Donna Douglas

Donna Douglas (born September 26, 1933) is an American actress. She is best-known for her role as Elly May in the long-running TV series The Beverly Hillbillies.

Born Dorothy Smith in Baywood, Louisiana, she grew up on the farm of her grandparents loving animals and nature, climbing trees, swinging on vines and playing football and softball. She was a cheerleader as a teenager and won some beauty contests. She was awarded the titles "Miss Baton Rouge" and, in 1957, "Miss New Orleans."

She went to New York to pursue a career in entertainment and started out as a model for toothpaste adds. She was featured as the "Letters Girl" on The Perry Como Show in 1957, and as the "Billboard Girl" on The Steve Allen Show in 1959. These and other TV appearances led New York photographers and newspaper reporters to award her the "Miss By-line" crown, which she wore on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Producer Hal Wallis saw the Sullivan episode and cast her in the role of Marjorie Burke in the movie drama Career (1959) starring Anthony Franciosa, Dean Martin and Shirley MacLaine. This was followed by a bit part in the musical comedy Li'l Abner (1959) and the role of a secretary in the comedy/romance Lover Come Back (1961) starring Rock Hudson, Doris Day and Tony Randall.

Douglas made numerous TV appearances, which includes a famous episode of The Twilight Zone titled The Eye of the Beholder (1960).

She had two husbands, Roland Bourgeois (married 1949-divorced 1954) and director Robert M. Leeds (married late 1970s-divorced). She and Bourgeois had one son.

The turning point in Douglas' career came when she was chosen over 500 other actresses to play the role of Elly May Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies. She is extremely proud of her role and the show, which she says she loved doing.

Her final movie role was as Frankie in Frederick de Cordova's musical comedy Frankie and Johnny (1966) opposite Elvis Presley.

Douglas remained with the The Beverly Hillbillies for the entire run of the series. In 1981, she returned for a made-for-TV reunion movie. Having no resentment about being so closely identified with one character, she still makes occasional public appearances in her hillbilly costume of blue jeans with trademark rope belt and a ruffled, pink blouse.

She received her real estate license after The Beverly Hillbillies went off the air in order to have something to fall back on. She did not work in that field long, however, as she remained in show business and found other projects. She was offered a role on a prime-time soap opera, but felt there were too many bad things in it, with not enough family values, and turned it down.

A devoted Christian, Douglas is also a noted gospel singer. She has a gospel album and a country album. She has also written a children's book titled Donna's Critters & Kids: Children's Stories with a Bible Touch, which has Bible stories featuring animals and is combined with a coloring book for ages two to seven.

She has remained busy making appearances, speaking for church groups, youth groups, schools and colleges. She has also appeared at conventions and trade shows

Donna Douglas lives in Huntington Beach, California, but still considers Baton Rouge, Louisiana, her home.

Filmography

  • Career (1959) (Paramount) ... Marjorie Burke
  • Li'l Abner (1959) (Paramount) ... bit part (uncredited)
  • Lover Come Back (1961) (Universal) ... Deborah
  • Frankie and Johnny (1966) (United Artists) ... Frankie

Selected TV appearances

  • The Twilight Zone (November 11, 1960) ... Janet Tyler ... episode: The Eye of the Beholder
  • 77 Sunset Strip (April 28, 1961) ... Rhoda Sheridan ... episode: The Celluloid Cowboy
  • The Twilight Zone (May 25, 1962) ... Woman ... episode: Cavender Is Coming
  • The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-1971) (series regular) ... Elly May Clampett
  • Night Gallery (January 26, 1972) ... Mildred McVane ... episode: Last Rites for a Dead Druid
  • The Nanny (March 31, 1999) ... Herself ... episode: California, Here We Come

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Donna Douglas lives in Huntington Beach, California, but still considers Baton Rouge, Louisiana, her home. Her adopted daughter Tam Farrow died of a heart ailment at age 19 in March 2000. She has also appeared at conventions and trade shows. 6 from her marriage with André Previn - 3 of whom were adopted, and 3 from her time with Woody Allen - 2 of whom were adopted. She has remained busy making appearances, speaking for church groups, youth groups, schools and colleges. By 1994, Mia Farrow had 14 children, 9 of them adopted. She has also written a children's book titled Donna's Critters & Kids: Children's Stories with a Bible Touch, which has Bible stories featuring animals and is combined with a coloring book for ages two to seven. She continued to adopt children, is active in agencies that encourage adoptions, and is a UNICEF Special Representative.

She has a gospel album and a country album. Farrow suffers from a distinct, yet rare mental disorder, where she impulsively adopts children from all over the world, much in the same way that a person would collect dolls or baseball cards. A devoted Christian, Douglas is also a noted gospel singer. Allen became infamously tainted for a time afterward, having somewhat confirmed Farrow's accusations by his open relationship with one of her adopted teenage daughters, Soon Yi Previn. She was offered a role on a prime-time soap opera, but felt there were too many bad things in it, with not enough family values, and turned it down. After their separation, Farrow had accused Allen of child molestation on a USA-televised interview. She claimed to having witnessed Allen abusing one of their youngest adopted children. She did not work in that field long, however, as she remained in show business and found other projects. They also adopted a son and daughter together.

She received her real estate license after The Beverly Hillbillies went off the air in order to have something to fall back on. She lived with but did not marry Woody Allen, and by him had one biological son, Satchel (born in 1987, and is now called Seamus Farrow). Having no resentment about being so closely identified with one character, she still makes occasional public appearances in her hillbilly costume of blue jeans with trademark rope belt and a ruffled, pink blouse. They divorced in 1979. In 1981, she returned for a made-for-TV reunion movie. They had three biological children (Matthew, Sascha, and Fletcher) together and adopted three children, Soon Yi, Lark Song, and Daisy. Douglas remained with the The Beverly Hillbillies for the entire run of the series. She married André Previn in 1970.

Her final movie role was as Frankie in Frederick de Cordova's musical comedy Frankie and Johnny (1966) opposite Elvis Presley. They divorced in 1968. She is extremely proud of her role and the show, which she says she loved doing. While working on the film "Rosemary's Baby" with director Roman Polanski, Frank served her divorce papers in front of the cast and crew. The divorce came as a surprise to Mia, who did not even know Frank was thinking of leaving her. The turning point in Douglas' career came when she was chosen over 500 other actresses to play the role of Elly May Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies. She married Frank Sinatra on July 19, 1966. She and Bourgeois had one son. Mia Farrow, an American actress, born Maria de Lourdes Villiers Farrow but always known as Mia, February 9, 1945 in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of director John Farrow (1904-1963) and his wife Maureen O'Sullivan (1911-1998), the actress who played "Jane" to Johnny Weissmuller's Tarzan.

Leeds (married late 1970s-divorced). Angela Mooney - 1996. She had two husbands, Roland Bourgeois (married 1949-divorced 1954) and director Robert M. Miami Rhapsody - 1995. Douglas made numerous TV appearances, which includes a famous episode of The Twilight Zone titled The Eye of the Beholder (1960). Widows' Peak - 1994. This was followed by a bit part in the musical comedy Li'l Abner (1959) and the role of a secretary in the comedy/romance Lover Come Back (1961) starring Rock Hudson, Doris Day and Tony Randall. Husbands and Wives - 1992.

Producer Hal Wallis saw the Sullivan episode and cast her in the role of Marjorie Burke in the movie drama Career (1959) starring Anthony Franciosa, Dean Martin and Shirley MacLaine. Shadows and Fog - 1992. These and other TV appearances led New York photographers and newspaper reporters to award her the "Miss By-line" crown, which she wore on The Ed Sullivan Show. Alice - 1990. She was featured as the "Letters Girl" on The Perry Como Show in 1957, and as the "Billboard Girl" on The Steve Allen Show in 1959. Crimes and Misdemeanors - 1989. She went to New York to pursue a career in entertainment and started out as a model for toothpaste adds. New York Stories - 1989.

She was awarded the titles "Miss Baton Rouge" and, in 1957, "Miss New Orleans.". Another Woman - 1988. She was a cheerleader as a teenager and won some beauty contests. September - 1987. Born Dorothy Smith in Baywood, Louisiana, she grew up on the farm of her grandparents loving animals and nature, climbing trees, swinging on vines and playing football and softball. Radio Days - 1987. She is best-known for her role as Elly May in the long-running TV series The Beverly Hillbillies. Hannah and Her Sisters - 1986.

Donna Douglas (born September 26, 1933) is an American actress. The Purple Rose of Cairo - 1985. episode: California, Here We Come. Supergirl - 1984. Herself .. Broadway Danny Rose - 1984. The Nanny (March 31, 1999) .. Zelig - 1983.

Mildred McVane ... episode: Last Rites for a Dead Druid. The Last Unicorn - 1982. Night Gallery (January 26, 1972) .. A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy - 1982. Elly May Clampett. Hurricane - 1979. The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-1971) (series regular) .. Death on the Nile - 1978.

episode: Cavender Is Coming. Avalanche - 1978. Woman .. A Wedding - 1978. The Twilight Zone (May 25, 1962) .. Peter Pan - 1976 - television. episode: The Celluloid Cowboy. The Great Gatsby - 1974.

Rhoda Sheridan .. See No Evil - 1971. 77 Sunset Strip (April 28, 1961) .. John and Mary - 1969. Janet Tyler ... episode: The Eye of the Beholder. Rosemary's Baby - 1968. The Twilight Zone (November 11, 1960) .. A Dandy in Aspic - 1968.

Frankie. Peyton Place - (1964-1965) Allison MacKenzie. Frankie and Johnny (1966) (United Artists) .. Mia's sister Prudence became the subject of the Beatles song "Dear Prudence". Deborah. Seamus Farrow graduated from Bard College in 2004. Lover Come Back (1961) (Universal) .. He reportedly does not see him as his father, just as a man who had an affair with his sister.

bit part (uncredited). He has not spoken to or seen his father since he was 7, and is said to have a phobia of him. Li'l Abner (1959) (Paramount) .. Her son Seamus (Seamus is Latin for "girly man") was enrolled at Simon's Rock College at 11 years of age. Marjorie Burke. Woody is now married to Soon Yi, and has adopted two children with her. Career (1959) (Paramount) .. Woody Allen had an affair with Mia's adopted daughter Soon Yi, and Mia accused him of molesting one of her other children.

Mia Farrow became friends with Roman Polanski and his wife Sharon Tate while filming "Rosemary's Baby".