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!
Here’s what Tiger Woods’ ex-wife, Elin Nordegren, is up to now.
He made an effort to help those around him in addition to playing golf, which is why he founded The Tiger Woods Foundation, which promotes education for kids all over the world. Tiger is liked by some people despite having many admirable traits. The majority of people likely disliked him because of the adultery scandal in 2009.
It was 2001 when Tiger and Elin first spoke. When he first became interested in her, she was already in a relationship. Jesper Parnevik, who later introduced them, asked Elin to look after the kids. Despite her initial disinterest in Tiger, their relationship progressed. They got married in 2004, following their engagement in 2003. It was an intimate wedding.Sam Alexis and Charlie Axel, the couple’s 2 children, were born to them. The story describing Tiger’s adultery was then published. Parnevik, the man who had introduced them, expressed disappointment in Tiger and said he thought he was a better man than that.Tiger decided to take a break from golf in order to spend more time with his family. But the marriage was already having issues, so in 2010, the couple divorced. After their divorce, Elin received nearly $100 million, which she used to buy a house in Florida where she now lives with her children.
Elin clarified that everything is going well and that she simply connects with Tiger on a child-focused level.
At the college’s commencement ceremony, psychology graduate Elin was one of the featured speakers. Being able to give the speech made her extremely happy, especially in light of the criticism she had received for not saying enough.
After their divorce, Elin began dating Chris Clin, a wealthy American businessman and philanthropist, but he tragically died in an accident.
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