Elinor Donahue is famous for her role on the popular TV show “Father Knows Best,” but her career didn’t stop there. She continued to work on screen and in other areas after the show ended.
Now at 86 years old, Elinor Donahue recently appeared as a guest on the soap opera “The Young and the Restless.”
On “Father Knows Best,” Elinor Donahue played Betty ‘Princess’ Anderson, a key character in the show about a happy middle-class family in the Midwest.
The show began as a radio program in 1949 and aired every Thursday until 1954. After that, CBS brought it to TV, keeping only Robert Young, who played the father, Jim Anderson.
During her six years on the popular show, which was among the top ten TV shows in America, Elinor also appeared on “Crossroads” and “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show.” Her busy schedule was so demanding that she admitted she didn’t have time to watch her own show.
Elinor Donahue, who was born in Tacoma in 1937, worked hard on “Father Knows Best.” By the time she got home at night, she would have dinner and then prepare for the next day’s lines. This busy schedule meant she never had time to watch the show.
As a teenager, Elinor’s acting career took off, and she became the main provider for her family. She appeared in movies like *Love is Better than Ever* with Elizabeth Taylor and *Girls Town*.
Since Elinor was still a child, she needed an adult with her on set. With her father not around and her mother working full-time, her mom Doris had to quit her job to be with her.
After “Father Knows Best,” Elinor appeared on other popular shows such as “The Andy Griffith Show,” “Dr. Kildare,” “Star Trek,” and “Mork & Mindy.”
Elinor Donahue, now 86, has appeared in over 70 TV shows and movies like *Winter Wonderland* and *Pretty Woman*.
At 19, she married her first husband, hoping it would make her feel like a grown-up. She admitted to Emmy TV Legends that she felt like a teenager at that age, saying, “I was like a 13-year-old 19.” She felt she hadn’t grown up properly and thought that marriage and having a baby would help her mature.
The person she married was Richard Smith, a sound man from “Father Knows Best.” Elinor decided to marry him because she thought it was her chance to become an adult.
Elinor Donahue shared a funny story about how she got engaged. She said that after a movie date, her first husband, Richard Smith, whispered in her ear, “I love you and I’d like to marry you.” She laughed and replied, “Okay.”
Elinor had her first son, Brian, with Richard. They were married for six years before divorcing in 1961.
In 1962, she married TV producer Harry Ackerman, who was 20 years older than her. They had three sons together and were happily married for almost 30 years until he passed away in 1991.
The following year, Elinor married her third husband, Lou Genevrino, a contractor. She has been retired from acting for the past decade.
Despite never planning to be on screen, Elinor Donahue has had a remarkable and successful career. She has appeared in more than 70 TV shows and movies like *Winter Wonderland* and *Pretty Woman*. Her role as Betty Anderson on *Father Knows Best* made her a household name, and she has continued to impress audiences with her work in shows like *The Andy Griffith Show*, *Star Trek*, and *Mork & Mindy*.
Share this with all the *Father Knows Best* fans you know to celebrate her impressive achievements and enduring impact on television!
Molly Ringwald’s Twins Are All Grown Up – Rare Pictures!
The well-known 1980s actress Molly Ringwald has never revealed much about her personal life, particularly when it comes to her kids. But she recently uploaded a photo of herself with her adolescent twins, Adele and Toman, giving us an insight into her life. They were traveling to the Miami Film Festival when the shot was taken in a limousine.
The image shows 56-year-old Ringwald smiling and reaching out to grip her son’s chin at a cream-colored desk with gold embellishments. Her supporters showered the photo with affection, complimenting her on how much she cares for her kids and how mature they all seem.
Later, the group took pictures on the red carpet while Ringwald received the Variety Creative Vanguard Award at the ceremony. Given that Ringwald doesn’t frequently post images of her kids, it was an uncommon sight.
In relation to her offspring, Ringwald gained notoriety by disclosing the details of how her oldest daughter, Mathilda, was conceived. She revealed that Mathilda was conceived in the Studio 54 dressing room while she was performing on Broadway as Sally Bowles in “Cabaret.” It was a legendary location and a very “Mathilda” way to be conceived, according to Ringwald.
Now twenty years old, Mathilda appears to be pursuing an acting career in the same vein as her mother. She has already modeled for Andrew Warren and J. Crew, and she will feature in Anne Hathaway’s next film, “The Idea of You.”
In 2003, Ringwald welcomed Mathilda along with her spouse, Panio Gianopoulos. The twins, Adele and Roman, who are now 14 years old, joined the family six years later.
Molly Ringwald sharing these priceless moments with her followers and spending time with her kids is lovely. Tell your friends about this post so they may view the actress’s current appearance along with her kids’!
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