Elinor "Ellie" Walker

Infobox character
name = Elinor "Ellie" Walker


caption = Ellie Walker in "The Christmas Story", (1960)
first = "Ellie Comes to Town", (October, 24 1960)
last = "The Guitar Player Returns", (May 15, 1961)
cause = Unknown
gender = Female
age = 23
born =
death =
occupation = Pharmacist
family = Fred Walker, uncle
spouse =
children =
episode = 12 (The Andy Griffith Show)
portrayer = Elinor Donahue
creator = Sheldon Leonard

Elinor "Ellie" Walker is a fictional character in the American television sitcom "The Andy Griffith Show". The show aired on CBS from October,1960 until April, 1968. Ellie makes 12 appearances in the first season. The character is portrayed by Elinor Donahue.

Overview

Ellie is a graduate of Bernard University and is a pharmacist. She takes up residence in Mayberry to assist her uncle, Fred Walker, at his pharmacy. Opie becomes Ellie's first friend in Mayberry when the two playfully make faces at each other through the glass window of the pharmacy's front door. Ellie is an intelligent woman with a good deal of spunkiness and a strong sense of fair play.

Ellie and Andy

After a short and somewhat turbulent getting acquainted period, Ellie and Mayberry sheriff Andy Taylor date and become steadies. In the episode "Cyrano Andy", Ellie and Andy are instrumental in bringing Andy's deputy Barney Fife and Mayberry townswoman, Thelma Lou together as romantic partners. The two couples often double date.

Ellie's adventures

In her first appearance, "Ellie Comes to Town", Ellie refuses to dispense pills to Emma Brand without a prescription. Emma is unable to offer a prescription and black lists Ellie. Unknown to Ellie, her uncle regularly placated Emma with sugar pills. When Ellie discovers the ploy, she gives Emma the pills she demands. Emma then accepts Ellie into her good graces.

In a later episode, Ellie runs for town council and faces stiff resistance from the menfolk of Mayberry who cannot abide the idea of a woman holding a man's position. With a good word or two from Andy however, the men change their minds and Ellie is elected. In another episode, Ellie introduces a muddy looking farmer's daughter to makeup, perfume, hairdos, and attractive dresses. In the only Christmas episode in the show's run, Ellie and Andy sing "Away in a Manger" with guitar accompaniment.

Closure

After twelve appearances in the first season, Ellie disappeared with no explanation offered the audience. Behind the scenes, the powers-that-be decided Griffith and Donahue lacked the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible and the character of "Ellie" was cut.

Miscellanea

*Elinor Donahue was an established television star and had just finished her tour of duty as Betty "Princess" Anderson in the popular 50s sitcom, "Father Knows Best" when she joined "The Andy Griffith Show". Producers believed her name would have "drawing power" and gave her top billing in the opening credits with stars Andy Griffith, Ron Howard and Don Knotts. The only other TAGS performer to receive top billing during the course of the series' run was Frances Bavier (Aunt Bee) who began to appear in the opening credits in the 1965-1966 season after Don Knotts left the series.
*Donahue's wardrobe in the show was created by Mr. Burt of Encino, who received a nod in the closing credits. Donahue was dining out with her mother and three year old son when Mr. Burt approached her table and offered to provide the wardrobe. She approved Mr. Burt's designs and brought him to the show.

References

*Donahue, E. "In the Kitchen with Elinor Donahue", 1998. (ISBN 1-88895-292-X)

External links

*imdb name|id=0231942|name=Elinor Donahue