2 of 3 people found this review helpful. (11 Mar 1959). Too sweet a mother, Donna is unable to get Mary to make her bed, or Jeff to wash the car. Right after the show's eight-season run, which ended in 1966, Betz joined the cast of … View production, box office, & company info. Made film debut in the 1941 crime drama The Get-Away under the name Donna Adams. So, she did not accept every offer that came her way, but worked with then-husband Tony Owen. Add the first question. **** The Ideal Wife (3/11/59) Nate Monaster ~ Donna Reed, Carl Betz, Sid Tomack. Despite the success of the aforementioned movies, Reed still had to seek out work, because hit roles early on did not guarantee career longevity. Together, they and William S. Roberts formulated a show that would present Donna Reed as Donna Reed. There was even one about a lady bullfighter.”, Author David Tucker penned The Women Who Made Television Funny, which noted most shows of the time focused on the father figure and the wife acted as “adjunct.” Instead, both play a relatively important role. What to Watch if You Miss the "Game of Thrones" Cast. She believed in their show’s concept and its ability to attract viewers. Too sweet a wife, Donna has to pass on seeing "Death of a Salesman", when Alex decides to view a colleague's gallbladder operation. When a star achieves success, people oftentimes don’t recognize how bumpy the road to fame can actually be. “We were like a new family on the block. We had to be known and accepted.”, Even competing against hit shows of the age, Reed stayed calm, cool, and collected. From The Virgin Suicides to On the Rocks, IMDb dives into the cinematic stylings of Oscar-winning director Sofia Coppola. not afraid to sing her TV husband’s praises, After ‘The Donna Reed Show’ Ended, She Became Key Figure In Anti-War Movement, Whatever Happened To Kami Cotler, Elizabeth Walton From ‘The Waltons?’, Whatever Happened To Marion Ross, Mrs. Cunningham From ‘Happy Days?’. Reed wanted to convey a sense of who she was as a person in the movies and television shows she worked on. Made film debut in the 1941 crime drama The Get-Away under the name Donna Adams. Use the HTML below. Donna Reed and James Stewart / RKO Radio Pictures. Directed by Oscar Rudolph. But none quite provided the altitude one would expect. I could have played a lady race track tout. “You see, I’m hopeful that there are lots of people in this country who will tune in a good series of family life, regardless of what else may happen to be on the air.” The Donna Reed Show also strayed from even more conventions of the era. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Reed’s career includes 1946’s It’s a Wonderful Life and 1953’s From Here to Eternity. She decides to be more assertive to see what people think then. RELATED: This Suspicious Death Kept Paul Lynde From Getting His Own Show After ‘Bewitched’, They did not arrive on the concept of The Donna Reed Show immediately, developing and exploring a variety of ideas until they found the right one. In our series, the wife doesn’t always have the last word.”. By rights, though, it maybe shouldn’t have made it as far as it did. We were bombarded with ideas from typewriters in Hollywood. Fed up, Donna decides to change her sunny disposition, and begins barking orders. Was this review helpful to you? She decides to … But, cleaning man Sid Tomack (as Mac) helps Donna find balance in her life. “You see, I’m hopeful that there are lots of people in this country who will tune in a good series of family life, regardless of what else may happen to be on the air,” she explained in 1958. by Second husband Tony Owen produced The Donna Reed Show as well as Beyond Mombasa, a 1956 adventure film in which she was the female lead. Was elected campus queen while at Los Angeles City College. Donna (Donna Reed) hosts a dinner party for Alex (Carl Betz)s' doctor friends (and their catty wives), which is interrupted by the telephone. Donna is sweet. “We knew it would take a while to build an audience,” Reed admitted of The Donna Reed Show. Suddenly everything clicked and the result was The Donna Reed Show, which cast her as Donna Stone, wife to pediatrician Dr. Alex Stone and mother to … With Donna Reed, Carl Betz, Shelley Fabares, Paul Petersen. ‘The Donna Reed Show’ Was The Actress’s Way Of Taking Back Control, Proving Haters Wrong, , which noted most shows of the time focused on the father figure and the wife acted as “adjunct.” Instead, both play a relatively important role. Though best known for such wholesome roles as Mary Bailey (James Stewart's wife) in It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and housewife Donna Stone on The Donna Reed Show (1958-63), she won her Supporting Actress Oscar for playing a prostitute in From Here to Eternity (1953). She continues, “So, there was this insecurity on the set and mom was really not that well known.I mean, she was only 25 and I think she signed her MGM contract at 21. Reed was not afraid to sing her TV husband’s praises, because the spotlight was theirs to share. When a star achieves success, people oftentimes don’t recognize how bumpy the road to fame can actually be. The show had a shaky start early on and the studio could have pulled the plug. While Alex makes a house call, the dining couples proclaim Donna is the "perfect wife". Choose an adventure below and discover your next favorite movie or TV show. Someone suggested a show about an elevator operator in the Empire State Building with a new episode on every floor. Donna comes to the conclusion that she's too nice for her own good. The Ideal Wife She got offers. This FAQ is empty. Donna comes to the conclusion that she's too nice for her own good. Her show sought to change that. Increasingly upset with her sweet and understanding "Pollyanna" reputation, Donna smiles at the thought of being "a mean, ill-teetered, petulant shrew." Through it all, Donna Reed consistently conducted herself with poise, because she knew worrying would gain her nothing and give the doubters everything. Her 1958 to 1966 television series, The Donna Reed Show, actually represented some major ambitions on her part. October 15, 2020, 7:00 am. And, of course, the wife is always the incarnation of cleverness and wisdom. For example, actress Donna Reed worked hard to navigate the entertainment world. Though best known for such wholesome roles as Mary Bailey (James Stewart's wife) in It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and housewife Donna Stone on The Donna Reed Show (1958-63), she won her Supporting Actress Oscar for playing a prostitute in From Here to Eternity (1953). Reed was, This Suspicious Death Kept Paul Lynde From Getting His Own Show After ‘Bewitched’. Looking for something to watch? Well, we depart from that. Or allowed parts to reflect her own personal identity. Title: Fortunately, she maintained a patient optimism. Reed’s career includes 1946’s It’s a Wonderful […] The former became a holiday classic and the latter netted her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Reed explained, “In so many TV situation comedies the man of the house is nothing more than a good-natured, lovable blunderbuss. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Dana Daly Ultimately, Reed informed The Journal News, “Looking for the right concept took two years. For example, actress Donna Reed worked hard to navigate the entertainment world. Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role. Her 1958 to 1966 television series, The Donna Reed Show, actually represented some major ambitions on her part. Betz is perhaps best remembered for his work on "The Donna Reed Show," which saw him as the reliable and trustworthy husband a father to the show's star Donna, played by Donna Reed.