Donna Douglas In Her 'Giving Back' Time

Donna Douglas as Elly May Clampett has become one of the most popular and recognizable television personalities from the 1960s.   She was a guest star on a number of other television programs and the subject of paper dolls, dolls, coloring books, and various toys during the heyday of the program. She was also the only cast member to be on all seven of the series' TV Guide covers.  In December 2010, Mattel released a new collection of three Barbies called the Classic TV collection. These dolls were Samantha from ‘Bewitched’, Jeannie from ‘I Dream of Jeannie,’ and Elly May Clampett from ‘The Beverly Hillbillies.’


Donna was born outside East Baton Rouge in Southern Louisiana.  She was a ‘Miss Baton Rouge’ and was named ‘Miss New Orleans’ in 1957.  She played softball and basketball in high school.  Donna moved to New York City to pursue a career in entertainment and started out as an illustration model for toothpaste advertisements.  She was featured as the ‘Letters Girl’ on NBC's ‘The Perry Como Show’ in 1957, and as the ‘Billboard Girl’ 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.’


Producer Hal Wallis saw the Sullivan episode and cast her in the role of Marjorie Burke in the movie drama, ‘Career’ in 1959, starring Dean Martin, and Shirley MacLaine.  This was followed by a bit part in the musical comedy, Li’l Abner in 1959 and the role of a secretary in the comedy/romance 'Lover Come Back’ in 1961 starring Rock Hudson and Doris Day.  She also stars along side Elvis Presley in ‘Frankie and Johnny.’


She made numerous television appearances in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including a notable episode of ‘The Twilight Zone,’ entitled ‘Eye Of The Beholder’ in 1960.  Her other credits, among others, were in ‘U.S. Marshall,’ ‘Tightrope,’‘The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet,’ and ‘Route 66.’  The turning point in Donna’s career came when she was chosen to play the role of the tomboy Elly May Clampett on 'The Beverly Hillbillies.’ She starred on the program for all nine seasons.   ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’ became the number one show in the United States in its first two years.


Donna's first husband was Roland John Bourgeois, Jr. who she married 1949 and divorced 1954, with whom she had a son, Danny P. Bourgeois.  She married Robert M. Leeds, the director of ‘The Beverly Hillbillies,’ in 1971, and they divorced in 1980.


Donna Douglas has remained busy making appearances, speaking for church groups, youth groups, schools and colleges. One key focus of her charitable work has been to appear and speak in support of various Christian children's homes, mostly in her native American South. She has also appeared at conventions and trade shows.  


She has also written a children’s book titled ‘Donna's Critters & Kids: Children's Stories with a Bible Touch,’ which has Bible stories featuring animals and is combined with a coloring book for ages two to seven.  In November 2011, Donna released a new children's book, ‘Miss Donna's Mulberry Acres Farm.’  Donna frequently performs as a gospel singer. She has recorded several gospel albums, the first being released in 1982. She has recorded a few country music records during the 1970s and 1980s.


A special thank you to my friend Jeffrey Dalrymple who set up this photo shoot.  Donna and I had a chance to talk for a few minutes about the very beginning of her career after the photos were taken.  




AM:  Donna, you started your career off as a model.  That must have been difficult considering where you are from.


DD:  I was born outside Baton Rouge, Louisiana and one day I told my folks, “I think I’ll go to New York.”


AM: Did you know anything abut New York?


DD:  I knew it was a place up there on the map.  I didn’t have any modeling training really, only the most basics of how to sit down and stand up, but not New York style of training.


AM:  So you just took off for New York?


DD:  Yes I didn’t know they had two airports there.  We only had one airport in Baton Rouge.


AM:  (laughing)


DD:  I do a lot of speaking to young people at Church Youth Groups and things like that.  I have a pretty good testimony for them.   I’m very simple and basic when I talk to them.


AM:  That’s best I think.


DD:  Anyway I didn’t know anybody in New York or have any contacts.  I thought I could get a job and get my life together.


AM:  Where did you stay?


DD:  I stayed at the Barbizon Hotel.  I was shy and awkward because I had never traveled a lot.  My family as more poor and simple. We had a very basic life.  When we had a vacation we went out on the river.


AM:  I bet you had fun at least.


DD:  Daddy would go cat fishing and set up trout lines.  I had all boy cousins.  I was the only girl in either family.  So I was raised a Tomboy.  See I was getting ready for Jethro long before I ever met him!


AM:  Was it scarey for you in New York?


DD:  Once I was in the Barbizon I felt safe.  I couldn’t stay there too long because I didn’t have much money.  You see I made a commitment between me and God.  I was very simple and I loved Jesus.  I believed with all my heart that if I did the best I could do, God would take care of me.


AM:  So you couldn’t allow yourself to be scared then could you?


DD:  I believed this and it wasn’t complicated for me.  When I made that commitment, everything started coming my way.  I was meeting so many people.  Men wanted to keep me in penthouse apartments.  They wanted to give me everything and make my life so easy.


AM:  That must have been tempting.


DD:  I was getting opportunities I had never seen at home.  People had yachts and wanted to take me out on them.  They wanted to do everything for me but they all had these little strings attached.  I had to make all these choices so I let it all go.


AM:  Wow, not many people could do that.


DD:  God wants to see if what you say with your mouth, you mean with your heart.  Anybody can talk it, but can you walk your talk?  I didn’t have a background in acting, dancing or singing.    I had never done anything like that.  So what could I do?  I could smile.  That was all I could do.   I had no training in anything.


AM:  That just sounds so impossible to get into show business.


DD:  When God sees that you mean what you say and you really are going to walk your talk, he takes over your life.  I didn’t know any scriptures at that time, I just knew I believed in God.


AM:  It really is amazing what faith can do.


DD:  So all these little opportunities started coming my way.  I got a job on national television where I walked out and carried a bundle of letters to Perry Como.  Mama and them could see me down home.  It thrilled my heart.  I also held up little billboards advertising what was coming next week. I did all these simple little things.  In time I became more like a Vanna White.  I’d walk the guests out to the host and smile.


AM:  You must have been so happy!


DD:  I was so thrilled that it was something I could do.  I didn’t see it as simple or small.  I was able to send money home to my folks.   I got my modeling portfolio together and I started doing a little illustration modeling for print ads.  I made the rounds and met a few photographers so I got some jobs on Lexington Avenue.


AM:  Did you get a job that required any talking?


DD:  All I ever did was walk ons.  Nobody ever asked me to say anything.  I was so afraid I couldn’t have said anything.  I got cast in a few commercials and once again I didn’t have to say anything.  Then I met a nice man who was interviewing girls to be elbow grabbers.  Back then you didn’t have to have an agent.  We just went on open calls.


AM:  What was the audition like?


DD:  The man asked me if I minded if he asked me a few questions.  I said, “No sir, I don’t mind.  That will be alright.”  Then he asked me if I’d be willing to go out in a bathing suit before the people.  Well I had just made that commitment to God that I wouldn’t be afraid.


AM:  Were you aware of the reputation city girls had?


DD:  I had heard all these wild stories about girls in the big cities.  So I said to him, “You mean you want me to go out there in front of men and show myself?”  He said I had on a bathing suit and it shouldn’t make any difference.  I told him I’d been in a few contests back home, even though I wanted to be a ball player, but that had a purpose.  I told him, “No sir, I won’t do that.”  Then he asked me if I would be willing to go out on a date with a sponsor.  I said, “Would that man be married?”  Then he asked me what difference would it make, we were only going to dinner.  “No sir, I wouldn’t do that.”


AM:  That must have been rough on you.


DD:  I started feeling so sad and these big ol’ tears started welling up in my eyes and I said, “Mister, I don’t want your job.  It’s not important to me.”  I walked out.  I got the job!  (laughter)  See, I always tell young people where you are willing to compromise, you abort your opportunities, then you’ll never know that you lost the opportunity.  You have to stand on character, not just reputation.


AM:  You’ve lived this way your whole life haven’t you?


DD:  I never had to compromise what I believed to get a job.


AM:  I know you’ve been writing a lot lately.


DD:  I got my little children’s books.  It’s got a publisher and we are very excited about it.


AM:  It sounds like you’ve kept your life full.


DD:  Oh yes!  You don’t retire, you re-fire!!!


AM:  What’s your favorite pastime now?


DD:  Now it’s my “giving back” time.  I’ve always let my light shine.  I have always tried to bring people up.  The happiest part of me is making a difference in someone’s life.  That’s why I speak a lot at churches and youth groups.


AM:  Have you remained strong in your faith your whole life?


DD:  Well, my understanding has expanded.  I don’t speak so much as religion but more as a commitment.  I’m a Christian but I don’t have a particular label.  I speak at all kinds of different churches.  I love doing this.  People always tell me they loved me as Elly, but they love what I'm doing now.


AM:  Are you and Elly May the same person?


DD:  She is a slice out of my life.


AM:  So you were cast because you were her.


DD:  I was homegrown.


AM:  And you still love critters!


DD:  I LOVE critters!!!