The life of Donna Douglas AKA Ellie May Clampet of the Beverly Hillbillies

Donna Douglas was an American actress and comedienne, known for her role as Elly May Clampett in CBS's The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971). Following her acting career, Douglas became a real estate agent, a Gospel singer and inspirational speaker, and authored books for children and adults.

Douglas was born Doris Smith in the community of Pride, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, in September 1932. The younger of two children, she was the only daughter of Emmett Ratcliff Smith, Sr. and his wife, Elma. Her birth name is listed both as Dorothy Smith and Doris Smith in various articles. Douglas attended St. Gerard Catholic High School, where she played softball and basketball and was a member of the school's first graduating class. After marrying Roland Bourgeois in 1949, they had a son, Danny, and divorced in 1954. Douglas was named "Miss Baton Rouge" and "Miss New Orleans" in 1957.

Douglas moved to New York City to pursue a career in show business and started out as an illustration model for toothpaste advertisements. She was featured as the "Letters Girl" on NBC's The Perry Como Show in 1957 and as the "Billboard Girl" on NBC's The Steve Allen Show in 1959. These and other television appearances led New York photographers and newspaper reporters to award her the "Miss By-line" crown, which she wore on CBS's The Ed Sullivan Show.

Hal B. Wallis saw the Sullivan episode and cast her in the role of Marjorie Burke in the movie drama Career (1959), starring Anthony Franciosa, Dean Martin and Shirley MacLaine. This was followed by a bit part in the musical comedy Li'l Abner (1959) and the role of a secretary in the comedy/romance Lover Come Back (1961), starring Rock Hudson and Doris Day.

She made numerous television appearances in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including The Twilight Zone episode "The Eye of the Beholder" (1960). She was also cast as Barbara Simmons in four 1961 episodes of the CBS detective series Checkmate. Her other credits included in U.S. Marshal, Tightrope, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Bachelor Father, Adam-12 and Route 66. Douglas also appeared in Thriller, season 1, episode 16, "The Hungry Glass", which also starred William Shatner, Russell Johnson and Boris Karloff.

Even though Douglas was an active actress in the 1960s, she was still relatively unknown when selected from among 500 young actresses to work alongside veteran actor and dancer, Buddy Ebsen, on The Beverly Hillbillies. This series ran for nine consecutive seasons, beginning in 1962 and ending in 1971. Douglas remained a close friend of Ebsen for 32 years.

In a 2011 interview with The Lincoln Times-News, she described Ebsen as "a wonderful man, very much like my own father, a quiet, reserved, and caring person". Continually typecast as a result of her Hillbillies role, Douglas decided to focus on her career as a gospel singer.

With the 1973 death of Hillbillies co-star Irene Ryan, and Max Baer Jr.'s refusal to participate, Douglas joined Nancy Kulp and Buddy Ebsen as the only original cast members to appear in the reunion movie, The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies. Douglas was a guest star on a number of other television programs and the subject of paper dolls, dolls, coloring books, and various toys during the the height of the show's popularity. In a 2003 interview with "Confessions of a Pop Culture Addict", she summed up her views on the role: "Elly May was like a slice out of my life. She is a wonderful little door opener for me because people love her, and they love the Hillbillies. Even to this day it's shown every day somewhere. But, as with any abilities, she may open a door for you, but you have to have substance or integrity to advance you through that door."

In 1992, Douglas and Baer attended Buddy Ebsen's 84th birthday celebration in Beverly Hills, California. In 1993, Douglas, Ebsen, and Baer reunited on The Jerry Springer Show, and for a final time in a CBS-TV television special, The Legend of The Beverly Hillbillies.

During the 1966 summer hiatus of The Beverly Hillbillies, Douglas made her only starring feature film appearance, cast as Frankie in Fred de Cordova's Frankie and Johnny (1966) along side Elvis Presley. The film proved popular and is among Presley's most frequently televised movies, but it did little to advance Douglas' big-screen career.

In December 2010, Mattel released a new collection of three Barbies called the Classic TV Collection. These dolls were Samantha Stephens (from Bewitched, played by Elizabeth Montgomery), Jeannie (from I Dream of Jeannie, played by Barbara Eden) and Elly May Clampett.

Douglas received her real estate license after The Beverly Hillbillies finished production. She did not work in that field long, however, as she remained in show business and found other projects.

Douglas frequently performed as a gospel singer and was a speaker at church groups, youth groups, schools and colleges across the United States. One focus of her charitable work was speaking in support of various Christian children's homes, mostly in the American South. She also appeared at conventions and trade fairs. She recorded several gospel albums, the first released in 1982, and recorded a few minor country music records during the 1970s and 1980s.

Douglas wrote and published a religious-based children's book titled Donna's Critters & Kids: Children's Stories with a Bible Touch. The book included Bible stories featuring animals combined with a coloring book. In November 2011, she released a new children's book titled Miss Donna's Mulberry Acres Farm.

In 2013, Douglas published a cookbook, Southern Favorites with a Taste of Hollywood which collects recipes of Southern cooking from show business friends and colleagues such as Buddy Ebsen, Phyllis Diller, Valerie Harper and Debbie Reynolds. The book also has a section on good manners called "Hollywood Social Graces".

Douglas married her first husband, Roland John Bourgeois, Jr., in 1949, with whom she had her only child, Danny P. Bourgeois (born September 14, 1954). The couple divorced that same year. She married Robert M. Leeds (1920–2000), the director of The Beverly Hillbillies, in 1971; they divorced in 1980.

In 2003, both Douglas' mother and Ebsen died. Douglas and Baer visited Ebsen in the hospital, and following his death both delivered a eulogy at his funeral. A decade later, Douglas revealed the depth of her feelings for Ebsen in an interview with "Confessions of a Pop Culture Addict": "I loved Buddy Ebsen. He reminded me so much of my own dad. Most of my scenes were with Buddy, and most of Max's with Irene. Buddy was just a wonderful man. I related to him so easily. The night before he died, Max and I went up to the hospital to see him." 

On June 10, 1993, Douglas and her partner Curt Wilson in Associated Artists Entertainment, Inc., filed a US$200 million lawsuit against Disney, Whoopi Goldberg, Bette Midler, their production companies, and Creative Artists Agency claiming that Sister Act was plagiarized from a book, A Nun in the Closet, owned by the partners. Douglas and Wilson claimed that in 1985 they had developed a screenplay from the book. The lawsuit claimed that there were more than 100 similarities and plagiarisms between the movie and the book/screenplay owned by Douglas and Wilson. The lawsuit claimed that the developed screenplay had been submitted to Disney, Goldberg, and Midler three times during 1987 and 1988. In 1994, Douglas and Wilson declined a $1 million offer to settle the case. The judge found in favor of Walt Disney Pictures and the other defendants. Wilson stated at the time, "They would have had to copy our stuff verbatim for us to prevail." 

On May 4, 2011, Douglas filed a federal lawsuit claiming that Mattel and CBS Consumer Products used her name and likeness for a Barbie doll in the Classic TV Collection without her authorization. The suit alleged that packaging for the "Elly May" Barbie doll featured a photo of her portraying the character. Douglas maintained she never endorsed the doll nor gave Mattel permission to use her name to promote its sale. On December 27, 2011, Douglas settled her suit against CBS Consumer Products and Mattel, in which she had been seeking at least $75,000. In the lawsuit, Douglas claimed that CBS and Mattel needed her approval to design the doll, while CBS and Mattel maintained that they didn't need her consent or approval because the network holds exclusive rights to the character. Details of the settlement were confidential; both sides claimed to be content with the outcome.

In addition to her frequent traveling for celebrity appearances and speeches, Douglas enjoyed gardening, spending time with friends and family, and answering her fan mail.

Douglas died at Baton Rouge General Hospital, aged 82, on January 1, 2015 from pancreatic cancer.

Charlene Smith, Douglas' niece by marriage, said that Douglas returned to live in East Baton Rouge Parish c. 2005: "She was always happy, always beautiful. You always saw her with all her makeup on. She never looked her age." Smith said that on Christmas 2014 Douglas gave her a Bible that she had signed.

A TRIBUTE TO DONNA DOUGLAS

Filmography

• Career (1959) ... Marjorie Burke
• Li'l Abner (1959) ... uncredited
• Lover Come Back (1961) ... Deborah
• Frankie and Johnny (1966) ... Frankie

Television

• Bachelor Father (1959) ... Alice... episode: "Kelly's Secret"
• U.S. Marshal (1959) ... Joyce Markham ... episode: "Trigger Happy"
• The Twilight Zone (November 11, 1960) ... Janet Tyler ... episode: "The Eye of the Beholder"
• Lock-Up (1960) ... Gloria Larkey ... episode: "The Case of Dan Gray"
• Whirlybirds (1960) ... Girl ... episode: "Four Little Indians"
• The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor (1960) ... Sandra Hoyle ... episode: "Alibis"
• Route 66 (TV series) (November 2, 1960)... Dana ... Model ... episode: "Layout at Glen Canyon, Season 1, Episode 9"
• 77 Sunset Strip (April 28, 1961) ... Rhoda Sheridan ... episode: "The Celluloid Cowboy"
• Hennesey (May 22, 1961) ... Sheree ... episode: "His Honor, Dr. Blair"
• The Aquanauts (1961) ... Nancy Gard ... episode: "The Stakeout Adventure"
• Michael Shayne (1961) ... Dusa Quick ... episode: "Murder Is a Fine Art"
• Surfside 6 (2 episodes, 1961)
• Dr. Kildare (1961) ... Jenny ... episode: "Second Chance"
• Pete and Gladys (2 episodes, 1961)
• Mister Ed (3 episodes, 1961–1962)(1) January 19, 1961 ...Jane Parker ... Episode 3 "The busy Housewife"
• The Twilight Zone (May 25, 1962) ... Woman ... episode: "Cavender Is Coming"
• Sam Benedict (1961) ... Francine ... episode "Hanigan"
• The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971) (main character) ... Elly May Clampett
• The Defenders (1964) ... Mary Andrews ... episode: "Drink Like a Lady"
• Night Gallery (January 26, 1972) ... Mildred McVane ... episode: "Last Rites for a Dead Druid"
• Adam-12 (1972, season 5) ... Nina Draper ... episode: "18 — The Beast"
• The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! (1 episode, 1989) ... Ellie Mae
• The Jerry Springer Show (1993)
• The Nanny (March 31, 1999) ... Herself ... episode: "California, Here We Come"