Donna Reed was born on the 27th January 1921 in Denison, Iowa USA, and was an actress. Films like “The Picture of Dorian Gray” (1945), “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946) and “From Here to Eternity” (1953) made her famous. Reed was active in the entertainment industry from 1941 to 1985. She passed away in 1986.
How rich was the actress? It has been estimated by authoritative sources that the overall size of Donna Reed’s net worth was as much as $10 million, converted to the present day. Films and television were the main sources of Reed’s wealth.
Donna Reed Net Worth $10 Million
To begin with, the girl was raised in Denison, the eldest of five children. Her election as Queen of the Campus at the high school made the headlines of the Los Angeles Times. Her beauty attracted the attention of many agents and studio managers, and soon, the beautiful actress started her career.
The agency Feldman Blum hired the young Donna Reed and signed her to a contract. She made a remarkable debut in cinema in 1941 with supporting roles in the thriller “Shadow of the Thin Man” with William Powell and Myrna Loy, and in the musical “Babes” on Broadway featuring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. Shortly after, she landed important roles in mainstream films, such as “Calling Dr. Gillespie” (1942) and “See Here, Private Hargrove” (1944). In 1945, she portrayed Gladys Hallward in the film adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, which was a box office success despite mixed reviews. After several years at MGM Studios, Reed starred in Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946), which became one of the favourites on American television at Christmas, and was also a box office hit. The actress kept quiet for several years, however, she made a starring comeback when she was chosen for the important role of Alma, the prostitute in the film “From Here to Eternity” (1953). Featuring talented actors such as Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr and Frank Sinatra, the film won 8 Oscars, including for the Best Supporting Actress – Donna Reed. Afterwards, the actress starred with Elizabeth Taylor in the film “The Last Time I Saw Paris” (1954) directed by Richard Brooks, then appeared in the blockbuster “Far Horizons” (1955). From 1958 to 1966, she played the leading role in the popular family series “The Donna Reed Show”, and in 1963 she won the Golden Globe Award as the Best Female TV Star. She was also nominated four times for an Emmy Award, but could never win. In 1984, she took on her last role of Miss Ellie in the popular soap opera “Dallas”, but was replaced by Barbara Bel Geddes the next season, and settled for a payment of $1 million in recompense.
Finally, in the personal life of the actress, Reed married William Tuttle in 1943 and they divorced two years later. In 1945, she married Tony Owen and had four children with him – the oldest two were adopted. After 26 years of marriage, the couple broke up in 1971. Three years later, she married retired US Army Colonel Grover W. Asmus, and they were together until she died of pancreatic cancer on the 14th January 1986, in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles – the cancer was diagnosed three months before her death. Reed is buried in the cemetery of Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles.
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (1953), Golden Globe Award - Best TV Star (1963), Golden Apple Awards (1964)
Nominations
TV Land Awards, Emmy Awards
Movies
“Calling Dr. Gillespie” (1942), “See Here, Private Hargrove” (1944), “The Picture of Dorian Gray” (1945), “It's a Wonderful Life” (1946), “From Here to Eternity” (1953)
TV Shows
“The Donna Reed Show” (1958-1966), “Dallas” (1978-1991), “The Love Boat” (1984)
#
Trademark
1
Toni hairdo
#
Quote
1
When you handle yourself, use your head; when you handle others, use your heart.
2
I hope more people decide to become organ donors.
3
What we look for in the school is unrealized potential.
4
If nuclear power plants are safe, let the commercial insurance industry insure them. Until these most expert judges of risk are willing to gamble with their money, I'm not willing to gamble with the health and safety of my family.
5
I've been involved with blood donation since the 1980s because there is a critical need.
6
Forty pictures I was in, and all I remember is 'What kind of bra will you be wearing today, honey?' That was always the area of big decision - from the neck to the navel.
#
Fact
1
Mentioned in the song "Living Dead Girl" by Rob Zombie.
Had a close relationship with her TV daughter, Shelley Fabares. Was considered by Fabares as her second mother until Reed's death in 1986.
13
Although her image was generally associated that of the the squeaky-clean, conservative 1950s housewife and mother, she won her Oscar for From Here to Eternity (1953) for playing a prostitute.
14
Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume Two, 1986-1990, pages 725-727. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1999.
The woman on the cover of Rush's Permanent Waves album is modeled after her.
17
Learned of her firing from Dallas (1978) from a reporter while on a vacation to Paris. She was in the process of suing the show's producers before her death in January, 1986.
18
Four children by husband/producer Tony Owen : Penny Owen, Tony Owen Jr., Timothy Owen and Mary Owen. Two were adopted. Mary, their last child, was born to them in 1957, a year before the start of Donna's classic TV show, which Tony executive produced.
19
In the scene from It's a Wonderful Life (1946) where she and James Stewart throw rocks at the old Granville house, director Frank Capra had originally planned to use a double in Donna's place to throw the rock. Miss Reed, however, was an accomplished baseball player in high school and threw very well, as evidenced by her toss in the movie.
20
Her last husband Grover Asmus started a program called the Donna Reed Foundation that led to the Donna Reed festival held yearly in Denison, IA. It's a celebration of Donna, and includes classes, performances. Many stars attend such as Shelley Fabares, Debbie Reynolds, and Loren Janes.
21
Despite her association with the squeaky-clean and conservative 1950s, Reed became an anti-nuclear activist and anti-Vietnam protester. She also founded the group Another Mother for Peace.
$10 Million
