top of page

Donna returns to television


Efrem Zimbalist Jr & Donna Reed
Efrem Zimbalist Jr & Donna Reed

May 27, 1979: - NBC airs The Best Place to Be with Donna Reed.

The Best Place to Be is a 1979 American TV film produced by Ross Hunter about a young widow (Donna Reed) whose life is complicated by a hippie daughter, a rebellious teenage son, and an ill-starred love affair with a younger man (John Philip Law). Then a former suitor (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) comes back into the picture.


The film not only marked Donna Reed's TV movie debut but also brought her back to television after a twelve-year absence. However, the schedule was strenuous with Donna traveling by trailer to various Los Angeles locations, arranging her own wardrobe and makeup in the evenings, often shooting ten or twelve hours at a stretch.


bottom of page