Donna Douglas

I really love pets. They're like children.
They know if you really love them or not. You can't fool them
- Donna Douglas

Donna Douglas

September 26, 1933 – January 1, 2015

Donna Douglas was born Doris Smith in the community of Pride in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. Douglas moved to New York City to pursue a career in show business and started out as an illustration model for toothpaste advertisements. She was featured as the "Letters Girl" on NBC's The Perry Como Show in 1957, and as the "Billboard Girl" on NBC's The Steve Allen Show in 1959. These and other television appearances led New York photographers and newspaper reporters to award her the "Miss By-line" crown, which she wore on CBS's The Ed Sullivan Show.

"Eye of the Beholder" (also titled "The Private World Of Darkness" when initially rebroadcast in the summer of 1962) is episode 42 of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. It originally aired on November 11, 1960 on CBS.

Film producer Hal B. Wallis saw the Sullivan episode and cast her in the role of Marjorie Burke in the movie drama Career (1959), starring Anthony Franciosa,Dean Martin, and Shirley MacLaine. This was followed by a bit part in the musical comedy Li'l Abner (1959) and the role of a secretary in the comedy/romance Lover Come Back (1961), starring Rock Hudson and Doris Day.

She made numerous television appearances in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including The Twilight Zone episode "The Eye of the Beholder" (1960). She was cast as Barbara Simmons in four 1961 episodes of the CBS detective series Checkmate. Her other credits included in U.S. Marshal, Tightrope, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Bachelor Father, Adam-12, and Route 66. Douglas also appeared in Thriller, season 1, episode 16, "The Hungry Glass", which also starred William Shatner, Russell Johnson, and Boris Karloff.

The turning point in Douglas's career came when she was chosen to play the role of the tomboy Elly May Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies. She starred on the program for all nine seasons, along with Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Nancy Kulp, Raymond Bailey, and Max Baer, Jr. The Beverly Hillbillies became the number one show in the United States in its first two years. In 1963 she received one of the first two Miss Golden Globe awards. Hers was for television; the other went to Eva Six for feature films.

In 1981, she returned for a made-for-TV reunion movie, The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies. Douglas was a guest star on a number of other television programs and the subject of paper dolls, dolls, coloring books, and various toys during the heyday of the program. She was also the only cast member to be on all seven of the series' TV Guide covers.

Unlike other "single-role" actors, Douglas never shied away from the public's identification of her as Elly May Clampett. In a 2003 interview with "Confessions of a Pop Culture Addict", she summed up her views on the role. "Elly May was like a slice out of my life. She is a wonderful little door opener for me because people love her, and they love the Hillbillies. Even to this day it's shown every day somewhere. But, as with any abilities, she may open a door for you, but you have to have substance or integrity to advance you through that door."

In December 2010, Mattel released a new collection of three Barbies called the Classic TV Collection. These dolls were Samantha Stephens (from Bewitched, played by Elizabeth Montgomery), Jeannie (from I Dream of Jeannie, played by Barbara Eden), and Elly May Clampett.

Douglas received her real estate license after The Beverly Hillbillies finished production. She did not work in that field long, however, as she remained in show business and found other projects.

Douglas frequently performed as a gospel singer and spoke at churches across America. She has recorded several gospel albums, the first being released in 1982. She recorded a few minor country music records during the 1970s and 1980s.

She wrote 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.

Douglas spoke to church groups, youth groups, schools, and colleges. One focus of her charitable work was speaking in support of various Christian children's homes, mostly in her native American South. She has also appeared atconventions and trade fairs.

In November 2011, Douglas released a new children's book, Miss Donna's Mulberry Acres Farm.

Good Night Miss. Douglas. Sit a spell, take your shoes off.

Stay Tuned


Tony Figueroa