Trivia

During the filming of The Beverly Hillbillies (1962) she and Irene Ryan would annually put on a huge Christmas party for the show's staff and families.

Was a self-described tomboy in her younger days, and like her character Elly May Clampett, she was extremely fond of animals.

Was Miss Baton Rouge, and then in 1957, Miss New Orleans.

She and Max Baer Jr. both visited Buddy Ebsen, in the hospital, the week before his death.

Spent hours autographing photos and personally responding to fan mail - even though she received far more than anyone else in the cast of The Beverly Hillbillies (1962).

Had a second career as a gospel singer, as well as a popular real estate agent in Beverly Hills, California.

Best friend of Max Baer Jr..

Was proud of her role as Elly May Clampett in The Beverly Hillbillies (1962) and occasionally made public appearances dressed as Elly May.

Just before filming was to begin on The Beverly Hillbillies in 1962, she sustained a severe whiplash injury to her neck when a vehicle rear-ended her car, which was stopped at a traffic light. Creator Paul Henning had cast Douglas as Elly May out of 200 candidates and wanted her for the role so badly that production was held up until she recovered.

Made appearances at conventions that celebrated "The Beverly Hillbillies" series.

With her death on January 1, 2015, Max Baer Jr. is the last surviving star of The Beverly Hillbillies (1962).

Possessed the ability to let out a piercing, very loud whistle, which she demonstrated occasionally on The Beverly Hillbillies.

Got married at age 18, and gave birth at age 21.

Her only child, Danny P. Bourgeois, was born September 14, 1954.

Was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. [August 2014].

At her death, she was survived by son Danny Bourgeois, three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, one brother and other extended family members.

As Doris Bourgeois, she was "Miss Byline of 1958".

In February 1964, she replaced actor Dan Blocker of Bonanza (1959) in an appearance at an event at the State Coliseum in Jackson, Mississippi, sponsored by local radio station WJQS. Blocker refused to attend due to segregated seating, but his co-stars Lorne Greene and Michael Landon did attend.

Douglas, along with Buddy Ebsen and Max Baer Jr., attended the memorial of Irene Ryan, when the actress passed away in 1973.

Her birth name is listed both as Dorothy Smith and Doris Smith in various articles.

Her stage name in the 1950's, while still living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was Dot Bourgeois, as can be seen in several articles in Baton Rouge newspapers of the day. Under that name, she won Miss Cinderella of 1955, receiving a six-day Caribbean cruise and completing the first stage of her bid to be Miss Louisiana. She did not win that contest, however, but did win several other local beauty contests, as well as being a judge in others. She made her film debut in an uncredited role in Band of Angels (1957), playing a Southern belle in a riverboat scene that was filmed in Baton Rouge in January 1957. The scene was supposed to take only one day but took a week due to typical Louisiana rain and cloudiness.

She and her The Beverly Hillbillies (1962) co-star, Buddy Ebsen, had a lot in common. Like Ebsen, she too is a successful gospel singer and character actress, and is also Republican.

Donna Douglas performed as a gospel singer and wrote the book, "Miss Donna's Mulberry Acres Farm", which was published in 2011. Also that year, she sued Mattel, claiming that the toy manufacturer used her name and likeness for a Barbie doll, without her approval. The suit reportedly was settled. Earlier, she sued Disney, CAA, Whoopi Goldberg and others, claiming that the idea for the 1992 smash hit, Sister Act (1992), was stolen from the Dorothy Gilman book, "A Nun in the Closet", that she said she had optioned. Douglas lost that suit.

Graduated from Redemptorist High School (now Redemptorist Upper School) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1951.

Moved to New York City in 1958 and studied with famed acting coach Lee Strasberg at the Actor's Studio. While there, she won Miss Byline, a contest judged by several New York journalists. Producer Hal B. Wallis saw her on The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) and signed her to a seven-year contract with MGM, but her option was dropped soon after, because "I wasn't ready yet. I had a lot to learn about acting," according to Douglas herself in a 1962 interview. Shortly after arriving in Hollywood in 1959, she began acting classes with Jeff Corey and shared an apartment there with her pet canary, Francis, named after actor Anthony Franciosa, whom she met in the fall of 1957 while he was in Baton Rouge filming The Long, Hot Summer (1958).

Appeared as a guest at the Western Film Fair in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1992, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2002 and 2005.

Best known by the public for her role as Elly May Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies (1962).

Her mother, Elma Robinson, died on December 31, 2003, at age 93.

Tested for a role in Visit to a Small Planet (1960).

She married in 1950 aged 17 while still at school and divorced in 1954 when 21.

Her real name was Doris Smith.

She was chosen to play Ellie May Clampett in 1962 earning about £250 a week.

Best known as Ellie May in the television series The Beverley Hillbillies,.

Born on exactly the same date as Richard Herd (of "V" and "T.J. Hooker" fame).