Summer stock to M-G-M contract
Richard Hart started with a juvenile role in summer stock theatre that led to Broadway, a contract with MGM, and a role with Donna Reed.
Search
Watch her glide down the ramp
Donna Reed presented the Oscars for Costume Design (both Black-and-White and Color) at the 36th Annual Academy Awards in 1964.
Donna the activist
Donna Reed became a peace activist in 1967, co-chairing the group Another Mother for Peace to advocate against the Vietnam Conflict.
Elegant but bored
A New York Times review of Backlash, said, "Donna Reed is cool (except with Mr. Widmark), elegant and slightly bored. You can't blame her."
He made two films with Donna
Harry Morgan (M*A*S*H) has more than 100 films to his credit. He appears with Donna Reed in Gentle Annie (1944) and Backlash (1956).
Cast in two of Donna's notable movies
Ward Bond played Bert, the cop, in Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1946). He starred in 23 films.
A Donna and Frank moment
The 35th Academy Awards Ceremony was televised by ABC on April 8, 1963. Frank Sinatra served as the host and Donna Reed was a presenter.
It started as a short story
Philip Van Doren Stern sent a short story, The Greatest Gift, to 200 of his friends as a Christmas card. We know it as It's a Wonderful Life
She sang with Tex Williams
Roberta Shore began her career at age ten, singing country-western songs at supermarket openings with Tex Williams.
Good advice
Donna Reed followed her dreams and became successful. Read about her philosophy.
Donna the friend
Donna Reed began a 48-year long pen-pal correspondence with Violet Linsay of Pittsburgh, Ohio at the age of 13. Violet saved all of them.
Wasn't he right-handed?
John Wayne injured his right arm while filming Trouble Along the Way and had to learn to throw and write left-handed to complete filming.
Is it my last movie?
Donna Reed once commented that she didn't know if she would ever make another movie after filming Frank Capera's, "It's a Wonderful Life."
Donna was a writer!
Donna Reed was a lifelong writer of letters both personally and professionally. During World War II, she responded to service personnel .
Donna the mother
"To me, Mom was Donna Owen. She was not an actress at home but a mother concerned about the welfare of her kids." -Donna Reed's son, Tony.
I need $1 more.
Wallace Berry was the highest-paid actor during the 1930s because his contract stipulated he be paid $1 more than other contract actors.
Donna's close friend
Debbie Reynolds met Donna Reed while working with charities. They became close friends and teamed up to promote Another Mother for Peace.
Gomez Addams guests with Donna Reed
John Astin, the kooky patriarch of tv'sThe Addams Family, stars in “The Mouse at Play” (Season 4, Episode 4) of The Donna Reed Show.
Donna the actress
The drama department at Los
Angeles City College wasn't impressed with Donna Reed's talent. She went on to make 40 movies during her career
Good advice
Imagine what can happen when you follow your dreams like Donna Reed - with integrity, courtesy, equity, and humility.