DONNA DOUGLAS BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:
Donna Douglas was born on September 26th, 1933 in Pride, Louisiana with the birth name Dorothy Smith, born to Emmett Ratcliff Smith Sr. and Elma Robinson. After graduating from St. Gerard High School, she was married briefly to Roland Bourgeois from 1949 through 1954 and had one son before her marriage came to an end.
Douglas then began entering a number of beauty contests and won the title of Miss Baton Rouge and in 1957, Miss New Orleans. She then decided to take her son and relocate to New York and hopes of pursuing a career in entertainment.
She began with finding work as a model and appearing in a number of television commercials. Then she began adding small film roles to her resume such as, "Career" (1959) starring Anthony Franciosa, Dean Martin, Carolyn Jones, Robert Middleton, Joan Blackman, Frank McHugh and Shirley MacLaine, "Li'l Abner" (1959) with Howard St. John, Julie Newmar, Stella Stevens, Peter Palmer, Leslie Parrish, Stubby Kaye, Valerie Harper, Jerry Lewis, Beth Howland, Billie Hayes and Robert Strauss, "Lover Come Back" (1961) starring with Doris Day, Rock Hudson, Tony Randall, Edie Adams, Jack Kruschen, Jack Albertson, Joe Flynn, Jack Oakie, Howard St. John, John Litel and Ann B. Davis and "Frankie and Johnny" (1966) starring alongside Elvis Presley, Anthony Eisley, Sue Ane Langdon, Robert Strauss, Nancy Kovack, Joyce Jameson and Harry Morgan.
In addition to film she was also appearing on such television series as, "Route 66", "77 Sunset Strip", "The Detectives", "Tightrope", "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" and "Twilight Zone".
Her most well known role was portraying Elly May Clampett on the television series, "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962-1971), a role for which she portrayed for a total of nine seasons along with Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Nancy Kulp, Raymond Bailey and Max Baer Jr. and in 1981 she returned for a made-for-TV reunion movie called "The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies".
She made numerous TV appearances in the late 1950's and early 1960's, including, "Checkmate", "Hennesey", "U.S. Marshal" aka "Sheriff of Cochise", "Mister Ed", "Whirlybirds", "The Jack Benny Program", "Lock Up", "Love, American Style", "Dr. Kildare", "Surfside 6" and "Adam-12".
Her second husband was Robert M. Leeds, the director of, "The Beverly Hillbillies", whom she married in 1971 however again this marriage was short lived and came to an end in 1980.
Along with her career as an actress, Donna Douglas also had a decent career as a gospel singer and has released several albums. She also had a brief career in Beverly Hills, California working as a successful real estate agent. In addition, Douglas has written and published a children's book title, "Donna's Critter & Kids: Children's Stories with a Bible Touch" and in 2011 released her second book, "Miss Donna's Mulberry Acres Farm". She now resides back in her home state of Louisiana.
Filmography
2008 Chronicles of Life Starfish
1989 The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
1981 The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies
1978-1979 Project U.F.O.
1974 McMillan & Wife
1973 Adam-12
1970-1973 Love, American Style
1972 Rod Serling's Night Gallery
1962-1971 The Beverly Hillbillies
1966 Frankie and Johnny
1964 The Defenders
1962 Sam Benedict
1960-1962 Twilight Zone
1961-1962 Mister Ed
1962 The Jack Benny Program
1961 Lover Come Back
1961 Dr. Kildare
1961 Pete and Gladys
1961 Surfside 6
1961 Cain's Hundred
1960-1961 The Aquanauts
1961 Hennesey
1961 77 Sunset Strip
1961 Checkmate
1961 Michael Shayne
1961 Thriller
1960 Route 66
1960 The Detectives
1960 Lock Up
1960 Bells Are Ringing
1960 Whirlybirds
1959-1960 The Steve Allen Plymouth Show
1959 Bachelor Father
1959 Li'l Abner
1959 U.S. Marshal aka Sheriff of Cochise
1959 Career
1959 Tightrope
