Happy 250th Birthday, America!
Celebrating an American Icon
Donna Reed
Recognized globally for her entertainment classics in motion pictures and television, the Library of Congress preserves “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946) and “From Here to Eternity” (1953) in its National Film Registry and archives for cultural and historic significance. Donna was industry-recognized with an Academy Award® Oscar® for the 1953 Best Actress in a Supporting Role of “From Here to Eternity” (Alma Burke / Lorene).
With 40 motion pictures to her credit, she also was one of the first television pioneers as female executive producer of her own company, TODON Productions (1956) with her husband, Tony Owen. Her nationally syndicated television show, “The Donna Reed Show” (1958-1966) ran for eight seasons with 275 episodes. Donna was recognized with a Golden Globe Award for Best TV Star (1963) and numerous Emmy Award nominations.
A lifelong letter writer and pen pal, Donna attracted fan mail all of her adult life, especially from military personnel during World War II. While she helped with the war bond drives of the 1940s, she also dedicated herself to peace activism in the campaigns of “Another Mother for Peace” (1967) that she co-founded with Barbara Avadon and others.
Having celebrated her first centennial (1921-2021), Donna Reed is a member of the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame with Cornelia Clarke, Jan Mitchell, and Dr. Roxann Marie Ryan (2021).
