Donna Reed - movie star of the 1970s

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Actress Donna Reed is a bright representative of the "golden era" of world cinema. A girl from a poor large family managed not only to succeed, but also to leave a significant mark in the hearts of her fans. And all thanks to great talent, hard work, charm and natural beauty.

Childhood and youth

Donna Reed was born at the end of January 1921. It happened in a small town in Iowa. The girl was the eldest, had 4 more brothers and sisters.

Donna's parents, William and Hazel, were staunch supporters of the Methodist church. Therefore, the children worked hard on the family farm and were raised in strictness. Donna was the eldest child in the family. Therefore, she took care of four brothers and sisters.

After graduating from Davison High School, the girl decided to choose the profession of a teacher. But my parents couldn't pay for college. So Donna went to California and settled in the house of her maternal aunt. After a while, Reid decided to become a radio presenter and began studying at a college in Los Angeles. Many movie lovers confuse actresses Donna Reed and Tara Donna Reed, known for comedy"American Pie". The women are not related, their names just sound the same in Russian.

The Donna Reed Show

The film debut took place in 1941. It was a small part in an obscure film.

Donna is best known for her comedy series on ABC. The project began in 1958 and was named The Donna Reed Show. The main character - Donna Stone, was a housewife from high society. According to the script, she had two children and a husband who works as a dentist. The sitcom was one of the first where a woman became the central figure. The plots told about various life situations in a humorous genre. Donna Reed worked in the project for 8 years, and every year the ratings only went up. The actress was nominated several times for the Emmy Award, and also received the Golden Globe Award.

Road to the movies

Films with Donna Reed came out in parallel with her participation in the show. So, in 1945 a picture with her participation "The Picture of Dorian Gray" was released. The actress starred as Gladys. A year later, director Frank Capra invited Donna to his film "It's a Wonderful Life". The drama eventually became a classic of world cinema, and the role of Mary is recognized by critics as one of the best in Donna's career.

Then the actress worked in two more films. The crime drama "Chicago Limit" was released in 1949, and three years later the film "The Scandalous Chronicle" appeared on the screens with Reid in the role ofJulie.

1953 was the happiest year for the actress. At this time, she took part in the filming of the film "From Here to Eternity". Director Fred Zinnemann showed the public the hard everyday life of a soldier during the Second World War.

Donna Reed starred as the main character's girlfriend Lauren. Together with her on the set were Frank Sinatra and Burt Lancaster. For this work, the actress received an Oscar in 1954. The film itself was nominated for the main award 30 times. Of these, 8 nominations became victorious. The drama was included in the National Registry of America's Best Films. In the 90s, Reed starred in the TV series "Dallas". Donna replaced the actress who left the project. But soon she was forced to leave the series when the main character decided to return.

Private life

Donna Reed has been married several times. The first marriage took place with actor William Tuttle in 1943. After two years of marriage, the couple decided to end the relationship.

The second spouse was Tony Owen. He produced The Donna Reed Show. The marriage lasted more than a quarter of a century. During this time, the couple gave birth and raised five children - two sons and three daughters. In 1972, the couple divorced, maintaining a good relationship.

Three years later, Donna again ties the knot. This time, retired colonel Grover Asmus becomes her chosen one. The actress lived with this man until the end of her life. Donna Reed passed away in 1986 in her chic home in Beverly Hills. Three months earlier, doctors had diagnosed her with advanced stomach cancer. In thata memorable day in the homeland of the actress every year there is a festival named after her.

After the death of Reed, her husband and friends organized a nominal fund for helping young actors. Scholarships are paid from it to talented students.

The actress was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Donna Reed has left a noticeable mark on world cinema, won the respect and love of millions of people.