The Donna Reed Show
The Donna Reed Show is an American sitcom starring Donna Reed as the middle-class housewife Donna Stone. Carl Betz co-stars as her pediatrician husband Dr. Alex Stone, and Shelley Fabares and Paul Petersen as their teenage children, Mary and Jeff. The show originally aired on ABC from September 24, 1958, to March 19, 1966.
| The Donna Reed Show | |
|---|---|
 First season title screen | |
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Starring | Donna Reed Carl Betz Shelley Fabares Paul Petersen Patty Petersen |
| Theme music composer | John Seely |
| Opening theme | "Happy Days" |
| Composers | Irving Friedman William Loose Stu Phillips Hans J. Salter |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 8 |
| No. of episodes | 275 |
| Production | |
| Producers | Tony Owen William S. Roberts |
| Cinematography | Gert Andersen |
| Editors | Richard Fantl Robert B. Hoover |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 22–24 minutes |
| Production companies | Todon of California Briskin Productions Screen Gems |
| Distributor | Screen Gems Columbia Pictures Television (1974-1995) Columbia TriStar Television (1995-2002) Sony Pictures Television (2002-present) |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Picture format | Black-and-white |
| Audio format | Monaural |
| Original release | September 24, 1958 – March 19, 1966 |
Background
The series was created by William S. Roberts and developed by Reed and her then husband, producer Tony Owen. Episodes revolved around typical family problems of the period such as firing a clumsy housekeeper, throwing a retirement bash for a colleague, and finding quality time away from the children. Then-daring themes such as women's rights and freedom of the press were occasionally explored.
The show had an uncertain start in the ratings and was almost cancelled, but fared better when it was moved from Wednesday to Thursday nights. In the show's middle seasons, Fabares sang what became a #1 teen pop hit "Johnny Angel", and Petersen had above average success with the song "My Dad", also introduced during the course of the series.
The Donna Reed Show was one of television's top 20 shows in 1963–1964. Reed was repeatedly nominated for Emmy Awards between 1959 and 1962, and won a Golden Globe as Best Female TV Star in 1963. She eventually grew tired of the workaday grind involved in the program, and it was cancelled in 1966 after 275 episodes.
The series was sponsored by Campbell Soup Company, with Johnson & Johnson as the principal alternate sponsor (succeeded in the fall of 1963 by The Singer Company).[1] Following first-run, the show entered daytime reruns on ABC and then syndication on Nick at Nite and TV Land for several years. It is currently shown on Decades. The first five seasons have been released on DVD.
This show was the first TV family sitcom to feature the mother as the center of the show. Reed's character, Donna Stone, is a loving mother and wife, but also a strong woman, an active participant in her community, a woman with feelings and a sense of humor. According to many of Reed's friends and family, Reed shared many similarities to the character that she portrayed on screen, implying that the fictional Donna Stone was a near-identical copy of Reed herself.
In a 2008 interview, Paul Petersen (Jeff Stone) stated:
[The Donna Reed Show] depicts a better time and place. It has a sort of level of intelligence and professionalism that is sadly lacking in current entertainment products. The messages it sent out were positive and uplifting. The folks you saw were likable, the family was fun, the situations were familiar to people. It provided 22-and-a-half-minutes of moral instructions and advice on how to deal with the little dilemmas of life. Jeff and Mary and their friends had all the same problems that real kids in high school did.[2]
Petersen continued,
That's what the show was really about, the importance of family. That's where life's lessons are transmitted, generation to generation. There's a certain way in which these are transmitted, with love and affection.[2]
Plot
Episodes revolve around the lightweight and humorous sorts of situations and problems a middle-class family experienced in the late 1950s and the early 1960s set in fictional Hilldale, state never mentioned.
Donna, for example, would sometimes find herself swamped with the demands of community theatricals and charity drives; Mary had problems juggling boyfriends and finding dresses to wear to one party or another; and Jeff was often caught in situations appropriate to his age and gender such as joining a secret boys' club, avoiding love-smitten classmates, or bidding at auction on an old football uniform.
Alex was the family's Rock of Gibraltar, but often found himself in situations that tested his patience: in one episode, Donna volunteered him as the judge of a baby contest, and, in another episode, Mary insisted her gawky, geeky boyfriend was the spitting image of her father. Very occasionally eccentric relatives would descend on the Stones to complicate the household situation.
Production
David Tucker writes in The Women Who Made Television Funny that most family sitcoms of the 1950s such as Father Knows Best, The Life of Riley, and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet focus on the father figure with the mother as "adjunct". He points out however that The Donna Reed Show "established the primacy of the mother on the domestic front" and notes that Mother Knows Better was even briefly considered as the show's title.[3] Though The Donna Reed Show did sometimes use recycled Father Knows Best scripts that had been slightly altered, such as character name changes.
The series was created by William Roberts and developed by Reed and her then husband, producer Tony Owen (the production company "Todon" is an amalgamation of their first names.) Roberts intended the show to respectfully picture the many demanding roles a stay-at-home woman was expected to master - wife, mom, companion, housekeeper, cook, laundress, seamstress, PTA officer, choir singer, scout leader, etc. - all the while being "effervescent, immaculate, and pretty."[3] Reed stated, "We started breaking rules right and left. We had a female lead, for one thing, a strong, healthy woman. We had a story line told from a woman's point of view that wasn't soap opera."[3] In addition, Reed described her show, accordingly: "I would call The Donna Reed Show a realistic picture of small town life - with an often humorous twist. Our plots revolve around the most important thing in America — a loving family."
In its first year on the struggling ABC network, the show was up against Milton Berle's popular Texaco Star Theater and Reed ratings were low. ABC nearly cancelled the show, but it was renewed and ratings improved when the show was moved from Wednesday to Thursday nights. The series flourished for the next seven years, ranking #30 in 1961-62 and #16 in 1963–64. In a 1964 interview, Reed said, "We have proved on our show that the public really does want to see a healthy woman, not a girl, not a neurotic, not a sexpot...I am so fed up with immature 'sex' and stories about kooky, amoral, sick women."[4]
The opening credits showed Reed coming down the stairs to answer the telephone. She hands the receiver to Alex, then goes to the front door to hand the children their bag lunches and schoolbooks as they leave for school. Alex then leaves, kissing his wife good-bye. On some opening themes, he forgets to kiss Donna good-bye, but returns as she closes the door to give her a quick kiss. She closes the door and smiles happily. A late series variant showed Donna departing after her husband, possibly for shopping, church or community matters, or some other concern. Reed brought personal friends Esther Williams, Jimmy Hawkins, and Buster Keaton to the program in guest spots.[3]
On February 1, 1962, Fabares debuted her single "Johnny Angel" in the episode "Donna's Prima Donna". It rose to #1 and sold over a million copies.[5] Petersen introduced his single "My Dad" eight months later on October 25, 1962. It peaked at #6.[5]
By 1962 Reed felt the writers were running out of fresh ideas and had exhausted plot devices. She also wanted to spend more time with her family and was worn out from producing nearly 30 episodes a year. To coincide with Fabares's plans to leave at the end of season 5 (1962-1963), Reed and her husband decided to end the show. Since the series was still very popular ABC offered Reed a more lucrative contract with an extension of three seasons, to which she agreed. Their new contract called for fewer episodes and other incentives to allow Reed more personal time.
Beginning in Season 6 there was a reduction in the number of episodes produced, and work hours were shortened to please Reed.[3] In the spring of 1966, Reed had grown tired of the weekly grind and wanted to retire. The program was rated #89 during its final season. After 275 episodes and eight seasons on ABC, The Donna Reed Show ended its prime-time run. Reed expressed no interest in taking on another series, declined television guest appearances, and shunned films because she thought their depictions of women vapid.
She did express interest in a television reunion for the Stone family at one point, but the concept was discarded after Carl Betz's death in 1978. Tucker writes that women's lib supporters of the 1970s targeted the Donna Stone character as an unrealistic portrait of a modern woman and a stereotype of the impossibly perfect wife and mother. He believes that Reed "gave motherhood a tinge of glamour it usually lacked on TV".[3]
Cast changes
In season 5, (1963) Mary departed for college, reducing Fabares's appearances, something which continued yearly with her role becoming a minor character. Fabares left the full-time cast to pursue opportunities in films. She eventually returned seven times for guest appearances (Season 6 episodes 8, 11, 14; Season 7 episodes 5, 15, 30; Season 8 episode 13). Following Fabares's departure, Petersen's real-life sister Patty Petersen joined the show as Trisha, a runaway orphan eventually adopted by the Stones.[6] The program achieved its highest Nielsen ratings in Season 6, reaching #16 after Fabares' departure. A possible reason for higher ratings was the addition of new characters, Ann McCrea and disc jockey-turned actor Bob Crane as the Stones' neighbors, Midge and Dave Kelsey. This not only provided both Donna and Alex with best friends, but co-conspirators, as well. So popular were their roles that by the fall of 1964, both McCrea and Crane began receiving billing in the opening credits of the program. Crane left the series in 1965 to star in the CBS sitcom Hogan's Heroes. As a result, he was written out of the show although his character continued to be referred to and McCrea's character remained with the program. Also, towards the end of the series, actor Darryl Richard was regularly featured as Jeff Stone's best friend, Morton "Smitty" Smith. Richard first appeared in 1962 and "Smitty" became a major character after Season 6. Janet Landgard was a series regular from 1963-1965 as Karen Holmby.[7]
Characters and cast
Main
- Donna Stone (Donna Reed) is the idealized middle class housewife to Alex, and the mother of Mary and Jeff. She grew up on a farm and became a nurse. She sometimes works as a nurse on the show. Donna was married to Alex when she was 18 and the couple live in fictional Hilldale. She participates in community activities such as charity campaigns and amateur theatricals. Like several television wives and mothers of the 1950s, she inexplicably wears heels, pearls, and chic frocks to do the housework. (Note: In one episode, it is revealed that Donna Stone's maiden name, like Donna Reed, is Donna Belle Mullenger and she is also from Denison, Iowa.)
- Alex Stone (Carl Betz) is a pediatrician. Like most television couples of the 1950s, Alex and Donna sleep in twin beds. The two show a physical affection for each other slightly more intense than other television couples of the period.
- Mary Stone (Shelley Fabares) is 14 "almost fifteen" and a freshman in high school when the show opens. She has a few boyfriends during the course of the show with Jimmy Hawkins as Scotty being a regular. Mary plays the piano like a professional and studies ballet. She leaves the show to attend college.
- Jeff Stone (Paul Petersen) is "almost twelve" when the show opens. He is a typical American boy; he plays sports, likes to eat, and teases his older sister. Jeff is a complex character: he champions the underdog at school but cheats at board games. Atypical for the fictional children in 1960s sitcoms, Jeff and Mary often get away with "talking back" to their parents.
- Trisha (Patty Petersen) is a runaway orphan the age of eight whom the Stones adopt after Mary leaves for college. She remained for the duration of the program.
Secondary
- Dr. Dave Kelsey (Bob Crane) and his wife Midge (Ann McCrea) are friends of the Stones. Dave, Alex's colleague, appeared for the first time on March 14, 1963 in the episode "The Two Doctor Stones". Dave continued on the series until 1965; Midge appeared from 1963–1966. Crane's character was written out of the show at the end of season 7 when he was cast in the CBS series, Hogan's Heroes. McCrea remained with the show until its conclusion.
- David Barker (Charles Herbert) - a young military school student who the Stones look after in many episodes. David is very disobedient and troubled in the beginning but the Stone family soon grow to love and reform him.
- Uncle Bo (Jack Kelk) is Dr. Boland, Alex's bachelor colleague and friend in the first season.
- Morton "Smitty" Smith (Darryl Richard) is Jeff's best friend and first appeared on the show in 1962.
- Zachary Blake (Stephen Pearson) is Jeff's friend in the early seasons.
- Herbie Bailey (Tommy Ivo) is Mary's fairly regular boyfriend.
- Scotty (Jimmy Hawkins) is another of Mary's boyfriends. He appeared in two first-season episodes as her boyfriend 'George Haskell'. Hawkins' character returned to the show in season 3 as 'Scotty', one of Mary's dates (for seasons 3-4) then as 'Jerry' for seasons 7 & 8 (his last appearance was in December, 1965).
- Roger (Jan Stine) is Mary's boyfriend in several third-season episodes.
- Angie (Candy Moore) is Jeff's girlfriend in several fourth season episodes. Moore returned to the program during season 8 as Jeff's 'new' girlfriend Bernice/Bebe, in episodes 3, 12, 16, & 19. Moore had just finished 3 seasons playing Lucille Ball's teenaged daughter Chris on The Lucy Show. Moore was written out after season 3 (1965). Moore had acted on the program from 1962–1965. 'The Lucy Show' was her last acting assignment as a major character on a regular network program.
- Babs (Melinda Plowman) is Mary's first season best girlfriend.
- Mr. and Mrs. Wilgus (Howard McNear and Kathleen Freeman) are busybody Stone neighbors in season one.
- Lydia Langley (Mary Shipp) is Donna's snobbish acquaintance in the early seasons.
Guest stars
The Donna Reed Show featured several celebrity guest stars appearing as themselves during its eight-year run. Baseball player Don Drysdale appeared in four episodes while Willie Mays appeared in three episodes and Leo Durocher once. Musician Harry James and singers Tony Martin and Lesley Gore appeared as themselves. Gore was featured in the series' finale, "By-Line--Jeff Stone", on March 19, 1966. Lassie and film director George Sidney appear as themselves in the 1961 episode "The Stones Go To Hollywood". The episode plugged Sidney's then current feature film, Pepe, in which Reed made a cameo appearance. Teen heartthrob James Darren guest starred as a pop singer with the measles.
Silent film comedian Buster Keaton guest starred in two episodes, "A Very Merry Christmas" (December 24, 1958) as Charlie, a hospital janitor who brings gifts to the children's ward, and "Now You See It, Now You Don't" (1965). Child actor Charles Herbert also had a recurring guest role in four episodes as David Barker, a runaway child whom the Stones assist. In the 1960 crossover episode "Donna Decorates", Jay North appeared with his Dennis the Menace co-star, Joseph Kearns as Mr. George Wilson. Esther Williams guest starred as Molly, a fashion designer and friend of Donna's who is herself about to marry a doctor in "The Career Woman" (1960). In real life, Williams and Reed had been close friends since the early 1940s, when they were rising MGM contract stars.
Several actors guest starred numerous times in different roles including Richard Deacon, Gale Gordon, Harvey Korman, Miyoshi Umeki, Doodles Weaver, and Dick Wilson.
As Fabares co-starred in the Mickey Mouse Club serial Annette before the Donna Reed Show, four other Annette co-stars (Deacon, Cheryl Holdridge, Doreen Tracey & Mary Wickes) would also make respective guest appearances on this show.
Other notable guest stars include:
- Lee Aaker
- Jack Albertson
- John Astin
- Raymond Bailey
- Bobby Buntrock
- Bobby Burgess
- Harry Cheshire
- Dabney Coleman
- Richard Conte
- Ellen Corby
- Johnny Crawford
- Kim Darby
- Stuart Erwin
- Tiger Fafara
- Jamie Farr
- Florida Friebus
- Harold Gould
- George Hamilton
- Arte Johnson
- DeForest Kelley
- Ted Knight
- Sheila James Kuehl
- Charles Lane
- Cloris Leachman
- Gigi Perreau
- Marion Ross
- William Schallert
- Hal Smith
- James Stacy
- Tisha Sterling
- Olive Sturgess
- Stephen Talbot
- Marlo Thomas
- Mary Treen
- Jesse White
- William Windom
- Estelle Winwood
- Will Wright
Episodes
Season 1 (1958–59)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Weekend Trip" | Andrew McCullough | Phil Leslie | September 24, 1958 | |
| Donna tries to arrange a skiing weekend for the family, because she and the kids aren't seeing enough of father Alex. Donna can't understand why their obstetrician friend Dr. Boland (Jackie Kelk) can get off, but not Alex. Alex has one particularly sick boy that he doesn't want to leave. Alex also says he can't go because he's to be a witness in a court case for banker George Heiser (Howard Wendell). Donna manages to remedy all the obstacles and the family gets ready to leave. Jeff's sudden case of Chicken Pox puts the trip on hold. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Pardon My Gloves" | Oscar Rudolph | Alan Lipscott & Bob Fisher | October 1, 1958 | |
| Donna is vying for a role in an amateur stage production and doesn't get along so well with Lydia the director. Things get worse when Jeff comes home with a black eye, given to him by Lydia's son Chunky. Donna decides to quit the play, but when she hears that Jeff was fighting because Chunky said Donna couldn't act, she returns to her part. Meanwhile, Donna and Alex try to teach Jeff how to fight. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "The Hike" | Oscar Rudolph | Jay Sommers & Don Nelson | October 8, 1958 | |
| An emergency forces Dr. Stone to pull out of an overnight camping trip with Jeff and his friends. Donna volunteers to take over and, once in the woods, comes up with an ingenious solution to her inexperience. And it wasn't help from the forest ranger as Alex suspects. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Male Ego" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | October 15, 1958 | |
| Mary gives a speech on motherhood during a "Freshman Class Essay Contest" that has everyone praising Donna. Alex starts to feel under-appreciated. When Donna's reputation as a "super-mom" becomes the talk of the town, Alex begins to wonder even more about his worth. So, Donna turns Alex's birthday party into an homage to father Stone. Lawrence Dobkin appears as Dr. Winfield Graham, Alex's friend. Alvy Moore appears as reporter Hank Cole of the Daily Sentinel. | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "The Football Uniform" | Oscar Rudolph | William Cowley & Peggy Chantler | October 22, 1958 | |
| Donna and Mary organize items the Stone family plan to donate to a charity auction. Meanwhile, Jeff has his heart set on getting a football uniform. Alex and Donna tell him he must save his money to pay for it. With the boys' football team due to be photographed for the local newspaper, Donna arranges for Jeff to "win" the uniform at the auction, with humorous results. | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "The Foundling" | Oscar Rudolph | John Whedon | October 29, 1958 | |
| At the breakfast table, Donna reminds her family that Kathleen (Fintan Meyler), an Irish woman with no boyfriends, will be coming to clean the house today. Mary goes to see if Tony the milkman (Paul Picerni) has arrived, instead, she finds an abandoned baby in a basket, left on the Stone's doorstep. Alex, who thinks the baby should be turned over to the authorities, fears the family is becoming too attached to it. Donna decides to play baby detective. She finds out the baby belongs to Tony. His wife has passed away and he hoped Donna could take care of him. Donna tries a little matchmaking between Tony and Kathleen. | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Three Part Mother" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | November 5, 1958 | |
|
Donna has a bit of a problem: how can she attend Jeff's basketball game, Mary's initiation into her girl's club and her husband's speech - all at the same time? With a little running around, she manages. Ross Elliott appears as family friend, Woody Graham. Note: Although aired later, this episode seems to introduce the series. | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Change Partners and Dance" | James V. Kern | William Roberts | November 12, 1958 | |
| Mary wants to go to the "Varsity Prom" with handsome George Haskell (Jimmy Hawkins), the basketball star who works in the school library. Donna suggests she invite him home, which Mary does, but it's Donna that gets all of his attention. Donna comes up with a plan to get George more interested in Mary. | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Dough Re-Mi" | Oscar Rudolph | Alan Lipscott & Bob Fisher | November 19, 1958 | |
| Donna needs to raise money for the hospital committee. She wants to get concert pianist Anton Duval for a charity benefit. Donna doesn't know that the new girl in school, who has a crush on Jeff, is Mr. Duval's daughter Antoinette. To help his mother get into Duval's good graces, Jeff agrees to have dinner with Antoinette. | ||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Guest in the House" | Oscar Rudolph | John Whedon | November 26, 1958 | |
| Mary tells Donna there's a policeman at the door. He's there with David Barker (Charles Herbert ), a 7-year-old runaway who won't say where he belongs and was standing outside the house. Turns out, he ran away from the hospital where Alex was tending to him. Donna senses the boy needs some motherly attention, and persuades Alex they should keep him for Thanksgiving break. David is incorrigible because he doesn't want to go back to military school and he thinks his Air Force father doesn't love him. A reunion with his father makes everything better. | ||||||
| 11 | 11 | "The Baby Contest" | Oscar Rudolph | William Cowley & Peggy Chantler | December 3, 1958 | |
| Donna's Women's Club wants to organize a baby beauty contest. Everyone but Donna wants pediatrician Alex to be the judge. Alex believes that he might as well "close up shop" because all the losing mothers will be mad at him. Will Alex be able to choose the right baby without offending everyone else? Virginia Christine appears as Margaret Lang, a mother who is ashamed of her "homely" baby. Anne Whitfield, Ruth Terry and Dorothy Morris appear as some of the other mothers. | ||||||
| 12 | 12 | "The Beaded Bag" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | December 10, 1958 | |
| It's Donna's birthday and she claims there's nothing she wants as a present. Donna's friend Patsy Cole (Angela Greene) informs Alex that Donna has been eyeing a beaded hand bag. So, he thinks Donna is using a feminine trick to get him to buy her the bag. Alex buys the bag and tells Donna that her feminine trick worked. Donna, upset by this, returns the bag. Will she wind up with the bag in the end? Mary Treen appears as Miss Winters, the department store clerk. | ||||||
| 13 | 13 | "The Busy Body" | Oscar Rudolph | Teleplay by Henry Sharp, Kay Lenard and Jess Carneol Story by Kay Lenard & Jess Carneol | December 17, 1958 | |
| Uncle Fred (Rhys Williams), Donna's uncle, swoops in for an unexpected visit and immediately gets into everybody's business. He causes a rift between Mary and her boyfriend. He also tells the Mayor (Irving Bacon) off on the phone. He insults Mrs. Adams (Ann Doran), the mother of one of Alex's patients. But in a twist, these people actually wind up appreciating what Uncle Fred said and did. | ||||||
| 14 | 14 | "A Very Merry Christmas" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | December 24, 1958 | |
| Donna is frantically making last-minute preparations for Christmas and is disappointed when no one seems to care for the fruitcakes she is giving for Christmas presents. Donna believes people have lost the Christmas spirit. She also can't seem to find out who plans the Christmas party for the children who cannot leave their ward and return home for the holiday. Donna learns that Charlie (Buster Keaton), the hospital handyman, is usually in charge of the party. But, this year there is no one to help him. Donna helps Charlie throw the children a special party. | ||||||
| 15 | 15 | "Mary's Double Date" | Oscar Rudolph | Alan Lipscott & Bob Fisher | December 31, 1958 | |
| Mary has three potential dates to the Junior Prom. She can't decide if she should go with left tackle Ernie (Bobby Burgess), or right tackle Phil. Mary prefers Ernie, but must string Phil along while waiting to see if Ernie will break up with his girlfriend Angela. Another classmate, Charlie, fawns over Mary. But, Mary isn't romantically interested in him. Ernie does ask Mary, but when Phil calls, a confused Donna says Mary will go with him. The boys find out and both of them cancel on Mary. A firmer and more confident Charlie comes to the rescue. | ||||||
| 16 | 16 | "Jeff's Double Life" | Oscar Rudolph | Bill Manhoff | January 7, 1959 | |
| Donna and Alex return home from a dinner party and learn that neighbor Celia Wilgus (Kathleen Freeman) almost called the police, due to a noisy party at the Stone's house. Mary confesses that she had some friends over including a bongo drummer. Their parents warn Mary and Jeff, "People expect a doctor and his family to set an example." So, when Jeff injures his arm in the drummer's stolen car, he's afraid to see his father for treatment. Posing as "John Smith", he goes to Dr. Barry (Peter Adams), another pediatrician who is new in town. | ||||||
| 17 | 17 | "Nothing But the Truth" | Oscar Rudolph | John Whedon | January 14, 1959 | |
| David Barker (Charles Herbert), who had previously spent Thanksgiving with the Stones, decides he would like to visit them again. He tells them that it's his birthday even though it's actually not for several more months. After Jeff gets in trouble for lying, young David hears Mary say, "People who tell lies don't go to Heaven." That night David confesses his lie to Jeff, and he really feels bad about it. The next day David tells Donna it's not his birthday. She says it's OK and they'll have a party anyway. | ||||||
| 18 | 18 | "It's the Principle of the Thing" | Oscar Rudolph | Jerry Davis & Tom August | January 21, 1959 | |
| Mr. Popkin (Hans Conried) doesn't have the money to pay for his son's (Robert L. Crawford Jr.) expensive treatment and he won't allow Alex to do it for free. Donna figures she can hire him for household chores instead, with disastrous results. Donna learns Popkin has a talent for making toys, and tries to get them displayed in Mr. Johnson's (Richard Deacon) toy store. Meanwhile, Jeff and shill Mary try to sell Popkin's toy rabbits on the street, but get in trouble with the law. In the end, Popkin's toy rabbits prove to be quite popular. | ||||||
| 19 | 19 | "Jeff vs. Mary" | Oscar Rudolph | Story by : Alan Lipscott & Bob Fisher Teleplay by : Henry Sharp & Alan Lipscott & Bob Fisher | January 28, 1959 | |
| When Dr. Boland (Jackie Kelk) comes by for the night, Mary is allowed to stay up late, and entertain with her piano playing. Neither Donna nor Alex seem interested in watching Jeff performing his new magic act. Jeff thinks his parents don't love him as much as they do Mary. His friend Zack tells Jeff it's "The Law of Vanishing Returns" or, how a second child isn't as loved as the first born. To prove Donna and Alex love their son as much as their daughter, Donna plans to have Jeff overhear a conversation she and Alex have, on the family's newly installed intercom system. Except it is Zack that hears it and he sets Jeff straight. | ||||||
| 20 | 20 | "Have Fun" | Oscar Rudolph | John Whedon | February 4, 1959 | |
| Mary comes home in tears because thinks her first date with Herbie Shields (George Hamilton) was a disaster. Donna tells Mary about her own first date with Alex on a New Year's Eve. Donna says it was a disaster as well and she did everything wrong. Later, Alex tells Mary his version of the date in which he believes he did everything wrong. | ||||||
| 21 | 21 | "Donna Plays Cupid" | Oscar Rudolph | Story by : Alan Lipscott & Bob Fisher Teleplay by : Henry Sharp & Alan Lipscott & Bob Fisher | February 11, 1959 | |
| Donna decides that bachelor Dr. Bo Boland needs a woman and wants him to meet her friend Ceil. While at dinner with Alex and Donna, Bo and Ceil are uncomfortable, but get along. Then Ceil's old boyfriend Herbie Armbruster (Hal Baylor) shows up. Herbie came by to ask Donna's help in reconciling with Ceil. But, when he sees Ceil and Bo together, he demands that Ceil marry him. Of course, that is exactly what Ceil wanted and Bo doesn't mind going back to his old lifestyle. | ||||||
| 22 | 22 | "Love Thy Neighbor" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | February 18, 1959 | |
| Alex & Donna help friends celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary. Celia (Kathleen Freeman) and Wilbur (Howard McNear ) have been arguing over Wilbur's secretary Miss Sanders (Maudie Prickett) because Celia thinks he pays too much attention to her. Celia leaves Wilbur after the party and arrives at Donna's door. Donna lunches with Wilbur to try and find out if he is interested in Miss Sanders. But, Donna winds up giving Wilbur the impression that she is interested in him. | ||||||
| 23 | 23 | "The Report Card" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | February 25, 1959 | |
| Donna is upset when Jeff brings home a less than stellar report card. Jeff's teacher (Irene Vernon) tells Donna he is a smart boy, but is not very interested in learning. When Jeff befriends "straight A" student Phil Adams, Donna thinks he's only interested in copying the smarter boy's homework. But, Jeff has a lesson for his mother. | ||||||
| 24 | 24 | "Boys Will Be Boys" | Oscar Rudolph | John Whedon | March 4, 1959 | |
| Young David Barker is brought to Dr. Stone from military school because of a dog bite, and he's permitted to stay the weekend. He and Jeff are left alone late one night, and watch a gangster show. Later, in his sleep, suffering from a guilty conscience over some forbidden cake, Dave has a dream that re-enacts the program with Donna, Alex and himself as the characters. Will Alex and Donna punish the boys by not taking them to the ball game? Carleton Young appears as Major Ryan, from the military school. John Harmon and Ric Roman appear as characters in the gangster show. | ||||||
| 25 | 25 | "The Ideal Wife" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | March 11, 1959 | |
| Donna comes to the conclusion that she's too nice for her own good. Fed up, Donna decides to change her sunny disposition, and begins barking orders. It doesn't take long for her to find out she is not happy with the "new" Donna. Cleaning man Mac (Sid Tomack) helps Donna find balance in her life. Don C. Harvey and Frances Robinson appear Dr. Harry Marcy and Ellen Marcy. | ||||||
| 26 | 26 | "Mary's Campaign" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | March 18, 1959 | |
| Mary is running to be the vice-president of her class. But Donna doesn't like the way she, or rather her campaign manager Cathy Robinson (Gigi Perreau), is running her campaign. Cathy's plan is to "sell" Mary by emphasizing her good looks, and encouraging her to make flowery promises. Donna tells Mary it's better to be yourself. And while Mary loses, she's glad she didn't win if it meant being someone she isn't. | ||||||
| 27 | 27 | "The Flowered Print Dress" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | March 25, 1959 | |
| After inviting newlywed couple Jim and Carol Berke over for dinner, Donna begins to feel Alex is taking her for granted and that their marriage is in a rut. Donna tries to impress Alex with a daring new dress, but he says he liked her in a "flowered print" dress, which she can't recall. When the Stones go out to dinner with older couple Dr. Martin Butler (Addison Richards) and his wife (Lillian Bronson), things begin to fall into place. | ||||||
| 28 | 28 | "April Fool" | Oscar Rudolph | Jerry Davis & Tom August | April 1, 1959 | |
|
Buzz Berry (James Darren), Mary's favorite rock singer, is coming to town for a show. On the night of the show, however, Buzz comes down with the measles, and is taken to the Stones' house to be treated by Alex. Jeff tells manager Lou Vance (Jesse White) that Buzz should hide from fans at the Stone's home. When word leaks out that he is staying there, the Stones' house is besieged by his adoring fans, but Mary tells them it was an April Fool's joke. All the girl's are now mad at Mary until Buzz finds a way to make things right. Ted Knight appears as Phil Martin, manager of the Civic Auditorium. Note: "There's No Such Thing" (the record Mary plays) was Darren's first Colpix single. | ||||||
| 29 | 29 | "The Parting of the Ways" | Oscar Rudolph | John Whedon | April 8, 1959 | |
| Mary's friend Babs (Melinda Plowman) is upset because she thinks her parents are breaking up, which they are not. Donna is afraid the family might "drift apart" if they don't spend more time together. When a card game turns into a family fight, the kids think Donna and Alex may be the next couple to split up. Mary then tells Babs about the fight. Mrs. Myra Keppler (Mary Lawrence) comes over to console Donna. Everyone finds out that no one is splitting up. | ||||||
| 30 | 30 | "The Hero" | Oscar Rudolph | Teleplay by John Whedon Story by Nate Monaster | April 15, 1959 | |
| Biff Jameson (Ben Gage), Alex's old college roommate and former Rose Bowl star, comes to visit. Everyone's opinion of Biff is based upon his past glory and Biff is tired of living in the past. His job has him just speaking about his football days. The next day Biff plays football with a bunch of Jeff's friends. One friend, George Haskell (Jimmy Hawkins), knocks Biff down and injures him. Biff tells his boss off and Alex suggests he stay in town and get a job helping young boys. | ||||||
| 31 | 31 | "Do You Trust Your Child?" | Oscar Rudolph | Jerry Davis & Tom August | April 22, 1959 | |
| After a successful PTA speech, all of Hilldale considers Donna an authority on teen parenting. Donna adopts the belief that children are capable of making good decisions on their own. Helen Brooks (Florida Friebus) asks Donna's advice regarding Leonard (Richard Tyler), the annoying young man who is dating her daughter Nancy (Roberta Shore). Donna advises Mrs. Brooks to "have faith", predicting the couple will break up. Donna's beliefs are tested when Mary starts dating Leonard. | ||||||
| 32 | 32 | "Grateful Patient" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | April 29, 1959 | |
| Alex rushes to offer medical assistance to neighbor Celia Wilgus (Kathleen Freeman), who has been accidentally hit with a golf iron. As a reward, grateful husband Wilbur (Howard McNear) offers Alex in on a real estate deal. Wilbur says they have a chance to triple their money. Donna and the kids start planning on how they'll spend the windfall. Alex urges caution to no avail. Will their ship come in? | ||||||
| 33 | 33 | "The Testimonial" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | May 6, 1959 | |
| When Donna finds out the towns favorite doctor plans to retire, she decides he should have a retirement dinner with testimonials from his patients and peers. As plans progress, Donna finds out Dr. Jason (James Bell) does not want to retire regardless of his age. Olive Blakeney appears as Mrs. Jason. Harry Cheshire appears as the Mayor. | ||||||
| 34 | 34 | "Miss Lovelace Comes to Tea" | Oscar Rudolph | Henry Sharp | May 13, 1959 | |
| Donna's work in a charity campaign leaves her with no time for housework. When they decide to hire a maid, the family learns maids are hard to find. Finally, English ladylike Mrs. Lovelace (Estelle Winwood) is hired. But, the rest of the family discovers that she isn't really able to cook or clean. Soon, Jeff is vacuuming, Mary is cooking, and Alex is making beds, so Donna doesn't find out. Mrs. Lovelace does wind up helping Donna in a more important way. Esther Dale appears Mrs. Abrogast, a potential maid. Margaret Dumont appears as Mrs. Westcott Trilling, a sponsor of the charity campaign. | ||||||
| 35 | 35 | "Tomorrow Comes Too Soon" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | May 20, 1959 | |
| Alex and Donna are both tired of the day to day routine. Alex suggests he and Donna "try to get away for a weekend," without the children. Of course, Alex is unable to coordinate his schedule. But, when both Mary and Jeff are invited on weekend trips, Donna and Alex find their wish to be alone is unexpectedly granted. So, how long will it be until Donna misses the children? | ||||||
| 36 | 36 | "Advice to Young Lovers" | Oscar Rudolph | John Whedon | May 27, 1959 | |
| After a fight with boyfriend George, Mary announces, "I'm through with boys!" Mary thinks he has something for her friend, Babs. In order to renew George's interest, Donna advises Mary to show an interest in another boy. Despite all of Donna's suggestions and schemes, Mary and George get back together on their own. | ||||||
| 37 | 37 | "Operation Deadbeat" | Oscar Rudolph | Si Rose & Seaman Jacobs | June 3, 1959 | |
| Jeff is living beyond his means and has been borrowing money from Mary. Alex wants Jeff to learn the value of money and pay it back. Soon Jeff has jobs as both a newspaper delivery boy and a supermarket worker. When Donna tries to get Alex to forgive the debt, they discuss the patients who still owe Alex for his services , such as Mr.Finsterwald (Alan Reed). Donna decides to collect on those bills. When she learns about delinquent Mr. McDonnell (William Keene), Donna's kind-heartedness comes through. | ||||||
Season 2 (1959–60)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | 1 | "That's Show Business" | Oscar Rudolph | Jerry Davis & Tom August | September 24, 1959 | |
| Mary is excited to be included in a school play. Kenny (Lee Aaker) is a classmate who also was accepted, but he dropped out since he stutters. Mary convinces him to remain in the play and his stuttering stops. Kenny is paired with Mary for a dance routine. Mary, however, is not happy about it because he is so much shorter than her. She suggests he gets lifts for his shoes and his stuttering starts again. He does and trips toward the end of the dance. Will Mary dance with Kenny again for the next days show? | ||||||
| 39 | 2 | "Sleep No More My Lady" | Oscar Rudolph | Henry Sharp | October 1, 1959 | |
| Donna & Alex fly to New York where Alex will give a speech at a medical convention. Donna is so excited for Alex that she cannot sleep. Alex suggests she take a tranquilizer to help her get some rest. At first she refuses, but later while Alex is asleep, she takes several. Now, during the convention, Donna is in a daze and keeps falling asleep. Because of this, Alex is unable to complete his speech. Donna explains things to Dr. Elias Spaulding (Richard Gaines), who is running the convention, and Alex is able to give his speech the next day. | ||||||
| 40 | 3 | "A Penny Earned" | Oscar Rudolph | Tom August | October 8, 1959 | |
| After Alex completes a newspaper quiz called "Test Your Wife", Donna learns she gets a perfect score for being thrifty. Donna plans to wear an old dress to a formal wedding that is coming up. But, when Louise Collier (Irene Hervey) questions that decision, Donna says she'll buy a new one. However, every time Donna tries to become a spendthrift, she backs down. Raymond Bailey appears as George Collier. | ||||||
| 41 | 4 | "A Friend Indeed" | Oscar Rudolph | Tom August | October 15, 1959 | |
| Doug is a new friend of Jeff's. Fran, Doug's mother, praises Donna for having such a wonderful, perfect child when her child is noisy and impolite. Jeff is starting to get in trouble at school, but he tells Donna and Alex it's not him doing the bad things. Alex and Donna figure out that Doug is getting Jeff in trouble because he resents that his mother is always praising Jeff. Donna comes up with a solution to the problem. | ||||||
| 42 | 5 | "The First Child" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | October 22, 1959 | |
| After a nervous couple (Alice Backes and Dave Willock) have their first baby, Alex can hardly get any sleep or spend any time with the family because of their constant cries for help. | ||||||
| 43 | 6 | "Going Steady" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | October 29, 1959 | |
| Mary wants Jeff to be more friendly with a girl named Meredith Penner (Sherry Alberoni) so that Mary will have an excuse to meet Meredith's older brother Don. Jeff might be willing to do so - if the price is right. Now that Jeff is going to Meredith's party, the whole school thinks they're going steady. He is not happy about it. Mary meets Don and thinks he's a bore, but Jeff is still stuck going to the party. | ||||||
| 44 | 7 | "The Neighborly Gesture" | Oscar Rudolph | John Whedon | November 5, 1959 | |
| New neighbors, Joe (Robert Nichols) and Eleanor Moody, move in next to the Stones. Jeff learns that Joe was in the Air Force and finds him very fascinating. Jeff tells Alex all the great things that Joe can do, and Alex starts to get very jealous. Joe tells Alex that all Jeff can talk about when he is over is what a great dad he has. Alex finds himself feeling a lot better. | ||||||
| 45 | 8 | "Nothing Like a Good Book" | Oscar Rudolph | John Whedon | November 12, 1959 | |
| Lydia Langley, a neighbor, invites the Stones to dinner with a group of friends. She spends the evening bragging about the intellectual books she reads. Donna tries to bring some culture to her children, who have no interest in it. Donna wants Alex and her to read War And Peace to set an example. Donna joins Lydia's book club and is told she has a couple days to give a report on War and Peace. Maybe this striving for culture isn't a right fit for the Stone family. J. Edward McKinley appears as Professor Peabody. Frank Wilcox appears as Bartley Langley, Lydia's husband. | ||||||
| 46 | 9 | "Flowers for the Teacher" | Oscar Rudolph | John Whedon | November 19, 1959 | |
| Jeff complains that Miss McGinnis (Marion Ross), the teacher at school, does not like any of the students and that's why she is so strict. Jeff and some of the other boys in class fake being sick so they don't have to go to school. Donna visits the teacher and finds she is actually afraid of the students as it is her first teaching experience. Donna finds a way to fix it. | ||||||
| 47 | 10 | "All Mothers Worry" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | November 26, 1959 | |
|
Jeff's friend Phillip changes at Jeff's home after football practices. Donna finds out and realizes Margaret Dorsey (Ann Doran), Phillip's mother, does not know he is playing football. Margaret is afraid her boy will get hurt. Jeff and Phil get to meet some L.A. Rams players when they come to town. Phil gets hurt during a scrimmage. The Rams award the game ball to Phil and Margaret now understands that she has to let Phil be a boy. William Schallert appears as Bert Rose, the Ram's publicist. Note: L.A. Rams players Sid Gillman, Jon Arnett, Bill Wade, Don Burroughs and Les Richter make an appearance. | ||||||
| 48 | 11 | "Jeff Joins a Club" | Oscar Rudolph | Tom August | December 3, 1959 | |
| Walter, a new kid in town, follows Jeff around all the time, no matter how many times Jeff tries to lose him. Walter tends to brag about the things he has. When Jeff & Walter try to join a club, the group denies Jeff since he is a friend of Walters. Walter tells Jeff he knows the club wouldn't let Jeff in because of him. Jeff decides the club can't tell him who he can be friends with. Donna helps the two boys start their own club. | ||||||
| 49 | 12 | "The Punishment" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | December 10, 1959 | |
| Donna is upset when Mary and Jeff arrive home late and she reprimands them. Alex comes home and it is all smiles for dad from Mary and Jeff. Donna is mad because she is always the one to yell at the children. Now, neither Donna nor Alex want to punish Mary or Jeff because neither of them want to seem like the bad parent. Mary and Jeff start to wonder what's going on. | ||||||
| 50 | 13 | "A Difference of Opinion" | Ida Lupino | Nate Monaster | December 17, 1959 | |
| Donna is forced to accept a dinner invitation from Phyllis Baker (Ann Rutherford). She and her husband Harry are a couple that neither Donna nor Alex enjoy. This causes an argument between them whether to go or not go, and they try to hide their fights from Mary and Jeff. Hal Smith appears as one of the guests at the dinner party. | ||||||
| 51 | 14 | "The Homecoming Dance" | Robert Ellis Miller | John Whedon | December 24, 1959 | |
| Mary's friend Herbie (Tommy Ivo) invites her to a dance at a nearby college with a blind date, and she would have to stay overnight in the dormitory. At first Donna is against it because she thinks Mary is too young. The Stones agree to let her go, but only because they are going to drive her to and from. Stan, Mary's blind date, turns out to be a bit obnoxious, but Mary turns the tables on him. | ||||||
| 52 | 15 | "The Lucky Girl" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | December 31, 1959 | |
| It seems as if all of Donna's friends are complimenting her on having such a wonderful husband, and that she is such a lucky girl. Donna wonders if they think she is not good enough for Alex and that it was just pure luck she got such a guy. Kristine Miller and Mona Knox appear as some of Donna's friends. | ||||||
| 53 | 16 | "The Broken Spirit" | Lawrence Dobkin | Nate Monaster | January 7, 1960 | |
| Jeff's been causing problems lately, so Alex has a talk with him about behaving. While on his paper route, Jeff throws Mr. Barnhill's (Raymond Hatton) newspaper on the front stairs. Later, the family learns from Alex that Mr. Barnhill had broken his leg falling on the stairs. Jeff's attitude changes, and everyone thinks it is because of the talk. Actually, he is feeling guilty and feels he must be on his best behavior. When Jeff visits Mr. Barnhill in the hospital, he finds out that the man tripped down the cellar stairs. | ||||||
| 54 | 17 | "The Secret" | Norman Tokar | Nate Monaster | January 14, 1960 | |
| 55 | 18 | "The New Mother" | Oscar Rudolph | John Whedon | January 21, 1960 | |
| 56 | 19 | "Just a Housewife" | Oscar Rudolph | Nate Monaster | January 28, 1960 | |
| 57 | 20 | "The Free Soul" | Norman Tokar | Frank Tarloff | February 4, 1960 | |
| 58 | 21 | "The First Quarrel" | Robert Ellis Miller | Nate Monaster | February 11, 1960 | |
| 59 | 22 | "A Place to Go" | Oscar Rudolph | John Whedon | February 18, 1960 | |
| 60 | 23 | "A Night to Howl" | Lawrence Dobkin | John Whedon | February 25, 1960 | |
| 61 | 24 | "The Editorial" | Lawrence Dobkin | Nate Monaster | March 3, 1960 | |
| 62 | 25 | "The Gentle Dew" | Norman Tokar | John Whedon | March 10, 1960 | |
| 63 | 26 | "The Fatal Leap" | Andrew McCullough | John Whedon | March 17, 1960 | |
| 64 | 27 | "The Perfect Pitch" | Norman Tokar | Tom & Helen August | March 24, 1960 | |
| 65 | 28 | "Pickles for Charity" | Norman Tokar | Nate Monaster | April 7, 1960 | |
| 66 | 29 | "Mary's Growing Pain" | Lawrence Dobkin | John Whedon | April 14, 1960 | |
| 67 | 30 | "Alex Runs the House" | Lawrence Dobkin | Tom & Helen August | April 21, 1960 | |
| 68 | 31 | "The Career Woman" | Lawrence Dobkin | Nate Monaster | April 28, 1960 | |
| 69 | 32 | "Jeff, the Financial Genius" | Hy Averback | Henry Sharp | May 5, 1960 | |
| 70 | 33 | "Mary's Crusade" | Lawrence Dobkin | Nate Monaster | May 12, 1960 | |
| 71 | 34 | "The First Time We Met" | Robert Ellis Miller | Nate Monaster | May 19, 1960 | |
| 72 | 35 | "The Gossip" | Robert Ellis Miller | Frank Tarloff | May 26, 1960 | |
| 73 | 36 | "Love's Sweet Awakening" | Robert Ellis Miller | Frank Tarloff | June 2, 1960 | |
| 74 | 37 | "The Wedding Present" | Hy Averback | Phil Sharp | June 9, 1960 | |
| 75 | 38 | "Cool Cat" | Andrew McCullough | Jacqueline Trotte | June 16, 1960 | |
Season 3 (1960–61)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 76 | 1 | "Weekend" | Andrew McCullough | Sam Adams | September 15, 1960 |
| 77 | 2 | "The Mystery Woman" | Norman Tokar | Barbara Avedon | September 22, 1960 |
| 78 | 3 | "Donna Decorates" | Andrew McCullough | Seymour Friedman | September 29, 1960 |
| 79 | 4 | "The Love Letter" | Robert Ellis Miller | Tom & Helen August | October 6, 1960 |
| 80 | 5 | "How the Other Side Lives" | James Sheldon | John Whedon | October 20, 1960 |
| 81 | 6 | "Alex's Twin" | Jeffrey Hayden | Nate Monaster | October 27, 1960 |
| 82 | 7 | "Worried Anyone?" | Robert Ellis Miller | Clifford Goldsmith | November 3, 1960 |
| 83 | 8 | "Higher Learning" | Jeffrey Hayden | Hugh Wedlock & Howard Snyder | November 10, 1960 |
| 84 | 9 | "Never Marry a Doctor" | Andrew McCullough | John Whedon | November 17, 1960 |
| 85 | 10 | "It Only Hurts When I Laugh" | Jeffrey Hayden | Douglas Morrow | November 24, 1960 |
| 86 | 11 | "The Model Daughter" | Robert Ellis Miller | Tom & Helen August | December 1, 1960 |
| 87 | 12 | "Decisions, Decisions, Decisions" | Jeffrey Hayden | Theodore & Mathilde Ferro | December 8, 1960 |
| 88 | 13 | "Donna Goes to a Reunion" | Robert Ellis Miller | John Whedon | December 15, 1960 |
| 89 | 14 | "Someone is Watching" | Robert Ellis Miller | John Whedon | December 22, 1960 |
| 90 | 15 | "The Lean and Hungry Look" | Robert Ellis Miller | Tom & Helen August | December 29, 1960 |
| 91 | 16 | "Character Building" | Jeffrey Hayden | Clifford Goldsmith | January 5, 1961 |
| 92 | 17 | "World's Greatest Entertainer" | Norman Tokar | Barbara Avedon | January 12, 1961 |
| 93 | 18 | "Variations on a Theme" | Jeffrey Hayden | John Whedon | January 19, 1961 |
| 94 | 19 | "The Stones Go to Hollywood" | Ted Haworth | Phil Sharp | January 26, 1961 |
| 95 | 20 | "Donna Directs a Play" | Robert Ellis Miller | Tom & Helen August | February 2, 1961 |
| 96 | 21 | "Trip to Nowhere" | Robert Ellis Miller | John Whedon | February 9, 1961 |
| 97 | 22 | "The Geisha Girl" | Norman Tokar | Tom & Helen August | February 16, 1961 |
| 98 | 23 | "The Busy People" | James Neilson | Hugh Wedlock & Howard Snyder | February 23, 1961 |
| 99 | 24 | "Tony Martin Visits" | Robert Ellis Miller | Hugh Wedlock & Howard Snyder & Phil Sharp | March 2, 1961 |
| 100 | 25 | "Aunt Belle's Earrings" | Robert Ellis Miller | Henry Sharp | March 9, 1961 |
| 101 | 26 | "Poodle Parlor" | Jeffrey Hayden | John Whedon | March 16, 1961 |
| 102 | 27 | "Mary's Heart Throb" | Norman Tokar | John Whedon | March 23, 1961 |
| 103 | 28 | "Donna's Helping Hand" | Norman Tokar | John Whedon | March 30, 1961 |
| 104 | 29 | "The Merry Month of April" | Robert Ellis Miller | John Whedon | April 6, 1961 |
| 105 | 30 | "Music Hath Charms" | Jeffrey Hayden | John Whedon | April 13, 1961 |
| 106 | 31 | "Let's Look at Love" | Jeffrey Hayden | Clifford Goldsmith | April 20, 1961 |
| 107 | 32 | "For Better or Worse" | Norman Tokar | Story by : Nate Monaster Teleplay by : Phil Sharp & David R. Schwartz | April 27, 1961 |
| 108 | 33 | "Jeff, the Treasurer" | Jeffrey Hayden | John Elliotte | May 4, 1961 |
| 109 | 34 | "The Good Guys and the Bad Guys" | Robert Ellis Miller | John Whedon | May 11, 1961 |
| 110 | 35 | "Military School" | Robert Ellis Miller | Henry Sharp | May 18, 1961 |
| 111 | 36 | "Mary's Driving Lesson" | Robert Ellis Miller | Tom & Helen August | May 25, 1961 |
| 112 | 37 | "The Mustache" | Jeffrey Hayden | Phil Sharp | June 1, 1961 |
| 113 | 38 | "Mary's Little Lambs" | Jeffrey Hayden | Tom & Helen August | June 8, 1961 |
Season 4 (1961–62)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 114 | 1 | "One Starry Night" | Jeffrey Hayden | Summer Long | September 14, 1961 |
| 115 | 2 | "A Rose is a Rose" | Robert Ellis Miller | Clifford Goldsmith | September 21, 1961 |
| 116 | 3 | "The Close Shave" | Norman Tokar | Summer Long | September 28, 1961 |
| 117 | 4 | "Mouse at Play" | Jeffrey Hayden | John Whedon | October 5, 1961 |
| 118 | 5 | "The Monster" | Jeffrey Hayden | John Whedon | October 12, 1961 |
| 119 | 6 | "New Girl in Town" | Jeffrey Hayden | Michael Fessier | October 19, 1961 |
| 120 | 7 | "One of Those Days" | Jeffrey Hayden | John Whedon | October 26, 1961 |
| 121 | 8 | "All is Forgiven" | Andrew McCullough | John Whedon | November 2, 1961 |
| 122 | 9 | "The Electrical Storm" | Barry Shear | Andy White | November 9, 1961 |
| 123 | 10 | "The Paper Tycoon" | Jeffrey Hayden | Sheila J. Lynch | November 16, 1961 |
| 124 | 11 | "Private Tutor" | Earl Bellamy | Frank Fox | November 23, 1961 |
| 125 | 12 | "Alex, the Professor" | Jeffrey Hayden | Barbara Hammer | November 30, 1961 |
| 126 | 13 | "The Fabulous O'Hara" | Barry Shear | Douglas Morrow | December 7, 1961 |
| 127 | 14 | "Way of a Woman" | Norman Tokar | John Whedon | December 14, 1961 |
| 128 | 15 | "A Very Bright Boy" | Jackie Cooper | True Boardman | December 21, 1961 |
| 129 | 16 | "The Toughest Kid in School" | Norman Tokar | Henry Sharp | December 28, 1961 |
| 130 | 17 | "Dr. Stone and His Horseless Carriage" | Norman Tokar | Summer Long | January 11, 1962 |
| 131 | 18 | "For Angie with Love" | Norman Tokar | Barbara Hammer | January 18, 1962 |
| 132 | 19 | "Aloha Kimi" | Norman Tokar | Paul West | January 25, 1962 |
| 133 | 20 | "Donna's Prima Donna" | Barry Shear | Barbara Hammer | February 1, 1962 |
| 134 | 21 | "Explorer's Ten" | Barry Shear | David R. Schwartz | February 8, 1962 |
| 135 | 22 | "The New Office" | Norman Tokar | Leo Solomon & Ben Gershman | February 15, 1962 |
| 136 | 23 | "The Golden Trap" | Jeffrey Hayden | Paul West | February 22, 1962 |
| 137 | 24 | "Free Flight" | Gene Nelson | John Whedon | March 1, 1962 |
| 138 | 25 | "The Wide Open Space" | Jeffrey Hayden | Summer Long | March 8, 1962 |
| 139 | 26 | "The Fireball" | Norman Tokar | Paul West | March 15, 1962 |
| 140 | 27 | "Once Upon a Timepiece" | Robert Ellis Miller | David R. Schwartz | March 22, 1962 |
| 141 | 28 | "Hilldale 500" | Barry Shear | John Whedon | March 29, 1962 |
| 142 | 29 | "Winner Takes All" | Norman Tokar | John Whedon | April 5, 1962 |
| 143 | 30 | "Skin Deep" | Jeffrey Hayden | Paul West | April 12, 1962 |
| 144 | 31 | "The Fortune Teller" | Jeffrey Hayden | John Whedon | April 19, 1962 |
| 145 | 32 | "Man of Action" | Barry Shear | Paul West | April 26, 1962 |
| 146 | 33 | "Donna Meets Roberta" | Jeffrey Hayden | Summer Long | May 3, 1962 |
| 147 | 34 | "The Caravan" | Barry Shear | Phil Sharp | May 10, 1962 |
| 148 | 35 | "The Swingin' Set" | Gene Nelson | Paul West | May 17, 1962 |
| 149 | 36 | "On to Fairview" | Jeffrey Hayden | Paul West | May 24, 1962 |
| 150 | 37 | "The Man in the Mask" | Norman Tokar | Story by : Tom & Helen August Teleplay by : Paul West & Tom & Helen August | May 31, 1962 |
| 151 | 38 | "The Father Image" | Richard L. Bare | Paul West | June 7, 1962 |
| 152 | 39 | "Dear Wife" | Stanley Z. Cherry | Paul West | June 14, 1962 |
Season 5 (1962–63)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 153 | 1 | "Mister Nice Guy" | Jeffrey Hayden | Paul West | September 20, 1962 |
| 154 | 2 | "Mrs. Stone and Doctor Hyde" | Gene Nelson | Barbara Avedon | September 27, 1962 |
| 155 | 3 | "To Be a Boy" | Gene Nelson | Paul West | October 4, 1962 |
| 156 | 4 | "Who Needs Glasses?" | Jeffrey Hayden | Summer Long | October 11, 1962 |
| 157 | 5 | "Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary" | Andrew McCullough | Elroy Schwartz & Austin Kalish | October 18, 1962 |
| 158 | 6 | "My Dad" | Gene Nelson | Barbara Avedon | October 25, 1962 |
| 159 | 7 | "Fine Feathers" | Gene Nelson | Andy White | November 1, 1962 |
| 160 | 8 | "Rebel with a Cause" | Gene Nelson | Barbara Avedon | November 8, 1962 |
| 161 | 9 | "Big Star" | Jeffrey Hayden | Paul West & Barbara Avedon | November 15, 1962 |
| 162 | 10 | "Man to Man" | Andrew McCullough | Paul West | November 22, 1962 |
| 163 | 11 | "The Baby Buggy" | Andrew McCullough | John Whedon | November 29, 1962 |
| 164 | 12 | "The Makeover Man" | Andrew McCullough | John Whedon | December 6, 1962 |
| 165 | 13 | "The Winning Ticket" | Andrew McCullough | Phil Davis | December 13, 1962 |
| 166 | 14 | "The Soft Touch" | Andrew McCullough | Ben Gershman & Milton Pascal | December 20, 1962 |
| 167 | 15 | "Jeff Stands Alone" | Andrew McCullough | Barbara Avedon | December 27, 1962 |
| 168 | 16 | "Just a Little Wedding" | Barry Shear | Barbara Avedon | January 3, 1963 |
| 169 | 17 | "A Woman's Place" | Andrew McCullough | Norm Liebmann & Ed Hass | January 10, 1963 |
| 170 | 18 | "The Chinese Horse" | Gene Nelson | Paul West | January 17, 1963 |
| 171 | 19 | "The New Look" | Andrew McCullough | Phil Davis | January 24, 1963 |
| 172 | 20 | "A Way of Her Own" | Andrew McCullough | Paul West | January 31, 1963 |
| 173 | 21 | "Three is a Family" | Andrew McCullough | Paul West | February 7, 1963 |
| 174 | 22 | "Big Sixteen" | Gene Nelson | Barbara Avedon | February 14, 1963 |
| 175 | 23 | "Pioneer Woman" | Gene Nelson | Barbara Avedon | February 21, 1963 |
| 176 | 24 | "The House on the Hill" | Gene Nelson | Barney Slater & Michael Cramoy | February 28, 1963 |
| 177 | 25 | "Where the Stones Are" | Gene Nelson | Seymour Friedman | March 7, 1963 |
| 178 | 26 | "The Two Doctors Stone" | Barry Shear | Barbara Avedon | March 14, 1963 |
| 179 | 27 | "Everywhere That Mary Goes" | Gene Nelson | Paul West | March 21, 1963 |
| 180 | 28 | "The Handy Man" | Andrew McCullough | Paul West | March 28, 1963 |
| 181 | 29 | "Friends and Neighbors" | Barry Shear | Barbara Avedon | April 4, 1963 |
| 182 | 30 | "Boys and Girls" | Barry Shear | Andy White | April 11, 1963 |
| 183 | 31 | "All Those Dreams" | Gene Nelson | Barbara Avedon | April 18, 1963 |
| 184 | 32 | "All Women Are Dangerous" | Barry Shear | Phil Davis | April 25, 1963 |
| 185 | 33 | "The Big Wheel" | Barry Shear | Barbara Avedon | May 2, 1963 |
| 186 | 34 | "Day of the Hero" | Barry Shear | Phil Davis | May 9, 1963 |
Season 6 (1963–64)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 187 | 1 | "The Playmate" | Gene Nelson | Barney Slater | September 19, 1963 |
| 188 | 2 | "Brighten the Corner" | TBA | TBA | September 26, 1963 |
| 189 | 3 | "Whatever You Wish" | Andrew McCullough | Paul West | October 3, 1963 |
| 190 | 4 | "House Divided" | TBA | TBA | October 10, 1963 |
| 191 | 5 | "The Boys in 309" | TBA | TBA | October 17, 1963 |
| 192 | 6 | "The Bigger They Are" | TBA | TBA | October 24, 1963 |
| 193 | 7 | "It Grows on Trees" | TBA | TBA | October 31, 1963 |
| 194 | 8 | "Mary Comes Home" | Gene Nelson | Ben Gershman & Milton Pascal | November 7, 1963 |
| 195 | 9 | "Post Time" | TBA | TBA | November 14, 1963 |
| 196 | 10 | "Sweet Mystery of Wife" | TBA | TBA | November 21, 1963 |
| 197 | 11 | "What Are Friends For?" | Barry Shear | Barbara Avedon | November 28, 1963 |
| 198 | 12 | "A Touch of Glamor" | Barry Shear | Erna Lazarus | December 5, 1963 |
| 199 | 13 | "Air Date" | TBA | TBA | December 12, 1963 |
| 200 | 14 | "Moon-Shot" | TBA | TBA | December 19, 1963 |
| 201 | 15 | "Nice Work" | TBA | TBA | December 26, 1963 |
| 202 | 16 | "First Addition" | TBA | TBA | January 2, 1964 |
| 203 | 17 | "The Combo" | TBA | TBA | January 9, 1964 |
| 204 | 18 | "Who's Rockin' the Partnership" | Barry Shear | Ben Gershman & Milton Pascal | January 16, 1964 |
| 205 | 19 | "Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Altar" | Barry Shear | Barbara Avedon | January 23, 1964 |
| 206 | 20 | "Today I Am a Girl" | Barry Shear | Phil Sharp | January 30, 1964 |
| 207 | 21 | "Will the Real Chicken Please Stand Up?" | TBA | TBA | February 6, 1964 |
| 208 | 22 | "Guest in the Nursery" | Paul Nickell | Milton Pascal & Ben Gershman | February 13, 1964 |
| 209 | 23 | "Home Sweet Homemaker" | TBA | TBA | February 20, 1964 |
| 210 | 24 | "Teamwork" | TBA | TBA | February 27, 1964 |
| 211 | 25 | "Neither a Borrower Nor a Lender Be" | Gene Nelson | Tommy Tomlinson | March 5, 1964 |
| 212 | 26 | "Pandemonium in the Condominium" | TBA | TBA | March 12, 1964 |
| 213 | 27 | "A Day for Remembering" | TBA | TBA | March 19, 1964 |
| 214 | 28 | "One Little Word" | TBA | TBA | March 26, 1964 |
| 215 | 29 | "Love Letters Are for Burning" | TBA | TBA | April 2, 1964 |
| 216 | 30 | "Four's a Crowd" | TBA | TBA | April 9, 1964 |
| 217 | 31 | "My Son the Catcher" | TBA | TBA | April 16, 1964 |
| 218 | 32 | "The Pros and the Cons" | TBA | TBA | April 23, 1964 |
Season 7 (1964–65)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 219 | 1 | "Operation Anniversary" | Fred de Cordova | Story by : Frank Crow Teleplay by : Tommy Tomlinson | September 17, 1964 |
| 220 | 2 | "Dad Drops By" | Gene Reynolds | Phil Sharp | September 24, 1964 |
| 221 | 3 | "Play Ball" | Gene Nelson | Sam Locke & Joel Rapp | October 1, 1964 |
| 222 | 4 | "Who's Who on 202?" | TBA | TBA | October 8, 1964 |
| 223 | 5 | "The Daughter Complex" | TBA | TBA | October 15, 1964 |
| 224 | 6 | "The Tycoons" | Barry Shear | TBA | October 22, 1964 |
| 225 | 7 | "Instant Family" | TBA | TBA | October 29, 1964 |
| 226 | 8 | "Royal Flush" | Gene Reynolds | Paul West | November 5, 1964 |
| 227 | 9 | "Circumstantial Evidence" | TBA | TBA | November 12, 1964 |
| 228 | 10 | "Anyone Can Drive?" | TBA | TBA | November 19, 1964 |
| 229 | 11 | "Surprise, Surprise" | TBA | TBA | November 26, 1964 |
| 230 | 12 | "Quads of Trouble" | Fred de Cordova | Mannie Manheim & Erna Lazarus | December 3, 1964 |
| 231 | 13 | "Donna's Bank Account" | Barry Shear | Keith Fowler & Phil Leslie | December 10, 1964 |
| 232 | 14 | "It's All in the Cards" | Barry Shear | Leonard Gershe | December 17, 1964 |
| 233 | 15 | "Old Faithful" | Fred de Cordova | Barbara Avedon | December 24, 1964 |
| 234 | 16 | "Overture in A-Flat" | TBA | TBA | December 31, 1964 |
| 235 | 17 | "Thy Name is Woman" | Gene Nelson | Ben Starr | January 7, 1965 |
| 236 | 18 | "Joe College" | Alan Rafkin | Barbara Avedon | January 14, 1965 |
| 237 | 19 | "Painter Go Home" | Andrew McCullough | Paul West | January 21, 1965 |
| 238 | 20 | "Home Wreckonomics" | TBA | TBA | January 28, 1965 |
| 239 | 21 | "The Windfall" | TBA | TBA | February 4, 1965 |
| 240 | 22 | "Now You See It, Now You Don't" | Gene Nelson | Richard Conway & Roland MacLane | February 11, 1965 |
| 241 | 23 | "The Gift Shop" | Gene Nelson | Paul West | February 18, 1965 |
| 242 | 24 | "The Stamp Collector" | Andrew McCullough | Sam Locke & Joel Rapp | February 25, 1965 |
| 243 | 25 | "Peacocks on the Roof" | Andrew McCullough | Paul West | March 4, 1965 |
| 244 | 26 | "Guests, Guests, Who Needs Guests?" | TBA | TBA | March 11, 1965 |
| 245 | 27 | "The Unheroic Hero" | TBA | TBA | March 18, 1965 |
| 246 | 28 | "The Mysterious Smile" | TBA | TBA | March 25, 1965 |
| 247 | 29 | "The Rolling Stones" | TBA | TBA | April 1, 1965 |
| 248 | 30 | "Indoor Outing" | Fred de Cordova | Milton Pascal | April 8, 1965 |
Season 8 (1965–66)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 249 | 1 | "Pop Goes Theresa" | Andrew McCullough | Paul West | September 16, 1965 |
| 250 | 2 | "With This Ring" | Lawrence Dobkin | Don Richman & Janet Carlson | September 23, 1965 |
| 251 | 3 | "Boy Meets Girl Machine" | E. W. Swackhamer | Paul West | September 30, 1965 |
| 252 | 4 | "Think Mink" | Lawrence Dobkin | David Braverman & Bob Marcus | October 7, 1965 |
| 253 | 5 | "Four on the Floor" | E. W. Swackhamer | Paul West | October 14, 1965 |
| 254 | 6 | "Charge" | Jerrold Bernstein | Sam Locke & Joel Rapp | October 21, 1965 |
| 255 | 7 | "Do Me a Favor, Don't Do Me Any Favors" | Lawrence Dobkin | Joel Rapp & Sam Locke | October 28, 1965 |
| 256 | 8 | "Author, Author" | Jerrold Bernstein | Barbara Avedon | November 4, 1965 |
| 257 | 9 | "Trees" | Andrew McCullough | Nathaniel Curtis | November 11, 1965 |
| 258 | 10 | "The Big League Shock" | Andrew McCullough | Lou Shaw | November 18, 1965 |
| 259 | 11 | "The Gladiators" | Alan Rafkin | Paul West | November 25, 1965 |
| 260 | 12 | "Rally Around the Girls, Boys" | Lawrence Dobkin | Jack Harvey & Irving Taylor | December 2, 1965 |
| 261 | 13 | "Slipped Disc" | Lawrence Dobkin | Jack Harvey & Irving Taylor | December 9, 1965 |
| 262 | 14 | "Uncle Jeff Needs You" | Lawrence Dobkin | Sam Locke & Joel Rapp | December 16, 1965 |
| 263 | 15 | "Never Look a Gift House in the Mouth" | Lawrence Dobkin | Gary Abrams & Paul Petersen | December 23, 1965 |
| 264 | 16 | "How to Handle a Woman" | Andrew McCullough | Andrew McCullough | December 30, 1965 |
| 265 | 17 | "My Son, the Councilman" | Lawrence Dobkin | Ronny Pearlman | January 6, 1966 |
| 266 | 18 | "Do It Yourself Donna" | Lee Philips | Lou Shaw | January 15, 1966 |
| 267 | 19 | "When I Was Your Age" | Andrew McCullough | Jack Raymond | January 22, 1966 |
| 268 | 20 | "Calling Willie Mays" | Lawrence Dobkin | Jack Harvey & Irving Taylor | January 29, 1966 |
| 269 | 21 | "All This and Voltaire Too?" | Lawrence Dobkin | Erna Lazarus | February 5, 1966 |
| 270 | 22 | "The Return of Mark" | Lee Philips | TBA | February 12, 1966 |
| 271 | 23 | "Is There a Small Hotel?" | Andrew McCullough | TBA | February 19, 1966 |
| 272 | 24 | "No More Parties, Almost" | Andrew McCullough | Clifford Goldsmith | February 26, 1966 |
| 273 | 25 | "So You Really Think You're Young at Heart" | Andrew McCullough | Rick Mittleman | March 5, 1966 |
| 274 | 26 | "What Price Home?" | Andrew McCullough | Paul West & Andrew McCullough | March 12, 1966 |
| 275 | 27 | "By-Line: Jeffrey Stone" | Andrew McCullough | TBA | March 19, 1966 |
Syndication
The series was originally syndicated by Screen Gems, and, later, Columbia Pictures Television and Sony Pictures Television. In 2008, Sony lost the full rights to the estates of Donna Reed and Tony Owen.
Reruns aired on Nick at Nite from 1985 through 1994 and on TV Land from 2002 through 2004.
MeTV began airing reruns of the show (seasons 1 through 5) starting in September 2011.
In 2017 Decades began airing the show as part of their daytime "Through The Decades" lineup.
As at 2018, the first five seasons of the show are available on Prime Video in the US and Canada and on Tubi.
Home media
For a limited time in 2004, General Mills offered a DVD of two episodes inside boxes of Total cereal and Oatmeal Crisp.[8] Virgil Films and Entertainment (under license from the estates of Donna Reed and Tony Owen) released the first three seasons of the show on DVD in Region 1. Virgil also released a four-episode "best of" DVD on April 13, 2010.[9]
On December 17, 2010, it was announced that MPI Home Video had acquired the rights to release seasons 4 and 5 of The Donna Reed Show.[10] Season 4 was subsequently released on December 20, 2011 and Season 5 was released on December 4, 2012.[11]
On September 30, 2014, MPI Home Video re-released the first season on DVD.[12] Season 2 was re-released on March 24, 2015.[13] Season 3 was re-released on June 30, 2015.[14]
The show's sixth, seventh, and eighth (the final) seasons are yet to be released on DVD.
| Season | Ep # | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 37 | October 28, 2008 September 30, 2014 (re-release) |
| Season 2 | 38 | July 28, 2009 March 24, 2015 (re-release) |
| Season 3 | 38 | December 1, 2009 June 30, 2015 (re-release) |
| Season 4 | 39 | December 20, 2011 |
| Season 5 | 34 | December 4, 2012 |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Emmy Awards | Nominated | Best Actress in a Leading Role (Continuing Character) in a Comedy Series | Donna Reed |
| 1960 | Nominated | Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Series (Lead or Support) | Donna Reed | |
| 1961 | Nominated | Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Series (Lead) | Donna Reed | |
| 1962 | Nominated | Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Series (Lead) | Donna Reed | |
| 1963 | Golden Globe Award | Won | Best TV Star – Female | Donna Reed |
| 1994 | Young Artist Awards | Won | Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award | Shelley Fabares |
| 1997 | Won | Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award | Paul Petersen | |
| 2004 | TV Land Award | Nominated | Favorite Teen Dream – Female | Shelley Fabares |
In popular culture
- In Gilmore Girls season 1 episode 14 "That Damn Donna Reed", Rory and her boyfriend Dean have a disagreement about women's roles after watching an episode of the show. The episode involved Reed's character making a lot of food. Later, Rory dresses up in a dress like Donna Reed and serves Dean a steak dinner.
References
- Leibman, Nina Clare (1995). Living Room Lectures: The Fifties Family in Film and Television. University of Texas Press. pp. 58. ISBN 0-292-74684-9.
- Glenn Garvin, “Life was better in 'Donna Reed' world, cast member Paul Petersen says”, Catholic Online. December 10, 2008 (Retrieved 2018-07-21.)
- Tucker, David C. The women who made television funny: ten stars of 1950s sitcoms. McFarland. pp. 109ff.
- "Don't Call The Donna Reed Show 'Situation Comedy'". Archived from the original on February 6, 2011.
- Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits: The Inside Story Behind Every Number One Single on Billboard's Hot 100 from 1955 to the Present. Billboard Books. p. 107. ISBN 0-8230-7677-6.
- Fultz, Jay (1998). In Search of Donna Reed. University of Iowa Press. pp. 151. ISBN 0-87745-625-9.
- Donna Reed Org
- Lambert, David (January 9, 2004). "Site News – Sony, General Mills serve TV-on-DVD for Breakfast: King Of Queens, Barney Miller, Mad About You, & Donna Reed". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on October 2, 2008.
- Lambert, David (February 10, 2010). "The Donna Reed Show – Box Front Art Changes on Virgil's 'Family Favorites' DVD". tvshowsondvd.com. Archived from the original on February 14, 2010. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
- Lambert, David (December 17, 2010). "The Donna Reed Show - MPI Home Video Picks Up DVD Rights to the 4th and 5th Seasons". tvshowsondvd.com. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- Lambert, David (September 24, 2012). "The Donna Reed Show - 'Season 5' Announced by MPI: Date, Cost, Box Art, More!". tvshowsondvd.com. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- MPI Home Video is Preparing to Re-Release 'Season 1' on DVD Archived December 20, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- MPI Sets a Finalized Date for their 'Season 2' Re-Release Archived December 20, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- MPI Home Video to Re-Release 'Season 3' this Summer Archived March 20, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Donna Reed Show. |