Interesting Donna Reed article.....

MenaceTheDennis

MenaceTheDennis

Telly Talk Member
No big mystery here. Donna’s husband confirmed on the E True Hollywood Story Donna wanted to change the character. Miss Ellie had nothing more to do than raise a coffee mug (his words and untrue imo). Larry confirmed Barbara wanted more money and a reduced schedule. I’m unsure why this wasn’t doable, considering Miss Ellie had less to do in the 1984-1985 season. I thought Donna brought her own take on the role and was a better recast than Emma Samms on Dynasty replacing Pamela Sue Martin (huge disaster that was).

With Patrick Duffy leaving, they wanted to bring back Barbara. Barbara owned the role. Obviously they made the right decision. But it was horrible the way they treated Donna. I think it probably all started with Larry and funneled down to some of the cast and a lot of the crew. Susan Howard was the only one who attended Donnas funeral from the show. Speaks volumes.
 
TJames03

TJames03

Banned
It’s weird how it seemed that Reed’s co-stars personally blamed her. I genuinely think she was set up by the producers to take this Herculean fall. I don’t know why they did this, but I believe they did. Ellie was making bizarre decisions at this time, like when she left Southfork and was living in a hotel (obviously this was done to minimize Reed’s screen time and get Reed out of Southfork). They seemed to make Reed’s acting static, too. It was like they brought the acting standards from Dynasty over to Dallas with her. The only time Reed actually seemed to break this static mode and showed any true emotion was when Bobby was “dying.” Ironically, this was Reed’s final scene. The only thing that Reed did that besmirched her reputation was trying to shut down production of the show and make disparaging remarks about BBG. She was risking the livelihood of cameramen, writers, etc., that had absolutely nothing to do with what TPTB were doing to her. Also, in making snide remarks about BBG, it just made her look bad. Whether or not Reed would have been fired if BBG hadn’t agreed to return won’t ever really be known, but BBG was a beloved actress and calling snide names didn’t help Reed’s case very much.....
 
Snarky Oracle!

Snarky Oracle!

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Both actresses were mistreated.
 
MenaceTheDennis

MenaceTheDennis

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like when she left Southfork and was living in a hotel.

Are you talking about before Clayton and Ellie returned to Dallas on their honeymoon? Because this never happened after Reed stepped into the role.
 
Billy Wall

Billy Wall

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TJames03 said:
It’s weird how it seemed that Reed’s co-stars personally blamed her. I genuinely think she was set up by the producers to take this Herculean fall. I don’t know why they did this, but I believe they did. Ellie was making bizarre decisions at this time, like when she left Southfork and was living in a hotel (obviously this was done to minimize Reed’s screen time and get Reed out of Southfork). They seemed to make Reed’s acting static, too. It was like they brought the acting standards from Dynasty over to Dallas with her. The only time Reed actually seemed to break this static mode and showed any true emotion was when Bobby was “dying.” Ironically, this was Reed’s final scene. The only thing that Reed did that besmirched her reputation was trying to shut down production of the show and make disparaging remarks about BBG. She was risking the livelihood of cameramen, writers, etc., that had absolutely nothing to do with what TPTB were doing to her. Also, in making snide remarks about BBG, it just made her look bad. Whether or not Reed would have been fired if BBG hadn’t agreed to return won’t ever really be known, but BBG was a beloved actress and calling snide names didn’t help Reed’s case very much.....
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I’ll just say this. BBG was Miss Ellie. But if someone was about to take your good paying job away, you’d be a little bitter too. Don’t you think? Maybe Donna Reed was thinking, “You made the decision to leave, live with your decision.” I see it both ways.
 
TJames03

TJames03

Banned
Billy Wall said:
I’ll just say this. BBG was Miss Ellie. But if someone was about to take your good paying job away, you’d be a little bitter too. Don’t you think? Maybe Donna Reed was thinking, “You made the decision to leave, live with your decision.” I see it both ways.
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Oh, I agree. I also agree that I think BBG was some of the things Reed said, but trying to have the entire production shut down and have cameramen and writers paychecks taken away wasn’t the way to go.
 
Luke_Krebbs_Ewing

Luke_Krebbs_Ewing

Telly Talk Champion
I've said this before, it was not Donna Reed's fault that she took over the role of Miss Ellie.

I thought she was great in the role.

Any blame for the recast should be aimed straight at Lorimar, not Donna Reed.

May she Rest In Peace. :)

ellie3.JPG
 
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C

Chris2

Telly Talk Dream Maker
Donna said she thought that she was auditioning for a Ewing relative, not Ellie. But it didn’t help matters that she wanted to model Ellie after the oilmen’s wives that she knew in Oklahoma. Ellie was not a traditional oilman’s wife in that sense. She grew up on a ranch.

The producers should have put her in a sack dress, messed up that helmet hair, and handed her a shotgun.
 
TJames03

TJames03

Banned
I don’t think that Reed would have worked even as another relative. Who would this unknown relative have been to have come into Southfork and usurped Ellie’s position? Also, where would Ellie have been at this time and what if a BBG not returned? Would Ellie have just stayed offscreen? This was all a ball of sh-t for everyone involved.....
 
Mustard

Mustard

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Contractual issues that only happened because of Barbara's health situation, is more accurate in explaining Barbara's leaving Dallas in 1984. If Barbara never has the heart issues that require surgery in March 1983, the chain of events would never have started that led to Barbara's leaving, Donna's arriving, and Barbara's return. Barbara would have just carried on as normal without the heart trouble, and wouldn't need to ask for a reduction in her work schedule that caused the differences with the Dallas brass.

Barbara wasn't old enough to be Larry Hagman's mother, neither, yet it was totally believable on screen with Miss Ellie and J.R. that they were mother and son. Even harder was Cliff and Pam being brother and sister who were close in age (just 4 years), which was also pulled off brilliantly.

Donna Reed's biggest weakness as Miss Ellie was that she didn't show enough emotion.
 
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Luke_Krebbs_Ewing

Luke_Krebbs_Ewing

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TJames03 said:
I don’t think that Reed would have worked even as another relative. Who would this unknown relative have been to have come into Southfork and usurped Ellie’s position? Also, where would Ellie have been at this time and what if a BBG not returned? Would Ellie have just stayed offscreen? This was all a ball of sh-t for everyone involved.....
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She could've played Jason Ewing's wife Allie.

Then we could've had Miss Allie as a replacement for Miss Ellie! :D
 
Snarky Oracle!

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I always thought she could be Caroline Wade, Jenna's aunt, who comes to Braddock in anticipation of her niece's wedding and befriends Clayton while Ellie convalesces in a nursing home somewhere after suffering a small stroke.
 
Mustard

Mustard

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Billy Wall said:
I’ll just say this. BBG was Miss Ellie. But if someone was about to take your good paying job away, you’d be a little bitter too. Don’t you think? Maybe Donna Reed was thinking, “You made the decision to leave, live with your decision.” I see it both ways.
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Barbara didn't make the decision to leave, unless you think her agent making pay and schedule demands of the Dallas brass during the recording of the 1983-84 season constitutes as Barbara making a decision to leave. Her departure was a fait accompli, and too late for Barbara to save her role.
 
Billy Wall

Billy Wall

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Mustard said:
Barbara didn't make the decision to leave, unless you think her agent making pay and schedule demands of the Dallas brass during the recording of the 1983-84 season constitutes as Barbara making a decision to leave. Her departure was a fait accompli, and too late for Barbara to save her role.
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I’ve heard it was health and I’ve heard it was about money. The facts are they gave the roll to Donna Reed. Unless the producers of Dallas told her before hand that if BBG wanted her roll back, you would be replaced, then Reed had every right to be upset the way things turned out.
 
Snarky Oracle!

Snarky Oracle!

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Billy Wall said:
I’ve heard it was health and I’ve heard it was about money. The facts are they gave the roll to Donna Reed. Unless the producers of Dallas told her before hand that if BBG wanted her roll back, you would be replaced, then Reed had every right to be upset the way things turned out.
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The producers approached BBG to come back. Yes, Reed had the right to be upset. But both actresses were mistreated.
 
Mustard

Mustard

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Billy Wall said:
I’ve heard it was health and I’ve heard it was about money. The facts are they gave the roll to Donna Reed. Unless the producers of Dallas told her before hand that if BBG wanted her roll back, you would be replaced, then Reed had every right to be upset the way things turned out.
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I believe Barbara found out that she was gone a few months before Donna Reed was cast. If I remember right, Reed wasn't cast until August 1984. Larry Hagman tried to help Barbara once he found out she was gone but it was too late, and then he tried to get his own mother Mary Martin into the role, but Martin turned the suggestion down and the brass were set on Donna Reed anyway. It's correct that Reed's casting was meant to be permanent.
 
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