Donna Reed
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| Donna Reed | |
 from the trailer for The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) |
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| Born | Donna Belle Mullenger January 27, 1921 Denison, Iowa |
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| Died | January 14, 1986 (aged 64) Beverly Hills, California |
| Occupation | actress |
| Years active | 1941 - 1985 |
| Spouse(s) | William J. Tuttle (1943-1945) Tony Owen (1945-1971) Grover Asmus (1974-1986) |
Donna Reed (January 27, 1921 - January 14, 1986) was an American film and television actress.
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[edit] Early life
Reed was born Donna Belle Mullenger on a farm near Denison, Iowa, the daughter of Hazel Jane (née Shives) and William Richard Mullenger.[1] The eldest of five children, she was raised as a Methodist.[2] After graduating Denison High School, Reed planned to become a teacher, but was unable to pay for college. She decided to move to California to attend Los Angeles City College on the advice of her aunt. While attending college, she performed in various stage productions but had no plans to become an actress. After receiving several offers to screen test for studios, Reed eventually signed with MGM, but insisted on finishing her education first.[3]
[edit] Career
After signing with MGM in 1941, Reed made her film debut that same year in The Get-Away, opposite Robert Sterling. Billed in her first feature as Donna Adams, MGM decided against the name and changed it to Donna Reed.[4] She starred in The Courtship of Andy Hardy and had a supporting role with Edward Arnold in "Eyes in the Night" (1942). In 1943, she appeared in The Human Comedy with Mickey Rooney, followed by roles in The Picture of Dorian Gray and They Were Expendable, both in 1945.
Her "girl-next-door" good looks and warm on-stage personality made her a popular pin-up for many GIs during WWII. She personally answered letters from many GIs serving overseas.[5]
In 1946, she was loaned to RKO Pictures for the role of Mary Bailey in Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life. The film has since been named as one of the 100 best American films ever made by the American Film Institute and is regularly aired on television during the Christmas season.[6]
Following the release of It's a Wonderful Life, Reed appeared in Green Dolphin Street (1947) with Lana Turner and Van Heflin, and Scandal Sheet (1952). In 1953, she played the role of Alma "Lorene" Burke, a prostitute and mistress of Montgomery Clift's character in the World War II drama From Here to Eternity. The role earned Reed an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1954.[7]
Beginning in 1958, the actress starred in The Donna Reed Show, a television situation-comedy series that featured her as Donna Stone, the idealized housewife of pediatrician Dr. Alex Stone (Carl Betz) and mother of Jeff (Paul Petersen) and Mary Stone (Shelley Fabares). It ran for eight seasons on ABC.[8] Reed won a Golden Globe Award and earned four Emmy Award nominations for her work on the series.
[edit] Later career
After the The Donna Reed Show ended its run in 1966, Reed took time off from acting and helped form the interest group, Another Mother For Peace in 1967.[9] Reed also became an opponent of the Vietnam War and the use of nuclear weapons. She returned to acting in the 1970s, appearing in various guest spots in television series and television movies.[10]
In 1984, she temporarily replaced Barbara Bel Geddes, who had decided to step down from her role as "Miss Ellie" in the television series Dallas in the 1984-85 season. When Bel Geddes agreed to return to the role for the 1985-86 season, Reed was abruptly fired. She sued the show's production company for breach of contract[11] and later settled out of court for over a million dollars.[12]
[edit] Personal life
From 1943 to 1945, Reed was married to William Tuttle. In 1945, she married producer Tony Owen (1907-1984) with whom she had four children: Penny Jane, Anthony, Timothy, and Mary Anne (the two oldest children were adopted). Reed and Owen divorced in 1971, and three years later, she married retired U. S. Army Colonel Grover W. Asmus (1926-2003).[1][13]
[edit] Death
On January 14, 1986, Reed died in Beverly Hills, California from pancreatic cancer. She was interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.[12]
[edit] Legacy and tributes
In 1987, Reed's widower, actresses Shelley Fabares and Norma Connolly, and numerous friends, associates, and family members founded the Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts. Based in Reed's hometown of Denison, the non-profit organization grants scholarships for performing arts students, runs an annual festival of performing arts workshops, and operates "The Donna Reed Center for the Performing Arts".[14]
Reed's hometown of Denison, Iowa hosts the annual Donna Reed Festival.[15] Reed's childhood home is located at Donna Reed Drive in Denison.[16]
For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Donna Reed has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1610 Vine Street.
[edit] Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1941 | The Get-Away | Maria Theresa 'Terry' O'Reilly | Alternative title: The Getaway |
| Shadow of the Thin Man | Molly | ||
| Babes on Broadway | Jonesy's Secretary | Uncredited | |
| 1942 | Personalities | Uncredited | |
| The Bugle Sounds | Sally Hanson | ||
| The Courtship of Andy Hardy | Melodie Eunice Nesbit | ||
| Mokey | Anthea Delano | ||
| Calling Dr. Gillespie | Marcia Bradburn | ||
| Apache Trail | Rosalia Martinez | ||
| Eyes in the Night | Barbara Lawry | ||
| 1943 | The Human Comedy | Bess Macauley | |
| Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case | Marcia Bradburn | Alternative title: Crazy to Kill | |
| The Man from Down Under | Mary Wilson | ||
| Thousands Cheer | Customer in Red Skelton Skit | ||
| 1944 | See Here, Private Hargrove | Carol Holliday | |
| Gentle Annie | Mary Lingen | ||
| 1945 | The Picture of Dorian Gray | Gladys Hallward | |
| They Were Expendable | Lt. Sandy Davyss | ||
| 1946 | Faithful in My Fashion | Jean Kendrick | |
| It's a Wonderful Life | Mary Hatch Bailey | Alternative title: Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life | |
| 1947 | Green Dolphin Street | Marguerite Patourel | |
| 1948 | Beyond Glory | Ann Daniels | |
| 1949 | Chicago Deadline | Rosita Jean D'Ur | |
| 1951 | Saturday's Hero | Melissa | Alternative title: Idols in the Dust |
| 1952 | Scandal Sheet | Julie Allison | Alternative title: The Dark Page |
| Hangman's Knot | Molly Hull | ||
| 1953 | Trouble Along the Way | Alice Singleton | Alternative title: Alma Mater |
| Raiders of the Seven Seas | Alida | ||
| From Here to Eternity | Alma "Lorene" Burke | ||
| The Caddy | Kathy Taylor | ||
| Gun Fury | Jennifer Ballard | ||
| 1954 | They Rode West | Laurie MacKaye | |
| Three Hours to Kill | Laurie Mastin | ||
| The Last Time I Saw Paris | Marion Ellswirth/Matine | ||
| 1955 | The Far Horizons | Sacajawea | Alternative title: The Untamed West |
| The Benny Goodman Story | Alice Hammond | ||
| 1956 | Ransom! | Edith Stannard | Alternative title: Fearful Decision |
| Backlash | Karyl Orton | ||
| Beyond Mombasa | Ann Wilson | ||
| 1958 | The Whole Truth | Carol Poulton | |
| 1974 | Yellow-Headed Summer | ||
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1954 | The Ford Television Theatre | Lydia Campbell | 1 episode |
| 1955 | Tales of Hans Anderson | 1 episode | |
| 1957 | General Electric Theater | Rayna | 1 episode |
| Suspicion | Letty Jason | 1 episode | |
| 1958-1966 | The Donna Reed Show | Donna Stone | 275 episodes |
| 1979 | The Best Place to Be | Sheila Callahan | Television movie |
| 1983 | Deadly Lessons | Miss Wade | Television movie |
| 1984 | The Love Boat | 2 episodes | |
| 1984-1986 | Dallas | Eleanor "Miss Ellie" Southworth Ewing | 24 episodes |
[edit] Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Film or series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Academy Award | Won | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | From Here to Eternity |
| 1963 | Golden Globe Award | Best TV Star - Female | The Donna Reed Show | |
| 1964 | Golden Apple Awards | Most Cooperative Actress |
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| 1959 | Emmy Award | Nominated | Best Actress in a Leading Role (Continuing Character) in a Comedy Series | The Donna Reed Show |
| 1960 | Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Series (Lead or Support) | The Donna Reed Show | ||
| 1961 | Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Series (Lead) | The Donna Reed Show | ||
| 1962 | Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Series (Lead) | The Donna Reed Show | ||
| 2004 | TV Land Awards | The Most Irreplaceable Replacement | Dallas | |
| 2006 | The Most Irreplaceable Replacement | Dallas |
[edit] References
- ^ a b Donna Reed Biography (1921-1986). filmreference.com
- ^ Field, Eunice. "My Story is Not for Children--or Prudes". donnareedshow.com. http://www.donnareedshow.com/articles/prudes.html.
- ^ Scott Royce, Brenda (1990). Donna Reed: A Bio-bibliography. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 2. ISBN 0-313-26806-1.
- ^ Monush, Barry (2003). Screen World Presents the Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors: From the Silent Era to 1965. Hal Leonard Corporation. pp. 628. ISBN 1-557-83551-9.
- ^ See this article in the New York Times: Dear Donna: A Pinup So Swell She Kept G.I. Mail[[1]]
- ^ Scott Royce, Brenda (1990). Donna Reed: A Bio-bibliography. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 5. ISBN 0-313-26806-1.
- ^ Phillips, Gene D. (1999). Major Film Directors of the American and British Cinema. Lehigh University Press. pp. 118. ISBN 0-934-22359-9.
- ^ Olson, James Stuart (2000). Historical Dictionary of the 1950s. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 82, 83. ISBN 0-313-30619-2.
- ^ Hevly, Bruce William; Findlay, John M. (1998). The Atomic West. University of Washington Press. pp. 208. ISBN 0-295-97716-7.
- ^ "Donna Reed Biography (1921-1986)". biography.com. http://www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=9542105. Retrieved on 2008-11-01.
- ^ "Donna Reed Loses Bid for 'Dallas' Role". The New York Times. 1985-06-19. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9500E6DC1039F93AA25755C0A963948260. Retrieved on 2008-11-01.
- ^ a b "The Television Generation Mourns Its Favorite Surrogate Mother, Tough but Tender Donna Reed". People. 1986-01-27. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20092827,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-11-01.
- ^ Scott Royce, Brenda (1990). Donna Reed: A Bio-bibliography. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 7. ISBN 0-313-26806-1.
- ^ "Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts". donnareed.org. http://www.donnareed.org/html/templates/dr_section.php?dr_section=fndn. Retrieved on 2008-11-01.
- ^ Whye, Mike (2004). The Great Iowa Touring Book: 27 Spectacular Auto Trips. Big Earth Publishing. pp. 37. ISBN 1-931-59935-1.
- ^ Kirby, Doug; Smith, Ken; Wilkins, Mike (1992). The New Roadside America: The Modern Traveler's Guide to the Wild and Wonderful World of America's Tourist. Simon and Schuster. pp. 1049. ISBN 0-671-76931-6.
[edit] Further reading
- Fultz, Jay (1998). In Search of Donna Reed. Iowa City, IA: University of Iowa Press. ISBN 0877456259.
- Tucker, David C. (2007). The Women Who Made Television Funny: Ten Stars of 1950s Sitcoms. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc.. ISBN 0786429003.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Donna Reed |
- Donna Reed at the Internet Movie Database
- Donna Reed at Allmovie
- Donna Reed at the TCM Movie Database
- Donna Reed at TV.com
- The Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts
- Donna Reed at Find a Grave
- Photographs and literature
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