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Donna Douglas

American Actress. Douglas, who grew up in Baton Rouge, will best be remembered for her role as Elly May Clampett in the 1960s CBS television series, ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’. Born Doris Smith, she attended a Catholic High School where she was active in sports. In 1957, she was named “Miss Baton Rouge” and was later crowned “Miss New Orleans”. Shortly thereafter, she moved to New York City to pursue a career in acting and started out as a model for toothpaste advertisements. She was featured on NBC’s ‘The Perry Como Show’ in 1957, and on NBC’s ‘The Steve Allen Show’ in 1959. These and other television appearances led New York photographers and newspaper reporters to award her the “Miss By-line” crown, which she wore on CBS’s ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ which led to her being cast in the movie drama ‘Career’ (1959), which was followed by a bit part in the musical comedy ‘Li’l Abner’ (1959) and a role in the romantic comedy, ‘Lover Come Back’ (1961). In the late 1950s and early 1960s, she made numerous TV appearances including a memorable episode of ‘The Twilight Zone’, entitled “The Eye of the Beholder”. Other credits include ‘Checkmate’, ‘U.S. Marshal’, ‘Tightrope’, ‘The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet’, ‘Bachelor Father’, ‘Adam 12’, and ‘Route 66’, before landing the role of Elly Mae in ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’ which she played from 1962 through 1971. In 1966, she made her only starring motion picture appearance, cast as Frankie in ‘Frankie and Johnny’, opposite Elvis Presley. Douglas received her real estate license after ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’ went off the air, but did not work in that field long. She remained in show business and frequently performed as a gospel singer and spoke at churches across America. In the 1970s and 1980s, she recorded a few minor country music records and several gospel albums. She also wrote two children’s books, ‘Donna’s Critters & Kids: Children’s Stories with a Bible Touch’ and ‘Miss Donna’s Mulberry Acres Farm’. Douglas died from complications of pancreatic cancer.