Portrait of Elinor Donahue

Acting

Elinor Donahue

Career

Active from 1946 to 2001, busiest in 1977 with 4 main titles.

Leading roles
9
top three billing
Average score
GoodWatch score60/100
Highest rated
Poster for Eek! The Cat
Eek! The Cat
GoodWatch score70/100

Characters

2

The characters Elinor Donahue played, best-known titles first.

Character images: TheTVDB

What stands out

Compared with the average well-known movie, over 53 of their titles. Select a trait to filter titles.

Energy: 2.8 versus catalog average 4.6EnergyHeart: 4.8 versus catalog average 4.2HeartHumor: 3.2 versus catalog average 2.6HumorWorld: 5.2 versus catalog average 5.6WorldCraft: 4.7 versus catalog average 5.3CraftStyle: 5.0 versus catalog average 5.9Style
Elinor Donahue Catalog average

Rarely in their work

  • Tension
    3.8, average 5.9
  • Adrenaline
    2.8, average 4.8
  • Violence
    2.1, average 4.1
  • Scare
    0.9, average 2.6

Main genres

Select a genre to see those titles.

Recurring tags

  • Wholesome Entertainment 2
  • Family-Friendly Fun 2
  • Classic Sitcom 2
  • Mid-Century Americana 2
  • Nostalgic 2

Works often with

People in at least two of their main titles.

Movies and TV shows

81
Type
Role
Score
Decade
Genre
Group by

2020s

1 title
No Friends
No Friends (2025)

as Aunt Lillian

2000s

3 titles ยท average score 63
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004)
GoodWatch score 48

as Lady Palimore

Cold Case
Cold Case (2003)
GoodWatch score 73

TV show ยท as Esther 'Legs' Davis (2005)

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Heart Within
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Heart Within (2001)
GoodWatch score 70

as Rebecca Quinn Dickinson

1990s

10 titles ยท average score 57
E! True Hollywood Story
E! True Hollywood Story (1996)
GoodWatch score 48

TV show

Dear God
Dear God (1996)
GoodWatch score 30

as Elinor Donahue

Friends
Friends (1994)
GoodWatch score 79

TV show ยท as Aunt Lillian

Ellen
Ellen (1994)
GoodWatch score 53

TV show ยท as Delores Warwell

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993)
GoodWatch score 74

TV show ยท as Rebecca Quinn

Eek! The Cat
Eek! The Cat (1992)
GoodWatch score 70

TV show ยท as Mom (voice)

Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)
GoodWatch score 37

as Orphanage Woman

Herman's Head
Herman's Head (1991)
GoodWatch score 46

TV show ยท as Mrs. Fitzer

Get a Life
Get a Life (1990)
GoodWatch score 70

TV show ยท as Gradys Peterson

Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman (1990)
GoodWatch score 65

as Bridget

1980s

10 titles ยท average score 65
Coach
Coach (1989)
GoodWatch score 56

TV show ยท as Lorraine

The New Adventures of Beans Baxter
The New Adventures of Beans Baxter (1987)

TV show ยท as Susan Baxter

The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls (1985)
GoodWatch score 83

TV show ยท as Katherine

Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote (1984)
GoodWatch score 76

TV show ยท as Connie Lewis

No Earthly Reason
No Earthly Reason (1984)

as Mrs. Morrison

High School U.S.A.
High School U.S.A. (1983)
GoodWatch score 51

as Mrs. Franklin

Going Berserk
Going Berserk (1983)
GoodWatch score 45

as Margaret Anderson

Newhart
Newhart (1982)
GoodWatch score 79

TV show ยท as Irma

Hotel
Hotel (1982)
GoodWatch score 65

TV show ยท as Louise

Condominium
Condominium (1980)

TV show ยท as Audrey Ames

1970s

20 titles ยท average score 62
The Love Boat
The Love Boat (1977)
GoodWatch score 53

TV show ยท as Mrs. Van Buren / Rowena

The Father Knows Best Reunion
The Father Knows Best Reunion (1977)

as Betty Anderson

Mulligan's Stew
Mulligan's Stew (1977)

TV show ยท as Jane Mulligan

CHiPs
CHiPs (1977)
GoodWatch score 44

TV show ยท as Elnor Donahue (uncredited)

One Day at a Time
One Day at a Time (1975)
GoodWatch score 66

TV show

Happy Days
Happy Days (1974)
GoodWatch score 78

TV show

Police Woman
Police Woman (1974)
GoodWatch score 43

TV show ยท as Ellie Tarlow

Barnaby Jones
Barnaby Jones (1973)
GoodWatch score 70

TV show ยท as Judy Corbett

Police Story
Police Story (1973)
GoodWatch score 72

TV show

The Rookies
The Rookies (1972)
GoodWatch score 46

TV show

Gidget Gets Married
Gidget Gets Married (1972)

as Medley Blaine

The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple (1970)
GoodWatch score 52

TV show ยท as Miriam Welby

1960s

12 titles ยท average score 71
In Name Only
In Name Only (1969)

as Esther Garrity

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1969)

TV show

The Flying Nun
The Flying Nun (1967)
GoodWatch score 64

TV show ยท as Dr. Jennifer Ethrington

Star Trek
Star Trek (1966)
GoodWatch score 79

TV show ยท as Commissioner Nancy Hedford

Occasional Wife
Occasional Wife (1966)

TV show

Many Happy Returns
Many Happy Returns (1964)

TV show

Redigo
Redigo (1963)

TV show

The Virginian
The Virginian (1962)
GoodWatch score 70

TV show ยท as Carole Cole

The Eleventh Hour
The Eleventh Hour (1962)

TV show

Dr. Kildare
Dr. Kildare (1961)
GoodWatch score 63

TV show ยท as Sharon Calloway

The Andy Griffith Show
The Andy Griffith Show (1960)
GoodWatch score 81

TV show ยท as Ellie Walker

The Brothers Brannagan
The Brothers Brannagan (1960)

TV show ยท as Diane

1950s

15 titles ยท average score 64
Dennis the Menace
Dennis the Menace (1959)
GoodWatch score 45

TV show

Imitation of Life
Imitation of Life (1959)
GoodWatch score 82

as Lora's Friend (uncredited)

77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip (1958)
GoodWatch score 74

TV show ยท as Laura Holt

Have Gun, Will Travel
Have Gun, Will Travel (1957)
GoodWatch score 78

TV show ยท as Letty Mae Stinchcomb

Father Knows Best
Father Knows Best (1954)
GoodWatch score 47

TV show ยท as Betty Anderson

Letter to Loretta
Letter to Loretta (1953)
GoodWatch score 70

TV show ยท as Janey / Debbie Waring

General Electric Theater
General Electric Theater (1953)
GoodWatch score 68

TV show ยท as Carol Madsen

Love Is Better Than Ever
Love Is Better Than Ever (1952)
GoodWatch score 50

as Pattie Marie Levoy

Her First Romance
Her First Romance (1951)

as Lucille Stewart

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951)
GoodWatch score 73

TV show

The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950)
GoodWatch score 79

TV show ยท as Emily Vanderlip Foster

My Blue Heaven
My Blue Heaven (1950)
GoodWatch score 66

as Mary (uncredited)

1940s

10 titles ยท average score 59
An Old-Fashioned Girl
An Old-Fashioned Girl (1949)

as Maud Shaw (as Mary Eleanor Donahue)

Three Daring Daughters
Three Daring Daughters (1948)
GoodWatch score 53

as Alix Morgan

The Arkansas Swing
The Arkansas Swing (1948)

as Toni MacGregor

Tenth Avenue Angel
Tenth Avenue Angel (1948)
GoodWatch score 62

as Cynthia (uncredited)

The Unfinished Dance
The Unfinished Dance (1947)
GoodWatch score 59

as Josie (as Mary Eleanor Donahue)

Winter Wonderland
Winter Wonderland (1946)

as Betty Wheeler

And Now Tomorrow
And Now Tomorrow (1944)
GoodWatch score 64

as Janice

Mister Big
Mister Big (1943)

as Muggsy

Honeymoon Lodge
Honeymoon Lodge (1943)

as Janie Thomas

Girls' Town
Girls' Town (1942)

as Bit Role (uncredited)