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The Donna Reed Show
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The Donna Reed Show is an American sitcom which aired on ABC from 1958 to 1966. It starred Donna Reed as Donna Stone, a housewife to pediatrician Alex Stone, played by Carl Betz. The couple had two children together, Mary and Jeff. When Mary left the show, child character, Trisha, was introduced. Another series regular (from 1963-1965) was future Hogan's Heroes star Bob Crane as Dr. Dave Kelsey, Alex's colleague.
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Encyclopedia
The Donna Reed Show is an American sitcom which aired on ABC from 1958 to 1966. It starred Donna Reed as Donna Stone, a housewife to pediatrician Alex Stone, played by Carl Betz. The couple had two children together, Mary and Jeff. When Mary left the show, child character, Trisha, was introduced. Another series regular (from 1963-1965) was future Hogan's Heroes star Bob Crane as Dr. Dave Kelsey, Alex's colleague. For many years the show's main sponsor was the Campbell Soup Company with Johnson & Johnson as the principal alternate sponsor.
Plot
The show was a situation comedy, focusing on middle class couple problems of the 1950s such as planning a bash for a retiring colleague, firing an inept housekeeper, and finding quality time away from the kids. Alex and Donna had an adult relationship unusual in 1950s family-oriented sitcoms. Most first season episodes, for example, ended with the two in a passionate clinch that suggested the couple had an intense marital life after the last fadeout.
While most episodes had a realistic tone, some episodes stretched credibility. In the first season episode, "The Foundling", for example, the Stones' widower Italian milkman abandons his year old infant on the doorstep of the Stone house. Donna and her young Irish housekeeper Kathleen fuss over the baby while Alex advises turning the infant over to the police. When Donna discovers the baby's father is the milkman, she plays matchmaker for him and the Irish housekeeper. The episode indulges in 1950s ethnic stereotypes. In another incredible episode, Jay North appears as his television character Dennis the Menace. He wreaks havoc in the Stone house while Donna tries to redecorate.
Production notes
In 1962, Shelley Fabares recorded a single called "Johnny Angel" which became a number one hit and sold over a million copies. The song debuted in one the show's episodes. Fabares left the show in 1963 to pursue other acting and singing opportunities. Her character, Mary, was said to have left the show to attend college. Paul Petersen's real-life sister Patty Petersen then joined the show as Trisha, a runaway who was eventually adopted by the Stones. Paul Petersen had his own recording career, too, with his biggest hit being the 1963 single "My Dad", for Colpix Records. Like "Johnny Angel", Petersen's "My Dad" was also featured in an episode of the show.
Nitpicks about the house's layout
Jeff and Mary both have en suite bathrooms on the show as do Donna and Alex. It is likely there is another bathroom on the second floor for overnight visitors and possibly a downstairs lavatory for guests and yet another lavatory in Dr. Stone's office for patients - making a total of four full and two half baths in the house.
Dr. Stone's home office features a window behind his desk. This isn't possible because the wall behind his desk is one side of the kitchen wall. His office window is where the stove and broom closet are in the kitchen.
Donna's bedroom and Mary's bedroom are the same set. The closet doors are switched to suggest a change of scene.
Characters and cast
Main
- Donna Stone (Donna Reed) grew up on a farm. She is a "Graduate Nurse" and sometimes works as a nurse on the show. Donna was married to Alex when she was 18 and the couple live in the fictional city of Hilldale. She participates in community activities such as charity campaigns and amateur theatricals. Like several television wives and mothers of the 1950s, Donna wears heels, pearls, and chic frocks to do the housework.
- Alex Stone (Carl Betz) is a pediatrician with an office in the Stone house. Like most television couples of the 1950s, Alex and Donna sleep in twin beds. The two show a physical affection for each other slightly more intense than other television couples of the period.
- Mary Stone (Shelley Fabares) is 14 "almost fifteen" and a freshman in high school when the show opens. She calls her parents "Mommy" and "Daddy". She has a few boyfriends during the course of the show with Jimmy Hawkins as Scotty being a regular. Mary plays the piano like a professional and studies ballet. She leaves the show to attend college.
- Jeff Stone (Paul Petersen) is "almost twelve" when the show opens. He is a typical American boy; he plays sports, likes to eat, and argues with his older sister.
- Trisha (Patty Petersen) is a runaway child the Stones adopt after Mary leaves for college. She remained for the duration.
- Dr. Dave Kelsey (Bob Crane) and his wife Midge (Ann McCrea) are friends of the Stones. Dave is Alex's colleague. The characters appeared 1963-1965.
Secondary first season characters
The first season had many recurring characters that appeared as neighbors, service people (such as the dry cleaning man), and family friends.
- Babs (Melinda Plowman) is Mary's girlfriend.
- Scotty (Jimmy Hawkins) is Mary's boyfriend. He appeared in two first season episodes as her boyfriend George Haskell.
- Mr. and Mrs. Wilgus (Howard McNear and Kathleen Freeman) are busybody Stone neighbors.
- Lydia Langley (Mary Shipp) is Donna's snobbish acquaintance.
- Uncle Bo (Jack Kelk) is Alex's bachelor colleague and friend, Dr. Boland. Jeff and Mary call him Uncle Bo.
- Zachary Blake (Stephen Pearson) is Jeff's friend.
Guest stars
- Lassie appeared in one episode set in Hollywood.
- Jay North appeared in one 1960 episode, "Donna Decorates", as his television character, Dennis the Menace.
- Don Drysdale appeared as himself in two 1964 episodes, "Play Ball" and "My Son the Catcher".
- Willie Mays appeared in three episodes as himself over the show's run: "Calling Willie Mays" (1966), "Play Ball" and "My Son the Catcher" (both, 1964)
- Buster Keaton guest starred in two episodes, "Now You See It, Now You Don't" (1965) and in "A Very Merry Christmas" (1958) as a hospital janitor who brings gifts to the chilren's ward
- Miyoshi Umeki appeared in "Aloha, Kimi" (1962) and "The Geisha Girl" (1961)
- George Hamilton appeared in a first season episode as Herbie, Mary's date
- James Darren played pop singer Buzz Berry in a first season episode
Distribution
The series was originally syndicated by Screen Gems, and, later, Columbia Pictures Television and Sony Pictures Television. In 2008, Sony lost the full rights to the estates of Donna Reed and Tony Owen, and as a result this show is now rarely seen on television, although reruns aired on Nick at Nite from 1985 through 1994 and on TV Land in 2002.
For a limited time in 2004, General Mills offered a DVD of two episodes inside boxes of Total and Oatmeal Crisp.
In June 2008, Arts Alliance America (under license from the estates of Donna Reed and Tony Owen) released a DVD set of the show's first season on October 28, 2008. The show's second season is planned for DVD release at Mother's Day 2009.
Awards and nominations
The show's performers were nominated for many awards with Donna Reed receiving a 1963 Golden Globe Award as Best Female TV Star. She was nominated for Emmys in 1959, 1960, 1961, and 1962 in similar categories. Shelley Fabares was nominated for the 2004 TV Land Award as Favorite Female Teen Dream. Fabares and Paul Petersen (1994 and 1997 respectively) received the Young Artists Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award. 'Dr. Alex Stone' was ranked #16 in the TV Guide list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" (20 June 2004 issue).
External links
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