ELINOR DONAHUE

[@heartpursuer]

Fully enamored seeing her for the first time (in my late 70s) in the premier season of The Andy Griffith Show. I was very sorry to see her leave. I'm now doing a deeper dive into her professional life and my admiration deepens. Adorable and talented.

[@Danielevanssmith]

Wow! I didn't realize that Elinor Donahue was such an accomplished dancer! Excellent technique with beautiful lines. Very well done!

[@lindaeasley5606]

What a crying shame this talent of her's was never recognized

[@waynebrasler]

Elinor Donahue certainly ranks as one of the most attractive, natural and versatile actresses in television history. She also captured a huge following which guaranteed high ratings for any show on which she appeared. She appeared on the creme de la creme of situation comedies over an amazing long time span, never aging much, never losing her natural qualities and praised by her coworkers for her amiability, professionalism and great talent.

[@ChantelCLE]

I just saw this episode for the first time the other day. What a fabulous dancer!!

[@elftails]

ChantelCLE I just discovered that she also took BALLET!!! I don’t know how many episodes she performed, but I just saw one tonight and it blew me away (even made me choke-up) bc she was SO good! Season 1, Ep 23: The “Proud Father” episode (at 17:47 if you can’t wait)

[@jackanthony976]

You can tell by watching this that she has ballet training.

[@matthewpegram8963]

SHE HAS THE PACKAGE-- TALENT LOOKS AND OVERALL NICENESS!!!!

[@martinleavitt6094]

Couldn't agree more,,very talented,classy,beautiful,,

[@johnnyaa]

What a delight! Check out some of her "senior citizen" interview clips on KZbin. She still has that wonderful smile. I can't help thinking that just knowing her as a friend would be a life experience.

[@lindakoschwitz7098]

I adored this show. Betty always reminded me of my big sister.

[@4bmain1969427]

....better than most stars and STILL ALIVE!!!

[@Janadu]

Tap, some jazz and even a bit of ballet all mixed in. She's wonderful!

[@netwitt1]

A long under-rated actress! I never understood how her character was dumped from Andy Griffith - made no sense! I was delighted to see her, however briefly in "Pretty Woman". She has always exuded vitality, affability and grace. Another terrific Elinor (Eleanor!)

[@johnondeadline]

She left the Andy Griffith show at her own request. She had a three-year contract but the producers allowed her to leave after one year.

[@myronhelton4441]

I heard that Andy was totally hated. She said she quit Griffith show because of lack of chemistry. Didnt you notice Andy gave her the cold shoulder on show would make anyone quit. Elinor wanted to raise her kids & quit dirty show business. Only one reason he gave her the cold shoulder was because he was jealous that she'd outdo him, that she'd do better than him. Reason Don Knotts quit show was Andy made tremendously more than Knotts. All these people are afraid to tell the truth. Andy was part owner & wouldnt give Knotts an extra penny out of his pocket. I heard his wife buried him immediately & tore house down. He never got visitors. Andy rammed his fist in wall & broke it. He acted so nice, when he was the opposite. He was so mean to Opie, Opie's parents were going to take him off show. Everyone is afraid to talk, like why was Joanna Moore in only 4 episodes of Griffith's girlfriend. Who kicked her off. Click next link. thelifeandtimesofhollywood.com/the-monster-of-mayberry-the-real-andy-griffith-3/

[@Hawkeye935]

Wow! I never knew she could dance..So lovely and talented!

[@tinkerbellisfunny]

shes my grandmother. TRUE>!!!!!!!!!!!!>!!!!!!!!

[@ronniesalyer3095]

Lily, one lucky lady to have Elinor as your grandmother. Just remember though, I loved her long before you did.

[@raewhiting1140]

Shes been dancing since a chikd... In films..esp Ballet...was very multi-talented!...and lovely

[@johnondeadline]

She is such a graceful dancer on top of her terrific acting.

[@loriturnbull6627]

She was a true beauty

[@Gustavsnaf]

Yeah right & Mary tyler moore is my wife

[@dennis300cr]

Never knew this myself what a amazing dancer!

[@Ultramar_70]

Elinor dances so beautiful

[@CarlDuke]

Not long before she got the part of Betty on Father Knows Best, Elinor Donahue appeared in the movie Love is Better Than Ever, which starred Elizabeth Taylor and Larry Parks. In the movie Elinor plays Elizabeth's star pupil and assistant at a dance school and eventually takes over as the main teacher when Liz marries Larry,

[@johnlennon7615]

Wow she's a great tap dancer

[@jstrewth]

Elinor Donahue is my aunt. Just wanted to tell you.

[@trainliker100]

In the very first Father Knows Best episodes they had her acting in the style of a gushing immature teenager (and Robert Young as a somewhat bumbling husband which was the rage in sitcoms back then.) After not too many episodes Betty became much more mature and the incredibly likeable character everyone fell in love with. Many TV shows tweak the details, and the actors themselves often make their own changes and become more complex. And that's a reason why a show like that lasted so many seasons. There was more than one episode where she danced. At least two. Maybe three. Very enjoyable and shows that she worked hard at it, because her facial expression made it look like it was somehow easy.

[@fromthesidelines]

This is an excerpt from the episode "Betty Makes A Choice" {March 2, 1959}- here, she's auditioning for the annual Springfield Junior College musical [which gave Elinor a chance to demonstrate her tap-dancing abilities]; the blonde in the audience is the one who eventually "challenges" Betty for the same role, and she's forced to decide "the right thing to do"....

[@zminvestllc9919]

SHE WAS CUTE!! GREAT DANCER!!!

[@carlahubbs8833]

She's fun to watch!

[@elftails]

She’s also a BALLERINA if you can believe it! I watched this show all the time when I was a kid, but somehow missed seeing her perform! So far I’ve found one episode... Season 1, Ep 23: Proud Father (17:47 if you can’t wait)

[@peterack]

Really? I'm one of her sons...how are we related?

[@radiootoo]

Father Knows Best!

[@nancyamato686]

Such personality!

[@benp6113]

Pretty woman

[@vickiebailey2679]

is she really your grandma? I have always loved her on the show - classy, pretty and most importantly sweeeet! And now she can tap dance, too? What a lady!

[@CarlDuke]

@gotch09 Not only did she have that role you mentioned, but still later she was for a while the girl friend of Felix Ungar (Tony Randall) on The Odd Couple. At the time Robert Young was starring in the highly rated show Marcus Welby M. D., and in a bit of an inside joke Elinor's character was called Mariam Welby.

[@laureenbaer1664]

Wow! Great Dancer!!!

[@dianedelpriore9324]

Does anyone know what the name of this piece of music is? BTW, I love this clip of Elinor Donahue's dancing!

[@steveflor9942]

Wow! Verrry nice.

[@trinab9612]

Fabulous.

[@CarlDuke]

I remember this episode from FKB. Betty was excited about her ability to win some kind of school dance contest, and then becomes distraught when she sees the routine of the girl with the long blonde hair who does some kind of cowgirl dance and seems to be a professional. She runs out in dispair and then I think a school janitor talks her back into trying to compete.

[@martinleavitt6094]

I've those old programs,,entertaining,but at the same time, learning right from wrong..they don't make them like Eleanor Donohue any more,,beauty,class,talent,,she had it all,,,in spades!!!..👍

[@joelangford7601]

Didn't the other girl win the contest? I am on shaky ground because I am drawing on a memory of something I saw about 65 years ago. I seem to remember thinking, as a 5 year old, that Betteywas wonderful, and then another girl was even better and won the contest afterall. It seems like it was supposed to be a learning experience for Betty. I was upset that Betty didn't win. This my be completely spurious, since it is a very old memory for me.

[@CarlDuke]

@@joelangford7601 Yes Betty does lose, but the lesson here was that Betty almost failed to compete. When she did, she still lost, but performed brilliantly which the judges noted saying how hard it was to pick a winner.

[@kevindunn3027]

What a gal!

[@jrnumex9286]

why did she take that pharmacy job in mayberry then?

[@Monorail-Beyond-the-Veil]

I remember that episode clearly, where Bud was bullied, and finally defended his sister. :-)

[@matrox]

Thats not the same episode.

[@Monorail-Beyond-the-Veil]

@@matrox You're probably right - i know there are a couple of episodes where Betty dances.

[@matrox]

@@Monorail-Beyond-the-Veil She missed her lines giving a speech in the bully episode.

[@Monorail-Beyond-the-Veil]

@@matrox Yes, now that I watched the whole video, I see which one it is. As I recall, Betty was FURIOUS at her... until the very end. So Betty never did confront her. That was a good episode.

[@gotch09]

Didn't she also star as Andy's girlfriend Ellie (a druggist) on the Andy Griffith show for a while? I'm almost positive. I remember her more from that than I do "Father Knows Best".

[@sarahdso2009]

Wow

[@peterack]

The commentary under this video remarks that Elinor Donahue had parent's in vaudeville. She was in Vaudeville near the end but her paretns were not.

[@rickee1962]

Wow she’s great . I never knew.

[@jillcampbell6821]

Anybody know if Ms Donohue had ballet training too? She did a short ballet performance in one of FKB shows and looked like she was a pro--wore toe slippers! -Not usually something an average or briefly taught dancer can do.

[@jackanthony976]

It is obvious from this clip that Ms. Donohue had ballet training.

[@Gunners_Mate_Guns]

Make that 4 or 5 for me.

[@GlenStace]

This chick can dance!

[@CarlDuke]

@tinkerbellisfunny Well next time you see her tell her that I still have very pleasant memories of her and her charming personality in Father Knows Best, The Andy Griffith Show and The Odd Couple, as well as her role in one episode of the show Newhart.

[@nicoleschachtner4912]

I just discovered she was on the Golden Girls also as the woman who married Dorothy's ex husband Stan. I believe she only did one episode though.

[@rogerdavis7770]

I know 1 seven YO boys heart she stole.

[@pbamse]

It means: "Videos are great"

[@coolsweetgroovy]

Go Elinor She's still amazing . I loving also the low crotch pants she wore them before MC Hammer

[@Jane_Snow_]

WOW!

[@DCLAQUETTE]

I am sorry, but I don't understand Spanish, excect for "videos bien buenos."

[@RyannFieldd]

I still say Betty should have won that!! Betty should have pulled that mean blond girl's hair. lol