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Elinor Donahue

ACTOR · FROM TACOMA, USA

Elinor Donahue

Born 1937 · 89 years old84 credits since 1942

FunnyFamilyHeartwarmingFriendshipQuirky

See the filmography

In the pictureThe Andy Griffith Show

ABOUT ELINOR

Mary Eleanor Donahue (born April 19, 1937), credited as Elinor Donahue, is an American actress, best remembered today for playing the role of Betty Anderson, the eldest child of Robert Young and Jane Wyatt, on the 1950s American sitcom Father Knows Best.

Donahue achieved stardom for her role as the elder daughter, Betty, on the television family series Father Knows Best. Her co-stars were Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray as her younger brother, James "Bud" Anderson, Jr., and Lauren Chapin as her younger sister, Kathy.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA. Credits and photos from TMDB.

Born19 April 1937

BirthplaceTacoma, USA

Known forActing

On Cineora46 of 84 titles

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Elinor Donahue elsewhere

IMDb
Wikidata

Known for

The titles people know Elinor from.

The Andy Griffith Show poster

Series

The Andy Griffith Show

1960–1968IMDb8.4

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman poster

Series

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

1993–1998IMDb6.9

The Odd Couple poster

Series

1970–1975IMDb7.9

Eek! The Cat poster

Series

1992–1997IMDb7.2

Get a Life poster

Series

1990–1992IMDb8.1

Father Knows Best poster

Series

Father Knows Best

1954–1960IMDb7.4

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Heart Within poster

Movie

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Heart Within

2001IMDb7.0

Career

IMDb rating of each title on Cineora, by year.

Titles on Cineora: 46
Average IMDb: 7.0
Highest rated: FriendsIMDb 8.8
Working since: 1942

Size: how widely seen

Filmography

84 credits

The 2020s

1 title

Not on Cineora

No Friends

2025

as Aunt Lillian

The 2000s

3 titles · IMDb 6.9 on average

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement poster

Movie

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement

2004IMDb5.9

as Lady Palimore

Cold Case poster

Series

2003–2010IMDb7.7

as Esther 'Legs' Davis (2005) · 1 episode

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Heart Within poster

Movie

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Heart Within

2001IMDb7.0

as Rebecca Quinn Dickinson

The 1990s

9 titles · IMDb 6.8 on average

Dear God poster

Movie

1996IMDb5.5

as Elinor Donahue

Friends poster

Series

1994–2004IMDb8.8

as Aunt Lillian · 1 episode

Ellen poster

Series

1994–1998IMDb6.1

as Delores Warwell · 1 episode

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman poster

Series

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

1993–1998IMDb6.9

as Rebecca Quinn · 9 episodes

Eek! The Cat poster

Series

1992–1997IMDb7.2

as Mom (voice) · 112 episodes

Herman's Head poster

Series

1991–1994IMDb7.2

as Mrs. Fitzer · 1 episode

Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare poster

Movie

Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare

1991IMDb4.7

as Orphanage Woman

Get a Life poster

Series

1990–1992IMDb8.1

as Gradys Peterson · 35 episodes

The 1980s

11 titles · IMDb 6.8 on average

Coach poster

Series

1989–1997IMDb7.1

as Lorraine · 2 episodes

Not on Cineora

The New Adventures of Beans Baxter

1987

as Susan Baxter · 17 episodes

The Golden Girls poster

Series

The Golden Girls

1985–1992IMDb8.2

as Katherine · 1 episode

Murder, She Wrote poster

Series

Murder, She Wrote

1984–1996IMDb7.3

as Connie Lewis · 1 episode

No Earthly Reason

Not on Cineora

No Earthly Reason

1984

as Mrs. Morrison

High School U.S.A. poster

Movie

High School U.S.A.

1983IMDb5.5

as Mrs. Franklin

Going Berserk poster

Movie

1983IMDb5.2

as Margaret Anderson

Not on Cineora

Just an Overnight Guest

1983

The 1970s

22 titles · IMDb 7.0 on average

$weepstake$

Not on Cineora

$weepstake$

1979

1 episode

Diff'rent Strokes poster

Series

Diff'rent Strokes

1978–1986IMDb6.7

1 episode

Not on Cineora

Police Story: No Margin for Error

1978

Not on Cineora

Doctors' Private Lives

1978

as Mona Wise

Not on Cineora

Father Knows Best: Home for Christmas

1977

as Betty Anderson

Mulligan's Stew

Not on Cineora

Mulligan's Stew

1977

as Jane Mulligan · 6 episodes

Not on Cineora

Dick Clark's Good Old Days

1977

The Love Boat poster

Series

1977–1987IMDb6.3

as Rowena · 1 episode

The 1960s

12 titles · IMDb 7.6 on average

Not on Cineora

In Name Only

1969

as Esther Garrity

Not on Cineora

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

1969

1 episode

The Flying Nun poster

Series

1967–1970IMDb6.5

as Dr. Jennifer Ethrington · 1 episode

Not on Cineora

Occasional Wife

1966

1 episode

Star Trek poster

Series

1966–1969IMDb8.4

as Commissioner Nancy Hedford · 1 episode

Not on Cineora

Many Happy Returns

1964

26 episodes

Not on Cineora

Redigo

1963

1 episode

Not on Cineora

The Eleventh Hour

1962

1 episode

The 1950s

16 titles · IMDb 7.1 on average

Girls Town poster

Movie

1959IMDb3.9

as Mary Lee Morgan

Dennis the Menace poster

Series

Dennis the Menace

1959–1963IMDb7.0

1 episode

Imitation of Life poster

Movie

Imitation of Life

1959IMDb7.8

as Lora's Friend (uncredited)

77 Sunset Strip poster

Series

77 Sunset Strip

1958–1964IMDb7.7

as Laura Holt · 1 episode

Have Gun, Will Travel poster

Series

Have Gun, Will Travel

1957–1963IMDb8.4

as Letty Mae Stinchcomb · 1 episode

Father Knows Best poster

Series

Father Knows Best

1954–1960IMDb7.4

as Betty Anderson · 203 episodes

Not on Cineora

Letter to Loretta

1953

as Debbie Waring · 1 episode

Not on Cineora

General Electric Theater

1953

as Carol Madsen · 1 episode

The 1940s

10 titles · IMDb 6.7 on average

Not on Cineora

An Old-Fashioned Girl

1949

as Maud Shaw (as Mary Eleanor Donahue)

Not on Cineora

The Arkansas Swing

1948

as Toni MacGregor

Tenth Avenue Angel poster

Movie

Tenth Avenue Angel

1948IMDb6.7

as Cynthia (uncredited)

Not on Cineora

Three Daring Daughters

1948

as Alix Morgan

Not on Cineora

The Unfinished Dance

1947

as Josie (as Mary Eleanor Donahue)

Not on Cineora

Winter Wonderland

1946

as Betty Wheeler

Not on Cineora

And Now Tomorrow

1944

as Janice

Not on Cineora

Honeymoon Lodge

1943

as Janie Thomas

Often works with

The people who keep turning up in Elinor’s titles.

Garry MarshallDirector · Pretty Woman, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement and 3 more

Héctor ElizondoPretty Woman, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement and 1 more

Charles MinskyCinematographer · Pretty Woman, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement and 1 more

Angela LansburyMurder, She Wrote and Tenth Avenue Angel

Jane SeymourDr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Heart Within

Joe LandoDr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Heart Within

Tom BosleyMurder, She Wrote and Happy Days

Aaron SpellingCreator · The Love Boat and Hotel

Mark SheraBarnaby Jones and S.W.A.T.

Todd BridgesDiff'rent Strokes and High School U.S.A.