A talking mule?
Chill Wills, the distinctive voice of "Francis the Talking Mule," was given no billing for his vocal work.
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He was an artist?
RedSkelton's ability to ad lib often meant that what was in the script didn't always make it to the recording on film.
Series filming begins
Watch the first episode filmed of The Donna Reed Show. It was aired as episode 8 of season 1.
Don’t worry about your husband
Haley Sakuma, a 2021 Donna Reed Foundation intern at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), reflects on The Donna Reed Show.
We helped her get a start
Kari Wahlgren, a major voice actress for animated movies, TV series, and video games, has a connection to Denison, Iowa.
Remember Dr. Dave Kelsey?
Bob Crane joined the cast of The Donna Reed Show and appeared for three seasons as Dr. Dave Kelsey, a colleague of Alex.
It was a busy time for Donna
No studio in Hollywood had as deep of a roster as MGM, proclaiming to have “more stars than there are in the heavens.” But they worked hard.
His career spanned more than 60 years.
Watch William Schallert in an appearance on The Donna Reed Show in Season 2, Episode 10.
Is The Donna Reed Show still relevant?
A 21-year-old Donna Reed Foundation intern reflects on The Donna Reed Show 55 years after its last episode.
From The Donna Reed Foundation
Happy Independence Day from The Donna Reed Foundation. Make this Fourth of July memorable by truly appreciating your freedom.
He had a villainous voice
George Sanders was often cast as a sophisticated but villainous character. Donna Reed appears with him in two films.
Donna's second radio appearance
Silver Theater radio had no regular cast. Different movie stars of the era, including Donna Reed, were featured in original dramas.
Can you name one of his larger-than-life characters?
When Charles Laughton appeared with Donna Reed in The Man From Down Under, he had a big decision to make regarding an Australian accent.
Her break came at age 43
Roberta Sherwood rose to fame at the age of 43 when comedian Red Buttons brought columnist Walter Winchell to see her.
You Were Meant For Me
Donna Reed made several appearances on the Lux Radio Theatre in various roles.
A quadruple threat
Jared Grimes, who recently starred in “Funny Girl” on Broadway, was a 2001 Donna Reed Foundation national scholarship recipient in dance.
Role in It's a Wonderful Life
Virginia Patton's most well-known role was in Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Read what she later said about him.
Donna's first western
Apache Trail was Donna Reed's eighth film. Read what a Variety review thought about the western.
It's a wrap, folks
The stage at the Fine Arts Center in Denison, IA overflowed with energy during a student workshop production of Disney's Seussical KIDS.
From the Donna Reed Archives
Judy Miller, a Donna Reed Foundation volunteer, did some sleuthing in the Donna Reed Heritage Museum Archives. Read about what she found.
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