Donna Douglas
Donna Douglas (born Doris Ione Smith; September 26, 1932 – January 1, 2015) was an American actress and singer, known for her role as 'Elly May Clampett' on The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971). Following her acting career, Douglas became a real estate agent, gospel singer, inspirational speaker, and author of books for children and adults.
Personal life
Douglas married her first husband, Roland Bourgeois Jr., in 1951. She had her only child, Danny Bourgeois, in 1954, but the couple divorced that same year. In 16, she married Robert M. Leeds, the director of The Beverly Hillbillies, and they divorced in 1980.
In 1982, in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Douglas enrolled at Rhema Bible Training Center, where she graduated in 1984 with an emphasis in children's ministry.
Douglas and Buddy Ebsen remained close friends for 32 years. In a 2011 interview with The Lincoln Times-News, she described Ebsen as "a wonderful man, very much like my own father, a quiet, reserved, and caring person. "
In 2003, both Ebsen and Douglas's mother, Elma Smith, died. Douglas and Max Baer Jr. visited Ebsen in the hospital, and following his death, both delivered eulogies at his funeral. A decade later, Douglas revealed the depth of her feelings for Ebsen in an interview with "Confessions of a Pop Culture Addict": "I loved Buddy Ebsen. He reminded me so much of my own dad. Most of my scenes were with Buddy, and most of Max's with Irene. Buddy was just a wonderful man. I related to him so easily. The night before he died, Max and I went up to the hospital to see him."
Final years and death
In addition to her frequent travel for celebrity appearances and speeches, Douglas enjoyed gardening, spending time with friends and family, and answering her fan mail.
Douglas died of pancreatic cancer at Baton Rouge General Hospital on January 1, 2015, at the age of 82. She was buried in Bluff Creek Cemetery in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana.
Charlene Smith, Douglas's niece by marriage, stated that Douglas returned to live in East Baton Rouge Parish around 2005: "She was always happy, always beautiful. You always saw her with all her makeup on. She never looked her age."
Filmography
- Wikipedia article: Donna Douglas Filmography
External links
- More information is available at [ Wikipedia:Donna_Douglas ]
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