On January 14, 1986, less than two weeks before her 65th birthday, she died of pancreatic cancer in Beverly Hills, California. She decided to move to California to attend Los Angeles City College on the advice of her aunt. For eight years beginning in 1958, she starred in The Donna Reed Show on ABC. In the show, Reed's character, Donna Stone, is a loving mother and wife, but also a strong, smart woman with feelings and a sense of humor. Had a close relationship with her TV daughter, Was the 39th actress to receive an Academy Award; she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for. Birth Place Denison, Iowa, USA Born January 27, 1921 Died January 14, 1986 Cause of Death Pancreatic Cancer Biography Read More As the star of her own ABC sitcom between 1958 and 1966, Donna Reed epitomized selfless American motherhood, but her crowning achievement had been winning an Academy Award for playing a prostitute. She then starred in The Courtship of Andy Hardy and had a supporting role with Edward Arnold in Eyes in the Night (1942). As of 2022, is one of 13 actresses who won their Best Supporting Actress Oscars in a movie that also won the Best Picture Oscar (she won for, Attended the LACC Theater Academy. Born on 28 Feb 1925. In 1949 she expressed a desire for better roles. cemeteries found in Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Donna Reed (born Donna Belle Mullenger; January 27, 1921 - January 14, 1986) was an American actress and comedian. She is well known for her portrayal of Mary Hatch Bailey in Frank Capra's fantasy holiday film It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Miss Reed had a three-year contract and filed suit when the producers rehired Bel Geddes for the current season. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Donna Belle Asmus (Mullenger) aka Reed (27 Jan 1921 - certain 14 Jan 1986) 0 references . Hun fik sin debut i 1941, og blev lagt mrke til med rollen i The Picture of Dorian Gray ( Dorian Grays portrt, 1945) og som sygeplejersken i John Fords They Were . be depicted on these pages,
The show featured her as Donna Stone, the housewife of pediatrician Alex Stone (Carl Betz) and mother of Jeff (Paul Petersen) and Mary Stone (Shelley Fabares). Failed to delete memorial. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Donna Reed )born Donna Belle Mullenger January 27, 1921-died January 14, 1986) was the actress who briefly played Miss Ellie Ewing on Dallas. There is a problem with your email/password. Please try again later. She then won her breakthrough role in Shadow of the Thin Man (1941). Shadow of the Thin Man. Join Facts Verse as we take a look inside Donna Reed's final years and death. While Robert Urich was famous for doing battle with tough foes on the screen. Her other films included The Picture of Dorian Gray, Green Dolphin Street, The Last Time I Saw Paris and The Benny Goodman Story.. THE GRAVE OF DONNA REED at Pierce Brothers Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California Go to the following related pages: Pierce Brothers Westwood Memorial Park Clickable Map of Pierce Bros Park Where the Stars Are Buried Photo of Marilyn Monroe's grave Photo of Dean Martin's grave Photo of Natalie Wood's grave Photo of Burt Lancaster's grave Reed won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Fred Zinnemann's war drama film From Here to Eternity (1953). Mini Bio (1) Donna Reed was born in the midwestern town of Denison, Iowa, on January 27, 1921, as Donna Belle Mullenger. She did get the role of Ellie Ewing Farlow in the hit TV series Dallas (1978) during the 1984-85 season. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. After some minor acting gigs, Donna given a fairly prominent role when she invited onto the already-established CBS soap opera Dallas. Reed, who was a registered Republican, but showed amity to the Democratic Party, became interested in politics in particular during the Vietnam War when she became concerned that her oldest son, Tony, might be drafted. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Her current husband is a retired Army colonel who had been Gen. Omar Bradleys last chief of staff. Following the release of Its a Wonderful Life, Reed appeared in Green Dolphin Street (1947) with Lana Turner and Van Heflin, and Scandal Sheet (1952). Reed won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Fred Zinnemann's war drama . Grover Asmus, her husband, created the Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts in her hometown of Denison. It was a love story set in London in 1890. Becoming a Christmas staple for families around the world and celebrating a Golden Age classic that transcends its holiday origins. Donna appeared in Paramounts 1948 feature Beyond Glory alongside Alan Ladd, as well as the 1949 film noir Chicago Deadline. THE GRAVE OF DONNA REED at Pierce Brothers Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California Comments More like this Cemetery Angels Cemetery Art Cemetery Headstones Gravestone Famous Tombstones Natalie Cole Female Poets Cemetery Decorations Famous Graves Singer, Songwriter. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. In 1953, she was awarded the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Alma, the dancehall girl in the film "From Here To Eternity." She later accepted a $1 million settlement . © 2023 Found a Grave, All rights reserved. It ran from 1958 to 1966 and enjoyed a very big fan base. Donna Reed described her show as [] a realistic picture of small town life with an often humorous twist. That 1946 film is down in history as one of the dearest classics of its era. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. That same year, she plays a minor role in the feature Shadow of the Thin Man. There was a problem getting your location. 0 cemeteries found in Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, USA. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Dawber has married to NCIS star Mark Harmon for more than three [] More, Jan Smithers is a former television actress that is best known for her portrayal of the character Bailey Quarters on the television series WKRP in Cincinnati. Unfortunately, Donna passed away in January 1986 due to pancreatic cancer. After graduating from Denison High School, Reed planned to become a teacher, but was unable to pay for college. Forty pictures I was in, and all I remember is 'What kind of bra will you be wearing today, honey?' That was offensive to a lot of people. This non-profit organization works to grant scholarships to performing arts students who might not otherwise get the opportunity to make it in the industry. The following year Donna starred in The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945), her best role to date. After they divorced in 1945 she married producer Tony Owen. Although Donna sued for an exuberant sum of $7.5 million, she settled for $1 million. This is a carousel with slides. They raised four children together: Penny Jane, Anthony, Timothy, and Mary Anne (the two older children were adopted). Gave birth to her 3rd child [1st biological] at age 28, a son Timothy Grant Owen on July 19, 1949. [8] "A studio publicist hung the name on me, and I never did like it", Reed once said. Contribute, create and discover gravesites from all over the world. Verify and try again. With your free account at foundagrave.com, you can add your loved ones, friends, and idols to our growing database of "Deceased but not Forgotten" records. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. March 29, 2021, 4:49 am, Way back in 1980, Dolly Parton sat down with Chet Flippo of Rolling Stone magazine for what she thought was just going to be a typical interview. She appeared in several hit films during her career, including It's a Wonderful Life and From Here to Eternity. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Try again later. Child's father was her then husband. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. . Her girl-next-door good looks and warm onstage personality made her a popular pin-up for many GIs during World War II. They may squabble, but they pull for one another and live under one roof, which is really tribal, and it's not true anymore! This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. With Donna Reed, Paul Petersen, Carl Betz, Shelley Fabares. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Hassan Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Box 4666, Ventura, CA 93007 Request a Quote: bridal boutiques in brooklyn CSDA Santa Barbara County Chapter's General Contractor of the Year 2014! Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. February 19, 2023, 6:17 am, by The timestamp is only as accurate as the clock in the camera, and it may be completely wrong. Donna Reed grave at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Brentwood, California.JPG. She was a role model and remains so to this day. Failed to delete memorial. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. In the film, she played Alma "Lorene" Burke, girlfriend to Montgomery Clift's character, Private Robert E. Lee "Prew" Prewitt. Failed to remove flower. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. CA License # A-588676-HAZ / DIR Contractor Registration #1000009744 That gift was a copy of How to Win Friends and Influence People. More Images Born January, 27, 1921 USA Denison, Iowa Died Donna lived in Danville, Illinois 61832, USA. Official Sites. In 1945 Donna starred in The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945), in 1946 she starred as the wife of James Stewart in . Donna and Tony later divorced in 1971, and Donna headed back into the acting game. While they were correcting the ulcerous condition, they discovered, I gather, a very early malignancy in the pancreas. But on December 10, 1985, Donna went to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for surgery relating to her bleeding ulcers, but during the operation, doctors discovered cancer in her pancreas. Her first marriage, to William Tuttle in 1943, ended in divorce a year later. A few days before donna reed death, Donna was told that her friend Howard Keel had been hospitalized in order to undergo an emergency double-bypass surgery. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. sabbath school superintendent opening remarks P.O. This time, it was Paramount. Her career spanned more than 40 years, with performances in more than 40 films. Looking
Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. The film has since been named as one of the 100 best American films ever made by the American Film Institute and is regularly aired on television during the Christmas season. Like many starlets at MGM, she played opposite Mickey Rooney in an Andy Hardy film, in her case the hugely popular The Courtship of Andy Hardy (1942). [12] Reed was top billed in a romantic comedy Faithful in My Fashion (1946) with Tom Drake which lost money. or celebrity.. Photo of 'Beach Boy' Carl Wilson's
January 27, 2023, 7:23 pm, by Donna Reed, who won an Oscar as a prostitute in From Here to Eternity but found her widest success as the ideal wife and mother on televisions The Donna Reed Show, died at her Beverly Hills home today from complications of pancreatic cancer. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Grave site information of Donna Foster (Reed) (1911 - 2003) at San Jacinto Valley Cemetery District in Hemet, Riverside County, California, United States from BillionGraves. Despite her association with the squeaky-clean and conservative 1950s, Reed became an anti-nuclear activist and anti-Vietnam protester. Actress. [38], Denison hosts an annual Donna Reed Festival. Subsequently, Donna was once again lent out to another studio. The eldest of five children, she was raised as a Methodist. Having starred in such television programs as VEGA$ and Spenser: For Hire. It got mixed critical reviews but did well at the box-office. Reed had a support role in The Human Comedy (1943) with Mickey Rooney, a big film for MGM. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. The story for the film provides by the chemistry teacher that gives Donna How to Win Friends and Influence People. On December 10, 1965, Donna underwent surgery for some bleeding ulcers. The show featured the actress as Donna Stone, the wife of pediatrician Alex Sone, who was played by Carl Betz, and the mother of two children, Jeff, played by Paul Petersen, and Mary . A year after Donnas death, Grover and several of Donnas closest friends and associates founded the Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts. Bland dessa mrks rollen som Mary Hatch Bailey i Frank Capras film Livet r underbart frn 1946. start time. September 14, 2021, 5:02 am, by "[32][33] In a 1971 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Reed said, In the beginning, we felt [Tony] should serve his country in a noncombatant role. | [36], Reed died of pancreatic cancer in Beverly Hills, California, on January 14, 1986, thirteen days before her 65th birthday. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Donna recalls expressing the need to her agent for more noteworthy roles later that same year. June 20, 2021, 9:06 am, by race for profit chapter summaries; williamson county tx rental assistance As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Resend Activation Email. Click here to return
By 1950, Donnas contract with MGM had run its course. Until these most expert judges of risk are willing to gamble with their money, I'm not willing to gamble with the health and safety of my family. Buried in Beverly, New Jersey, USA. by Try again. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Born Donna Belle Mullenger on Jan. 27, 1921, she carried no presumptions of stardom with her from Denison, Iowa, in 1938--only a determination to excel as a secretary, studying stenography and office efficiency at Los Angeles City College on Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles. All structured data from the file namespace is available under the. He didn't trust the government or the military. the Seeing Stars main menu, Copyright1999-2021-Gary Wayne
And I think deep down, everyone misses that. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. She had been diagnosed with the illness three months earlier and was told it was at a terminal stage. Burial. It was a show produced by her then husband Tony Owen. A system error has occurred. Try again later. (Image from oscars.org) Donna Reed received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1954 for the film From Here to Eternity. After Tony, Donna got married a third time to a many by the name of Grover Asmus. After her role on that classic sitcom ended, Jan became more interested in being a mother than being an actress. bein sports female football presenters; hannibal mo accident reports; java developer salary 7 years experience; 2021 columbus 383fb 1492; bsg safety and sedation during endoscopic procedures Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? The Donna Reed Show revolved around the character of Donna Stone, played by Donna herself. Please enter your email and password to sign in. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Sorry! A system error has occurred. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. She went into Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Dec. 10 for bleeding ulcers and the malignancy in the pancreas was discovered. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. 1958 -ban kezdte el forgatni a The Donna Reed Show cm televzis vgjtksorozatot, melyben egy idealizlt kzposztlybeli hziasszonyt formlt meg. Donna was preceded in death by her parents, Claude Reed and Stella Poteet. AboutPressCopyrightContact. Remembering Donna Reed on Her Centennial. She personally answered letters from many GIs serving overseas. $40. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? There was an error deleting this problem. This mother was not stupid. In 1953, Donna had one of her biggest critical successes yet when she appeared in the World War II film From Her to Eternity. Later in 1952, she played a love interest to Randolph Scott in the film Hangmans Knot. The movie "It's a Wonderful Life", produced and directed by Frank Capra. DescriptionDonna Reed grave at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Brentwood, California.JPG English: Donna Reed grave at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Brentwood, California. Donna Reed grave at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Brentwood, California.JPG 3,008 2,000; 2.9 MB The-Get-Away-1941-Poster.jpg 1,948 2,964; 3.43 MB William Holden and Donna Reed hold their gold-plated Oscars, 1954.jpg 1,256 1,448; 342 KB Categories: 1921 births 1986 deaths Reed (surname) Donna (given name) nor do they represent an endorsement of the website by any such business
Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Donna Reed was born on January 27, 1921. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/146069226/donna-reed. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1999. Her career spanned more than 40 years, with performances in more than 40. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. She returned to acting in the 1970s, appearing in various guest spots in television series and television movies. He was a strong anti-war advocate. March 28, 2021, 6:21 am, by Donnas biggest role is when MGM lent her to fellow studio RKO Pictures for a part in Frank Capras Its a Wonderful Life. Will Dominion-Fox News lawsuit be different? To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. 'Donna Reed' it has a cold, forbidding sound."[9]. Roughly a quarter million of these unlucky souls sustain injuries so severe that they end up dying. Donnas date of death was January 14, 1986, and she was 64 years old. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Cast of The Donna Reed Show. Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, California, USA. Search above to list available cemeteries. Donna Reed had many more film and television roles then we were able to mention in this video. to
A photo of the grave of Eva Gabor, the actress who played Lisa Douglas on TV's Green Acres - at Pierce Bros. Westwood Memorial Park, in Los Angeles, California. In 1944 she received second billing playing Carol Halliday in See Here, Private Hargrove (1944), a comedy about a reporter drafted into the army who eventually meets up with Donna's character as a worker in the canteen. MGM was very enthusiastic about Reed's prospects at this time.[11]. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Donna casts as Mary Bailey, one of the films leads. After receiving several offers to screen test for studios, Donna Reed eventually signed with MGM, but insisted on finishing her education first. While at Los Angeles City College, she pursued her dream by participating in several college stage productions. June 30, 2022 . Get our L.A. Member Profile: donna reed, a Find a Grave. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Donna Reed appearing in Green Dolphin Street. That was followed by a small part in Babes on Broadway (1941), with Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland as a secretary. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. In 1946, she was lent to RKO Pictures for the role of Mary Bailey in Frank Capras Its a Wonderful Life. [29] Reed failed in attempts to stop the 198586 season from going into production while she tried to get reinstated in the role of Miss Ellie. Her "girl-next-door" good looks and warm onstage personality made her a popular pin-up for many GIs during World War II. Three Hours to Kill. Why Netflix is dabbling in livestreaming. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. The 35 greatest actresses of the 1930s, 40s and 50s. [7] [8] References [ edit] Donna Reed and Tony Owen on June 25,1956 in Los Angeles, California | Photo: Getty Images PENNY JANE OWEN Although Penny Jane Owen was frequently spotted out with her mom, she is the least known member of the Owen family. Miss Reed had been hospitalized several months ago for ulcers. [41], In May 2010, Turner Classic Movies honored Reed as their star of the month[42] which saw Mary Owen pay a special tribute to her mother.[43]. She never lost that Midwest girl."[44]. The woman on the cover of Rush's Permanent Waves album is modeled after her. Leading an incredibly successful career of winning the right kind of friends and influencing large audiences of people. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Apache Trail. Apparently, they arent subscribers to the old adage that too much of a good thing can actually be a bad thing. Death 2 Apr 1984 (aged 69) Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, USA. In 1943, she appeared in The Human Comedy with Mickey Rooney, and They Were Expendable in 1945. After graduating from Denison . Stars" is not affiliated with any business or celebrity that might
A loving mother and wife deals with situations and problems of a middle-class family in the late 1950s and the early 1960s. Reed starred in Calling Dr. Gillespie (1942) and Apache Trail (1942), then did a thriller with Edward Arnold, Eyes in the Night (1942), directed by Fred Zinnemann. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. [35], In addition to opposing the Vietnam War, Reed also opposed nuclear power plants. In the 198485 season of the television series Dallas, Reed replaced Barbara Bel Geddes as Miss Ellie Ewing. The teacher gives her a copy of How to Win Friends and Influence People to go to work on the Manhattan Project, developing the atom bomb. After 26 years of marriage, Reed and Owen divorced in 1971. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? She decided to move to California to attend Los Angeles City College on the advice of her aunt. Her other credits included "The Last Time I Saw Paris" (1954), "The Far Horizons" (1955), "The Benny Goodman Story" (1956), "Ransom" (1956), and "The Whole Truth" (1958). [19], She continued to appear in features, usually as the love interest, in The Far Horizons (1955) at Pine-Thomas Productions with Fred MacMurray and Charlton Heston as Lewis and Clark, playing Native American Sacagawea; The Benny Goodman Story (1956) with Steve Allen at Universal, playing Goodman's wife; Ransom! The fourth of the six films in the Thin Man series. Although Donna had certainly been a star before, The Donna Reed Show solidified her as a household name. Less than a month later, donna reed pronounced dead. here to read disclaimers)
Learn more about merges. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. In June 1950 Reed signed a contract with Columbia Studios. Oak Island is a privately owned island that sits off the coast of Nova Scotia in Canada. Died on 24 Sept 1987. She wasn't domineering, but she was bright and I thought rather forward-thinking, happily married."[25]. (3,008 2,000 pixels, file size: 2.9 MB, MIME type: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Meribona, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Donna_Reed_grave_at_Westwood_Village_Memorial_Park_Cemetery_in_Brentwood,_California.JPG&oldid=488861929, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. If the file has been modified from its original state, some details such as the timestamp may not fully reflect those of the original file. It's a Wonderful Life, Jimmy Hawkins, James Stewart, Donna Reed, CArol Coomes, Larry Simms, 1946. As the 1940s faded out and the 1950s stormed in, Donna's roles got bigger but were mainly of the wholesome, girl-next-door type. Over the course of its run, it became a massive success. In mid-1985, Donna Reed went to the hospital with ulcers. While the doctors were performing the surgery, they noticed something else that required their attention. Facts Verse Try again later. Donna Reed was born on January 27, 1921. What more could you ask for? [29] She sued for breach of contract, later settling out of court for over $1million.[30]. Photo added by Vegas Grave Hunter. Seen here from left, James Stewart as George Bailey . A szria nyolc vadot futott az ABC-n az 1966 -os lellsig. Last year, Miss Reed filed a $7.5- million lawsuit against Lorimar Productions, producers of Dallas, to regain her role as the matriarch of the Ewing family. Oops, something didn't work. This browser does not support getting your location. for something in particular? From 1958 to 1966, Reed starred in The Donna Reed Show, a television series produced by her then-husband, Tony Owen. Paternal great-granddaughter of Richard Bartley Johnston (1833-1913), born in Illinois, and Elizabeth Herner (1841-1917), born in Canada. based on information from your browser. Upon graduation from high school Donna left for college in Los Angeles, in the hopes of eventually entering movies. Donna acts in a play during her high school, resulting in compassion that transcends into her adulthood. However, Donna had more serious problems coming up around the corner. The show ran for eight seasons, ending its run in 1966. [23], But some feminists criticized the show, asserting that it promoted submissiveness among housewives. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. As always, like this video to show your support, and subscribe and hit the notification bell if youd like to be among the first to know when more Facts Verse videos are on their way! Reed won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Fred Zinnemann's war drama . Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Later in her career, Reed replaced Barbara Bel Geddes as Miss Ellie Ewing Farlow in the 19841985 season of the television melodrama Dallas; she successfully sued the production company for breach of contract when she was abruptly fired upon Bel Geddes' decision to return to the show. Facts Verse Then, that December, she was admitted to the hospital. Donna Reed was one of the most beloved actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age. The Donna Reed Show featured her as the good wife Donna Stone and explored the family dynamic that was so popular back in that era. In 1941 after signing with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Reed made her film debut in The Get-Away opposite Robert Sterling; she was billed as Donna Adams. And I think deep down, everyone misses that. When Bel Geddes agreed to return to the role for the 198586 season, Reed was abruptly fired. Join Facts Verse as we take a look inside Donna Reeds final years and death. Donna Reed (born Donna Belle Mullenger; January 27, 1921 - January 14, 1986) was an American actress.Her career spanned more than 40 years, with performances in more than 40 films.