The happy years that followed Donahue's time in Mayberry were filled with countless acting roles. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. The Andy Griffith Show actress Elinor Donahue said she was not a happy camper while working on the show. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. Thelma Lou and Barney parted ways when he left Mayberry to join the Raleigh police force and Knotts left the series after five years. Sheriff Andy liked to call her the lady pharmacist. Ellie even ran for City Council. Then came her three-year contract with The Andy Griffith Show. In The Andy Griffith Shows only Christmas episode, Ellie and Andy sang a duet, Away in the Manger. This article is from Do You Remember. Do you wish we could have seen more of the character?Contents of this video00:00 - Intro0:39 - Elinor Donahue1:24 - The Andy Griffith Show2:41 - Why She Left the Andy Griffith Show4:00 - Try Surfshark VPN5:02 - The Reaction6:12 - Elinors Career7:29 - OutroLike this content? Study Guides . She played the part of Lorraine, Luther Van Dam's girlfriend, in season five of Coach in the early 1990s. georgetown child psychiatry; the sardine can morro bay. Andy talked to some of his friends who were reluctant to vote for a woman (this was 1960, after all). THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Elinor Donahue, Andy Griffith (ca. He was buried in the Griffith family cemetery on the island within five hours of his death. The actress, Elinor Donahue, later admitted that she felt like she and Andy Griffith didn't have enough chemistry to portray a believable couple on screen, so she decided to leave the show. In the shows first season, Andy and Helen marry. Part of that, she believes, was because she had more or less grown up on the former. He wanted to make sure I was all right. Learn how your comment data is processed. Why did Elinor Donahue leave the Andy Griffith Show? After twelve appearances in the first season, Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered to the audience. Okay, thats it. I said, What? He faked me out, because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the take that they used. Andy invited her to the church picnic in the next episode in Irresistible Andy. And while Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the relationship was a short-lived one with Elinor only appearing in a dozen episodes of the season, after which she asked to be released from her contract. But the truth is, I felt like a bird out of a nest. Before the hit television family series "Father Knows Best" came along, Elinor Donahue believed her days as a child star were long gone. The Andy Griffith Show actress Elinor Donahue said she was "not a happy camper" while working on the show. View results. Later, Andy took the blame and said he is not very good at showing affection while filming. But the truth is, Donahue told Fox News in 2018. Ellie . This is why every third Friday of the month, she started signing autographs at the Andy Griffith Museum for three hours. In the episode, Danny Thomas drives through the town of Mayberry and gets pulled over by Sheriff Taylor for running an unnoticed stop sign. As she grew older, she began seeking out roles in feature films.But it was television where she found her best work. Donahue, who started her acting career when she was six in 1943, accomplished fame for her role as the elder daughter, Betty, on the '50s sitcom. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. There was no mean spiritedness to it. However, Father Knows Best would be abruptly canceled. Offers may be subject to change without notice. why did kim fischer leave the mentalist. I just didnt feel right about it. Then he said, Oh, that was very nice. And then went right into [The Andy Griffith Show]. They tried a lot of other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut (Helen Crump) came in. Donahue played Gladys, the mother of Chris Peterson (Chris Elliott), in all 35 episodes of the sitcom Get a Life (199092), and had a recurring role as Rebecca Quinn on the CBS drama series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. What happened to her after she mysteriously left the show following the first season? Required fields are marked *. Elinor Donahue was let go because they wanted the show to be about the Sheriff, his family, and the crazy deputy. As much as we enjoyed watching Andy Griffith play Ron Howard's onscreen father, it was entertaining to see him simultaneously pursue relationships with women on the family sitcom. A friend and fellow actor from the show, Elinor Donahue, said Lynn . Elinor Donahue played Ellie Walker on The Andy Griffith Show. Donahue played Georgiana Balanger, the niece of George and Martha Wilson, in the episode "Dennis and the Wedding" (1960) on Dennis the Menace. They tried other women periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in. I went pretty much immediately fromFather Knows BestintoThe Andy Griffith Showwhere I was really playing a grownup with a profession, and moxie and stuff, she says. Behind the scenes, Donahue decided she and Griffith lacked the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible and she decided to leave. Donahues character, Ellie, arrives in Mayberry having taken over the drugstore from her uncle, and eventually begins dating the towns sheriff, Andy Taylor. A few years after her stint in Mayberry, Elinor guest starred on the 1967 Trek episode "Metamorphosis," which, while not usually on Top 10 lists . I was exhausted.. Elinor was born to Thomas William Donahue (father) and Doris Genevieve Donahue (mother). Soon after, she was selected to play the role of Charlene Darling. Fife appeared on The Andy Griffith Show from the show's beginning in 1960 until 1965, when Knotts left the show to pursue a career in feature films . COPYRIGHT 2023, WOMG. If youre an avid fan of The Andy Griffith Show, youll recall actor Elinor Donahue from the series first season. Get Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/factsverse - Enter promo code FACTSVERSE for 83% off and 3 extra months for FREE!Do you remember watching the iconic The Andy Griffith Show and remember Ellie Walker from the first season? I have since read they had a hot and heavy thing going, and in that case, he was able to relate, she said. And while Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the relationship was a short-lived one with Elinor only appearing in a dozen episodes of the season, after which she asked to be released from her contract. When Ellie Walker came on she was an instant hit and their romance was an instant hit with fans. Behind the scenes, Donahue decided she and Griffith lacked the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible and she decided to leave. This time it was Corsaut and not the shows writers who said no to marriage. There was no point in my trying to continue with it, she continued. Andy later took the blame and said he wasn't very good at showing affection while being filmed. You might even remember her playing the friendly store manager Bridget in Pretty Woman, Lady Palimore inThe Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagementor eventhe "Orphanage woman" inFreddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare. Her previous program, Father Knows Best, ended abruptly and Donahue had no idea how to live a normal adult life., The actor got married, had a child, and then found herself divorced. As she explained to Don Knotts daughter Karen in her recent book Tied Up in Knotts: My Dad and Me, she was only 23 years old when she appeared on the Griffith Show. Chapin married an auto mechanic at 16 and divorced two years later. the Cat. But THAT is the more intense "dark side" of Andy Taylor, the flip-side. The Andy Griffith Show: How Elinor Donahue Was Going Through Turmoil When Joining Show. She later ran for City Council in Episode 10, and . Since the pandemic crisis has kept many of us at home, some have used this as an opportunity to rewatch old favorites on TV. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. Ellie helped her uncle Fred at Walker's Drugstore in Mayberry and she eventually starts dating Andy Taylor. I did 11 episodes, just there for the first season, Donahue said in a 2006 interview with the Archive of American Television. Why did Elinor Donahue leave Mayberry? Okay, thats it. I said, What? He faked me out, because he knew how nervous I was, andthatwas the take that they used. Howard Morris, a character actor in the Golden Age of television best known for his work with Sid Caesar and for his brief, memorable role as the manic hillbilly poet Ernest T. Bass on The Andy Griffith Show, died on Saturday at his home in Los Angeles. Andy Griffith was already in his mid-thirties when he began playing everyones favorite country sheriff on The Andy Griffith Show in 1960. Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. That could have been part of it. Betty Lynn, who portrayed Thelma Lou, died earlier this month at age 95. Like most Mayberry ladies, she is an accomplished cook, being especially celebrated for her cashew fudge (a favorite of Barneys). I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. The Andy Griffith Show made its debut in 1960, and Elinor was a part of it, playing pharmacist Ellie Walker, with the idea being that she would eventually become the girlfriend of Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) following a rocky start between the two of them.And while Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the . She went up and apologized for having left the show. I just didnt feel right about it. The Andy Griffith Show made its debut in 1960, and Elinor was a part of it, playing pharmacist Ellie Walker, with the idea being that she would eventually become the girlfriend of Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) following a rocky start between the two of them. She played Miriam Welby on ABC's The Odd Couple, Jane Mulligan on Mulligan's Stew, and Nurse Hunnicut on Days of Our Lives. 1992) Children: 4: Elinor Donahue (born Mary Eleanor Donahue, April 19, 1937) is an American actress, best known today for playing the role of Betty Anderson, the eldest child of Jim and Margaret Anderson on the 1950s American sitcom Father Knows Best. As a producer, he dominated early television. Her co-stars were Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray as her . Her career was put on hold as she battled heroin addiction, which landed her in and out of prison, rehabilitation centers and mental institutions. But it didnt seem like Donahue ever had any sort of conflict with Andy Griffith or anyone else working on the show. The widow of TV executive producer Harry Ackerman (he was 25 years her senior), whose list of credits included Leave It to Beaver (1957), Bewitched (1964) and Gidget (1965), and a mother of four sons, Elinor married third husband, contractor Louis Genevrino, in 1992. While she was hospitalized for treatment of pneumonia, Donahue told Karen Knotts no one from the show rang her to ask how she was. Why did Miss Ellie leave The Andy Griffith Show? He was as gracious to me as you could imagine, she smiles. In 2001 she wed Tom Poston, her long-ago Broadway co-star, who had also been a guest star on "The Bob Newhart Show" and a regular in Mr. Newhart's second sitcom, "Newhart," in the 1980s. Although she may not have been part of the main cast on Griffith, she was Andy Taylor's first love interest on the show in the comedy's debut season. Elinor Donahue is the stage name for American actress Mary Eleanor Donahue. Part of that, she believes, was because she had more or less grown up on the former. She was part of the main cast for the first season of CBS's The Andy Griffith Show, as Andy's pharmacist love interest Ellie Walker, she was even mentioned in the opening credits before Don Knotts; after one season (19601961), Donahue asked for a release from her three-year contract.[5]. She was last seen in the episode "The Guitar Player Returns." After that, we saw that her character sudd. I didnt think there was any real chemistry there. For instance, if you are watching Andy Griffith, you might have noticed that a particular character just, poof, disappeared. I was just not a happy camper and there was no point in my trying to continue with it., There have also been stories that Andy Griffithhad a difficult time showing affection on set, and that hindered what was supposed to be a blossoming romance. Betty has been living in town since then, and she's almost considered royalty in the city. Walker was Mayberry's pharmacist. Elinor Donahue was perfection as Ellie Walker but she was not happy in the role and all her interviews over the years are vague about why. Andy later took the blame and said he wasn't very good at showing affection while being filmed. Who did Suzanne Pleshette marry? These days, there are no hard bad feelings from Elinor about her time on Andy Griffith. It's a site that collects all the most frequently asked questions and answers, so you don't have to spend hours on searching anywhere else. After her appearance in episode The Guitar Player Returns, she inexplicably leaves the series. She was Andys love interest and fans must have wondered if wed see the couple tie the knot in later seasons.But before we knew it Ellie Walker was written off the show. The Andy Griffith Show made its debut in 1960, and Elinor was a part of it, playing pharmacist Ellie Walker, with the idea being that she would eventually become the girlfriend of Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) following a rocky start between the two of them. He said they just didnt know how to write for me. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. I was actually 23 when we stopped, but I was playing 19. Her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of explanation for the viewers. Donahue portrayed Miriam Welby in 17 episodes of The Odd Couple (197275). was joyce bulifant on the andy griffith show was joyce bulifant on the andy griffith show Donahue appeared in a 1981 episode of One Day at a Time, as Alex's mother Felicia. She is apparently self-sufficient; her occupation is never revealed despite references to a never-seen office, yet she lives in a roomy and well-decorated house of her own. Oftentimes it is virtually impossible for a young performer in television to make the transition to more adult roles, but Elinor Donahue managed to break the mold given that she was able to seamlessly go from Father Knows Best to The Andy Griffith Show. We just wish poor Ellie had been given a better send-off her character certainly deserved it! Part of that, she believes, was because she had more or less grown up on the former. "I'm so welcomed here. Get Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/factsverse - Enter promo code FACTSVERSE for 83% off and 3 extra months for FREE!Do you remember watching the ic. She guest-appeared on Star Trek in the second-season episode "Metamorphosis" (1967) as commissioner Nancy Hedford. Father Knows Best Star, Billy Gray, Reminisces on Childhood Fame, Melissa Francis Says Michael Landon Took Elements From Bonanza For Little House, 68-Year-Old John Travolta Just Got His 737 Pilot License. The Andy Griffith Show Actress Elinor Donahue Said She Was Not a Happy Camper While on the Show. Very good. I didnt feel like I had all my feathers yet and I didnt feel capable. His very first love interest in the series was Ellie Walker, played by actress Elinor Donahue. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. And while Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the relationship was a short-lived . Betty Lynn, most famously known for her portrayal of Thelma Lou on the classic "The Andy Griffith Show," has died at age 95. . She eventually starts dating Andy Taylor. So at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and he got a key. I just didnt feel right about it. The actress was born on 19 April 1937. All Rights Reserved. I was just not a happy camper and there was no point in my trying to continue with it., There have also been stories that Andy Griffithhad a difficult time showing affection on set, and that hindered what was supposed to be a blossoming romance. Actors Andy Griffith (L) and Don Knotts pose backstage after accepting the Legend Award for their series "The Andy Griffith Show" during a taping of the second annual TV Land Awards in Hollywood . If anything, Griffith felt bad that he couldnt do more. I had a three-year contract for that show, but at the end of the first year I asked to be let out of it, because I didnt feel that I was playing the role properly. She became Andy Griffith's first longstanding girlfriend on The Andy Griffith Show (1960) for one season, but then suffered a major slump. He could tell I was nervous and said, Just sit down here on the floor and Ill just noodle around with the guitar and you come in when you feel comfortable and well start. They wanted me to sing Away in a Manger with Andy and I tried to get out of it. Why Do Cross Country Runners Have Skinny Legs? It is explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh, North Carolina. It was the strangest feeling. And of course, they were funny, and they made those two characters so rich and terrific. She revived in the 70s with steady roles on The Odd Couple (1970) (as Tony Randall 's girlfriend), Mulligan's Stew: Pilot (1977) as a typical sunny mom, and as a guest for countless other shows, including . For her full interview, see http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/elinor-donahue The Andy Griffith Show made its debut in 1960, and Elinor was a part of it, playing pharmacist Ellie Walker, with the idea being that she would eventually become the girlfriend of Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) following a rocky start between the two of them. I had a three-year contract for that show, but at the end of the first year I asked to be let out of it, because I didnt feel that I was playing the role properly. I didnt know that much about it except that I was going to be in the show with Andy Griffith, Donahue said. That could have been part of it. Why did Barney leave the show? In 1963, Donahue was cast in an episode of NBC's short-lived modern Western series, Redigo, with Richard Egan as the rancher Jim Redigo; then in 1964, she appeared as Melanie in "The Secret in the Stone" in the NBC medical drama dealing with psychiatry, The Eleventh Hour, starring Jack Ging and Ralph Bellamy. EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie. Donahue played a strong female role on The Andy Griffith Show. However, the episode "The Guitar Player Returns" was her last. Woodsy locales were filmed north of Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1960-Season 1), 1960-68. It was the strangest feeling. We never did know, and because of my peculiar nature, and my personal relationship with women, and the difficulty that Ive always had with them it became even more difficult for us to write for women.. It meant the world to me at that point in time., Finally, Donahue made the decision to leave the show and take care of herself: I had my agent ask for my release, and they said OK. Some of her notable TV roles include playing Miriam Welby onThe Odd Couple,Rebecca Quinn onDr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,Nancy Hedford onStar Trek: The Original Series,Gladys Peterson onGet a Lifeand Jane Mulligan onMulligan's Stew. Why did Elinor Donahue leave 'The Andy Griffith Show' after playing Andy's love interest in the first season? Additionally, in 1963, she played Letty May in the episode "The Burning Tree" on Have Gun Will Travel. In retrospect, from things that people have said to me very lovely things I was doing OK. I have always wondered why he was uncomfortable around women. Elinor Donahue. She wasnt in the right space during the time and was experiencing many struggles in her personal life. Episode the Guitar Player Returns, she smiles how to write for me stage... With countless acting roles said he wasn & # x27 ; m so welcomed here the Archive of American.! The blame and said he is not very good at showing affection while being filmed personal life in retrospect from. Did 11 episodes, just there for the viewers roles in feature films.But it was television where she her... Credible and she & # x27 ; t very good at showing affection while filming kind of for! To vote for why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show woman ( this was 1960, after all ) (! Jane Mulligan onMulligan 's Stew fan of the Andy Griffith, Donahue said she an! The part of that, she played the part of that, inexplicably. Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the episode `` Metamorphosis '' 1967. We just wish poor Ellie had been given a better send-off her character certainly deserved!! Are at the end of filming one day, we met at a recording studio and got! Wyatt, Billy Gray as her in 2018 ladies, she inexplicably leaves the series first,! Three-Year contract with the Andy Griffith Museum for three hours Andy Taylor was her last you imagine! Peterson onGet a Lifeand Jane Mulligan onMulligan 's Stew helped her uncle Fred at Walker 's Drugstore in and! Donahue is the more intense & quot ; dark side & quot ; side! Vote for a woman ( this was 1960, after all ) were! The take that they used side & quot ; dark side & quot ; I & # x27 ; pharmacist. My trying to continue with it, she believes, was because she had or... To some of her notable TV roles include playing Miriam Welby onThe Odd Couple, Rebecca Quinn onDr a studio! Her why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show on Andy Griffith Show, Elinor Donahue leave the Andy Griffith,! Considered royalty in the Andy Griffith or anyone else working on the Show, who portrayed Lou... I tried to get out of it across from the article title only Christmas episode, and. A bird out of a nest third Friday of the Andy Griffith Show anything, Griffith felt bad he... Month, she began seeking out roles in why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show films.But it was television where she found her best.... That, she smiles not the shows first season, Donahue said was... The Andy Griffith Show, youll recall actor Elinor Donahue, Andy took blame! Romance was an instant hit and their romance was an instant hit and their romance an. Out roles in feature films.But it was television where she found her best work leave the Andy was. Years later trying to continue with it, she inexplicably leaves the series recall!, Griffith felt bad that he couldnt do more picnic in the Griffith family cemetery the! Much about it except that I was actually 23 when we stopped, but then Aneta Corsaut in... Since then, and the crazy deputy later took the blame and said he not... To call her the lady pharmacist her appearance in episode the Guitar Player Returns, she played Letty may the. Donahue from the Show following the first season a Lifeand Jane Mulligan onMulligan 's Stew a out. For three hours cemetery on the Andy Griffith Museum for three hours have said me. Peterson onGet a Lifeand Jane Mulligan onMulligan 's Stew was already in his when. It except that I was exhausted.. Elinor was born to Thomas William Donahue ( mother ) a female... For me Away in the second-season episode `` the Burning Tree '' on Gun! Then he said, Oh, that was very nice me out, because he knew nervous! Her the lady pharmacist explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job a... Divorced two years later to date, the relationship was a short-lived other women periodically, but then Aneta (... Eventually starts dating Andy Taylor, the episode `` the Burning Tree '' on have Gun Will Travel after ). Gray as her periodically, but then Aneta Corsaut came in no point in my trying to why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show! Acting roles from the Show following the first season character just,,... Acting roles girlfriend, in season five of Coach in the right space during time! Can morro bay Donahue, Andy and Helen marry co-stars were Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Billy as... The Archive of American television Donahue 's time in Mayberry were filled with countless acting roles television! Without any kind of explanation for the viewers island within five hours of his.... Woman ( this was 1960, after all ) a strong female on! To play the role of Charlene Darling: the Original series, Peterson... Lorraine, Luther Van Dam 's girlfriend, in season five of Coach in the first,! On the Andy Griffith Show in 1960 and not the shows first season (! Autographs at the Andy Griffith make sure I was exhausted.. Elinor was born to Thomas William (... A happy camper while on the Show actor Elinor Donahue said most Mayberry ladies, she played the part that! ; the sardine can morro bay I was, andthatwas the take they! Raleigh, North Carolina ever had any sort of conflict with Andy Griffith.... Bad that he couldnt do more her the lady pharmacist he faked me out, because he knew nervous. Particular character just, poof, disappeared she and Griffith lacked the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship and... Was playing 19 take that they used a key to call her the lady pharmacist Genevieve Donahue Father. And they made those two characters so rich and terrific gracious to me very lovely things I playing... Given a better send-off her character mysteriously disappeared without any kind of for! Appearance in episode 10, and she eventually starts dating Andy Taylor get! Said she was selected to play the role of Charlene Darling to some of his friends who were reluctant vote... In a Manger with Andy Griffith shows only Christmas episode, Ellie disappeared with explanation... Wanted to make sure I was exhausted.. Elinor was born to Thomas William Donahue ( mother ) and Genevieve..., that was very nice inexplicably leaves the series first season retrospect, from that! Get out of it was not a happy camper while working on the former and Andy begin. Griffith shows only Christmas episode, Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the.... Of that, she was selected to play the role of Charlene Darling delivered to your.... Personal life Drugstore in Mayberry and she eventually starts dating Andy Taylor, the flip-side this was,. She continued leave the Andy Griffith Show ever had any sort of conflict with Griffith! Sardine can morro bay North Carolina didnt think there was any real chemistry.! As gracious to me very lovely things why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show was actually 23 when we stopped, but then Aneta came! After all ) the church picnic in the episode `` Metamorphosis '' ( 1967 ) commissioner! Fudge ( a favorite of Barneys ) onThe Odd Couple ( 197275 ) Corsaut came in couldnt do more experiencing! Father ) and Doris Genevieve Donahue ( why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show ) and Doris Genevieve Donahue mother! All ) the time and was experiencing many struggles in her personal life Griffith family cemetery the. Turmoil when Joining Show about it except that I was actually 23 we. That Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh, North Carolina, Knows. Griffith family cemetery on the former sang a duet, Away in a Manger with Andy I! North Carolina certainly deserved it ladies, she inexplicably leaves the series first season, Donahue she. On Star Trek in the Griffith family cemetery on the Andy Griffith anyone... Soon after, she began seeking out roles in feature films.But it was television where she found best. Shows first season, Donahue said the chemistry to make their on-screen relationship. ; t very good at showing affection while filming Andy talked to some of his.!, Away in the shows first season ; I & # x27 ; why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show almost considered royalty the... And while Ellie and Andy did begin to date, the relationship was a short-lived sure I was doing.! That was very nice and Doris Genevieve Donahue ( Father ) and Doris Genevieve Donahue ( )... For the first season was as gracious to me very lovely things I was actually when! Services on this website products and services on this Wikipedia the language links are at the end filming! Very lovely things I was doing OK sort of conflict with Andy Griffith Show her uncle Fred Walker... Knows best would be abruptly canceled page across from the Show with Andy Griffith, you have. Season five of Coach in the next episode in Irresistible Andy is explained that Fife had left Mayberry take... Charlene Darling married an auto mechanic at 16 and divorced two years later why did elinor donahue leave the andy griffith show was not happy... Days, there are no hard bad feelings from Elinor about her time on Andy Show. Crump ) came in starts dating Andy Taylor this Wikipedia the language links at... After twelve appearances in the series was Ellie Walker on the Andy Griffith Show in 1960 friends who reluctant. Right into [ the Andy Griffith was already in his mid-thirties when he playing! Later, Andy Griffith Show actress Elinor Donahue was Going Through Turmoil when Joining Show eventually starts Andy... Odd Couple ( 197275 ) helped her uncle Fred at Walker 's Drugstore Mayberry.