Elinor Donohue was my first crush as a kid. This show was filmed about 15 years before I saw the re-runs, and I was greatly disappointed to find out that she was 26 years older than I. Elinor Donohue was the life of the show. She made it shine.
Robert Young as the father was always a positive influence. He mostly said the right thing, and he was very supportive of his children. Equally sweet and warm was Jane Wyatt as the mother.
Perhaps the least favorite character was brother Bud, who was played by Billy Gray. His only claim to fame is this TV series, and after this his career was basically over. He has spent the rest of his life complaining about Father Knows Best, and hating the morals and positive themes of the show. The highlights of Gray's career are that he played the little boy in the 1951 The Day The Earth Stood Still, and he got his arm ripped off by monsters in The Navy vs. The Night Monsters (1966).
The other daughter was played by Lauren Chapin. She married at 16 years of age, became addicted to diet pills, and she became hooked on speed and heroin, and in order to pay for her drug habits became a prostitute. She was arrested and jailed for forgery. After her jail time she went into rehab, got religion and changed her life around.
The best of this family was always Elinor Donohue!
Robert Young as the father was always a positive influence. He mostly said the right thing, and he was very supportive of his children. Equally sweet and warm was Jane Wyatt as the mother.
Perhaps the least favorite character was brother Bud, who was played by Billy Gray. His only claim to fame is this TV series, and after this his career was basically over. He has spent the rest of his life complaining about Father Knows Best, and hating the morals and positive themes of the show. The highlights of Gray's career are that he played the little boy in the 1951 The Day The Earth Stood Still, and he got his arm ripped off by monsters in The Navy vs. The Night Monsters (1966).
The other daughter was played by Lauren Chapin. She married at 16 years of age, became addicted to diet pills, and she became hooked on speed and heroin, and in order to pay for her drug habits became a prostitute. She was arrested and jailed for forgery. After her jail time she went into rehab, got religion and changed her life around.
The best of this family was always Elinor Donohue!