'Beverly Hillbillies' Donna Douglas Dies at Age 81
BATON ROUGE, LA (CBS NEWS) - Actress Donna Douglas has died, her family confirms to CBS affiliate WAFB in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She was 81.
Douglas played Elly May Clampett on "The Beverly Hillbillies," which ran from 1962-1971 on CBS. She portrayed that character in all 274 episodes of the show and brought back the role in a TV movie reboot of the series in 1981.
(credit: CBS/Getty Images)
Born on Sept. 26, 1933, the Louisiana native was named "Miss Baton Rouge" and dubbed "Miss New Orleans" in 1957. She moved to New York to pursue a career in entertainment, landing a gig as as the "Letters Girl" on NBC's "The Perry Como Show" in 1957 and as the "Billboard Girl" on NBC's " The Steve Allen Show" two years later.
Douglas had parts in the "Twilight Zone" and "Mr. Ed," and in 1966, she starred in "Frankie and Johnny" with Elvis Presley.
She was married twice -- first to Roland Bourgeois from 1949 - 1954 and then to Robert M. Leeds from 1971 - 1980.
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