Whatever happened to Elly May Clampett...
Whatever happened to Elly May Clampett...
[center] DONNA DOUGLAS
http://www.celebritynooz.com/watn/wh...a_douglas.html
BIRTH DATE: September 26, 1933, Pride, Louisiana
BIRTH NAME: Dorothy Smith
CLAIM TO FAME: If you're like me, you only know Donna for one role... that of Elly May Clampett from 'The Beverly Hillbillies'.
FAMILY LIFE: Roland Bourgeois (1949 - 1954) (divorced) 1 child Robert M. Leeds (married late 1970s - divorced)
INFO: She made her film debut in a serious drama, 'Career', with Tony Franciosa and Shirley MacLaine in 1959. Two years later, she played Tony Randall's secretary in 'Lover Come Back'. Then she took up Elly May's pigtails for The Beverly Hillbillies, playing Buddy Ebsen's tomboy daughter.
TRIVIA: Was a self-described "Tomboy" as a girl, and like her character "Elly May," she has a large love of animals. Spent hours autographing photos and personally responding to fan mail - even though she received far more than anyone else in the cast of "The Beverly Hillbillies".
Critics hated 'The Beverly Hillbillies', but Americans loved it. It ran nine seasons, and it was cancelled not for sinking ratings, but because CBS feared that the network was gaining a reputation as a home for hicks and hayseeds. In one press release, CBS cancelled all their rural comedies, The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, and Hee Haw. All four were still in the Top 20 when they were axed.
During the series' run, Douglas also made her last film, co-starring with Elvis Presley in Frankie and Johnny. She was a cheerleader in high school. Was Miss New Orleans, 1957. She was featured as the "Letters Girl" on The Perry Como Show. Is proud of her role as "Elly May" in "The Beverly Hill- billies" and sometimes even makes public appearances dressed up as Elly May.
She recorded a gospel album in 1982 and later a country and gospel album two-record set in 1989. Appeared as a guest at the Western Film Fair in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1992, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2002 and 2005.
In 1993, Douglas sued the Disney studio, Whoopi Goldberg, and others over 'Sister Act', alleging that the hit film was a rip-off of the comic novel 'A Nun in the Closet', for which Douglas owned the film rights. Disney's well- paid lawyers won in court, and won again on appeal.
WHERE IS SHE NOW: After The Beverly Hillbillies, Donna was relegated to rare guest bits on 'Adam 12' and 'The Nanny'. She says she was offered another series in the 1970s, but thought the program's risque concept would damage her wholesome image.
In the 1980s, she was one of the first celebrities to find limited success in Branson, Missouri, where she sang gospel music billed as Elly May, and delivered between-songs banter as her Hillbillies character. She received her real estate license 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 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. One key focus of her charitable work has been to appear and speak in support of various Christian children's homes, mostly in her native south. She has also appeared at conventions and trade shows. In 2005 she filmed two pilot episodes for a children's program titled 'Mirror, Mirror'.
Donna Douglas currently lives in the Baton Rouge Metro Area in Louisiana.
WRITE TO DONNA DOUGLAS: Donna Douglas c/o Staff Member The Bazel Group Inc 4636 Lebanon Pike #308 Hermitage, TN 37076
VIDEO CLIPS: From Frankie & Johnny with Elvis: http://www.evtv1.com/player.aspx?itemnum=9106&aid=21
As Elly May... in "Elly May Is All Growed Up": http://www.evtv1.com/player.aspx?itemnum=7345&aid=21
CREDITS:
"Mirror, Mirror" (2 Episodes, 2005)
The Nanny (March 31, 1999) ... Herself ... episode: California, Here We Come
"The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!" .... Ellie Mae (1 episode, 1989)
Mario Hillbillies (1989) TV episode .... Ellie Mae The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies (1981) (TV)
Elly May Clampett "Project U.F.O." .... Mrs. Ferrell / ... (2 episodes, 1978-1979)
- Sighting 4026: The Atlantic Queen Incident (1979)
TV episode .... Mrs. Ferrell - Sighting 4006: The Nevada Desert Incident (1978)
TV episode .... Wendy "McMillan & Wife" .... Rita (1 episode, 1974)
- The Man Without a Face (1974)
TV episode .... Rita "Adam-12" .... Nina Draper (1 episode, 1973)
- The Beast (1973) TV episode .... Nina Draper "Love, American Style" .... / ... (2 episodes, 1970-1973)
- Love and the Love Kit (1973) TV episode
- Love and Grandma/Love and the Other Guy (1970)
.... Gloria Gilchrest "Night Gallery" .... Mildred McVane (1 episode, 1972)
- Last Rites for a Dead Druid (1972)
TV episode .... Mildred McVane
"The Beverly Hillbillies" .... Elly May Clampett (1962-1971)
Frankie and Johnny (1966) .... Frankie
"The Defenders" .... Mary Andrews (1 episode, 1964)
- Drink Like a Lady (1964)
TV episode .... Mary Andrews "Sam Benedict" .... Francine (1 episode, 1962)
- Hannigan (1962) TV episode .... Francine "The Twilight Zone" .... Debutante / ... (2 episodes, 1960-1962) - Cavender Is Coming (1962) TV episode .... Debutante - Eye of the Beholder (1960) TV episode .... Janet Tyler "The Jack Benny Program" (1 episode, 1962) - Jack Takes in a Boarder (1962) TV episode "Mister Ed" .... Blanche Dickenson / ... (3 episodes, 1961-1962) - Clint Eastwood Meets Mister Ed (1962) TV episode .... Clint Eastwood's Girl - Ed the Jumper (1961) TV episode .... Blanche Dickenson - Busy Wife (1961) TV episode .... Jane Parker Lover Come Back (1961) .... Deborah, Peter's Secretary "Pete and Gladys" .... Blonde / ... (2 episodes, 1961) - Three Loves of Gladys (1961) TV episode .... Blonde - Mannequin Story (1961) TV episode .... Model "Surfside 6" .... Amy / ... (2 episodes, 1961) - Jonathan Wembley Is Missing (1961) TV episode .... Amy - An Overdose of Justice (1961) TV episode .... Paula Creston "Cain's Hundred" (1 episode, 1961) - Penitent (1961) TV episode "The Aquanauts" .... Nancy Gard (2 episodes, 1960-1961) - The Stakeout Adventure (1961) TV episode .... Nancy Gard - The Big Swim (1960) TV episode "Hennesey" (1 episode, 1961) - His Honor, Dr. Blair (1961) TV episode "77 Sunset Strip" .... Rhonda Sheridan (1 episode, 1961) - The Celluloid Cowboy (1961) TV episode .... Rhonda Sheridan "Checkmate" .... Barbara (2 episodes, 1961) - Dance of Death (1961) TV episode .... Barbara - The Deadly Silence (1961) TV episode .... Barbara "Michael Shayne" .... Dusa (1 episode, 1961) - Murder Is a Fine Art (1961) TV episode .... Dusa "Thriller" .... Laura Bellman, the Girl in the Mirror (1 episode, 1961) - The Hungry Glass (1961) TV episode .... Laura Bellman, the Girl in the Mirror "Route 66" .... Dana (1 episode, 1960) - Layout at Glen Canyon (1960) TV episode .... Dana "The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor" .... Sandra (1 episode, 1960) - Alibis (1960) TV episode .... Sandra "Lock Up" .... Gloria Larkey (1 episode, 1960) - The Case of Dan Gray (1960) TV episode .... Gloria Larkey Bells Are Ringing (1960) (uncredited) .... Party Guest "Whirlybirds" .... Girl (1 episode, 1960) - Four Little Indians (1960) TV episode .... Girl "The Steve Allen Show" (1956) TV series .... Billboard Girl (1959-1960) Li'l Abner (1959) (uncredited) .... Bit part "U.S. Marshal" .... Joyce Markham (1 episode, 1959) - Trigger Happy (1959) TV episode .... Joyce Markham "Bachelor Father" (1 episode, 1959) - Kelly's Idol (1959) TV episode Career (1959) .... Marjorie Burke To see Then & Now pictures of Donna, visit: http://www.celebritynooz.com/watn/wh...a_douglas.html <a href="http://www.celebritynooz.com/watn/where_is_donna_douglas.html"> Donna Douglas Then & Now</a>