Donna Reed | |
|---|---|
 Reed in The Donna Reed Show (1958) | |
| Born | Donna Belle Mullenger January 27, 1921 Denison, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | January 14, 1986 (aged 64) |
| Resting place | Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1941–1986 |
| Spouses | Grover Asmus
(m. 1974) |
| Children | 4 |
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. She is well known for her portrayal of Mary Hatch Bailey in Frank Capra's fantasy holiday film It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Reed won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Fred Zinnemann's war drama film From Here to Eternity (1953).
Reed is also known for her work in television, notably as Donna Stone, a middle-class American mother and housewife in the sitcom The Donna Reed Show (1958–1966) whose character was more assertive and complex than most other television mothers of the era. She received numerous Emmy Award nominations for this role and the Golden Globe Award for Best TV Star in 1963. Later in her career, Reed replaced Barbara Bel Geddes as Miss Ellie Ewing Farlow in the 1984–1985 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.