Elinor Donahue

**Elinor Donahue** is an American television actress and writer, possibly best known for playing the role of Betty Anderson, the eldest child of Jim and Margaret Anderson on the 1950s American sitcom "Father Knows Best" and the role of Ellie Walker on "The Andy Griffith Show" in the 1960s.

Born Mary Eleanor Donahue on April 19, 1937 in Tacoma, Washington, the daughter of Thomas William Donahue and Doris Genevieve Donahue, she began appearing in roles dance and chorus roles in film from the age of five. At one point, she was a ballet-school classmate of future Fred Astaire partner Barrie Chase of "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" fame and the sister of Frank Chase from "Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman." She played a few roles in vaudeville and had several bit parts in movies as a teenager, including "Love Is Better Than Ever" in 1952 with Elizabeth Taylor. She also played one of the daughters in "Three Daring Daughters" in 1948 and the sister of Mamie Van Doren in "Girl's Town" in 1959.

In 1954 to 1960, Donahue achieved stardom for her role as the elder daughter, Betty Anderson, on the iconic Fifties TV series "Father Knows Best." With All-American winsome looks, she was par laid into other TV shows, such as a musical judge in "Jukebox Jury" from 1953 to 1954 and a regular role in "The Ray Bolger Show." She also had an appearance in the anthology series, "Crossroads," and guest-starred in an episode of "U.S. Marshall." She also appeared as in "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show."

Following the series, Donahue also starred in episodes of "Dennis the Menace" and "The Brothers Brannagan." In 1960, she became a cast member on "The Andy Griffith Show" as pharmacist Ellie Walker, the love interest for Sheriff Andy Taylor, but despite her appeal to the fans, Griffith and the network though the characters had no chemistry. Even Donahue felt this obstacle in the series, and she was let go after one season. Despite only having starred in twelve episodes, she became a fan favorite after the series went into syndication.

After "The Andy Griffith Show,", Donahue appeared in the short-lived modern Western series, "Redigo," afterward making non-stop appearances in other TV Shows through the Seventies. She appeared in "The Eleventh Hour," "Mulligan's Stew" "Days Of Our Lives," "Many Happy Returns," "The Flying Nun," "A Man Named Shenandoah" and eventually a recurring role as the love interest of Tony Randall on "The Odd Couple."

In 1977, she reprised her role as Betty Anderson in the TV-movie, "Father Knows Best: Home for Christmas," but through the 80s, she had appearances in "Diff'rent Strokes, "Barnaby Jones," "Mork And Mindy," "One Day at a Time," "Fantasy Island," "The Dukes of Hazzard," "Happy Days," "The Love Boat" (as a character named Betty Anderson), "Newhart," "The Golden Girls" and "Murder, She Wrote." In 1990, she started in another short-lived series as the mother of comic Chris Elliot in "Get A Life." She also had a recurring role as Rebecca Quinn on the CBS drama, "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman." She also had roles in a handful of movies such as "Pretty Woman" with Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, "Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare" with Robert Englund and "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" with Ann Hathaway.

In 1992, she briefly dabbled in voice work as the mother in the Fox Kids animated series, "Eek! the Cat." In 1994, she made appearances in the TV shows, "Friends" and "Coach."

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 many of her personal recipes.

In September 2010, Donahue made an appearance on "The Young and the Restless" as Judge Anderson, who officiated the wedding of two of the series characters in front of the Abbott's new home, a replica of the Anderson house from "Father Knows Best."