helen Crump. Not only was affectionate to Andy and doting to Opie but by the fact that, in her early 20's, she'd somehow obtained pharmaceutical certification then was able to use that to obtain/open Mayberry's only pharmacy in a rather conservative town that wasn't used to independent women. Even though they tried to make it seem like she was just a malt-shop worker at times, for her character to have done that was quite impressive and showed that she was quite determined and intelligent. Alas, Ellie abruptly left after a single year without any explanation. Fast forward to now, 79-year-old Elinor Donohue is promoing TAGS as the character of Ellie Walker showing clips of her younger days interacting with Andy and Opie. I understand that time speeds faster than one would like but it kind of saddened me to think that not only did the pretty Ellie Walker evidently never marry or have children but that even in her senior years, she appeared to believe that her brief romance with Sheriff Taylor was THE highlight of her life. I know that Betty White has appeared as Sue Ann Nivens promoing the MTM show but Sue Ann was already middle aged by that point and Vicki Lawrence promoed 'Mama's Family' but SHE played a character decades her senior but now herself is finally about her character's age. Also, Dawn Welles appearing as Mary Ann to promo GI wasn't so jarring as somehow I can imagine Miss Welles wishes she COULD still throw a coconut cream pie at Gilligan (considering how great pals they were offscreen). Yes, Miss Donohue is one of the few 'adult' performers TAGS still has left (and I know she's been wed a few times with kids of her own) but somehow it was sad to think that Ellie Walker may have had nothing better happen in her life in all the decades since her time on TAGS.

01-09-2017, 05:10 PM	#2
PhoenixAcres Member Moderator Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 26, 2016 Location: United States Posts: 6,824	Ellie was a great character. I too always liked her better than Ms. Crump for some reason, probably because Elinor Donohue brought a lot of warmth and joy to the character. I remember reading that it was her decision to leave the show, due to her and Andy having an on-screen relationship not as romantic or intimate as what they were striving for. It was still a great run IMO, as short as it was. She secured her place in history as Andy's first love interest on the show. As far as the future of her character, I see no reason why she wouldn't go on to success. They never explained what happened to her, but she may have moved to Raleigh or some other town and opened a bigger pharmacy and maybe even went on to become an executive. She could have also married; just because Ms. Donohue is by herself in the promos doesn't mean her character is still single.

01-14-2017, 09:54 PM	#3
scrapple Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 03, 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 259	I'm always torn between Ellie and Peggy as the ideal woman for Andy...anybody but that shrew he ended up with.

01-15-2017, 03:58 PM	#4
AB Member Eternal Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 26, 2006 Location: The South Posts: 59,428	I thought she would have been better suited for Barney Fife. They would have made a fun couple.