Jimmy Hawkins was an actor who played alongside Donna Reed in the holiday classic movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” They had developed a special bond and friendship at that time, so they were not strangers to one another. Soon enough he also appeared on “The Donna Reed Show” as two separate characters.
In season three, he can be seen playing Donna’s daughter, Mary’s steady boyfriend called ‘Scotty’. Later on, in seasons 6 and seven, he played ‘Jerry’. Years later, he would go on to serve on the board of directors of the Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts, for 20 years!
Johnson & Johnson Everything!
"The Donna Reed Show" was primarily sponsored by the famous American company, Johnson & Johnson. As an agreement, the show’s producers made it a priority to advertise their products throughout the series. All supermarket scenes in the show featured Johnson & Johnson products only, like Campbell’s Soup and Franco-American Spaghetti.
Even outside of the supermarket, Johnson & Johnson products could be seen literally in every scene whenever they had a chance to be featured. If you revisit the show, you will quickly notice the blatant and unmistakable advertising, as everything that could be used in the house was Johnson & Johnson.
Greatest TV Dads of All Time
One of the best features of "The Donna Reed Show" was not only Donna Reed’s portrayal of a strong and independent woman, but also her husband, Dr. Alex Stone, the handsome pediatrician that was played by actor Carl Lawrence Betz. Carl earned national recognition for his role that jump-started his career as an actor.
He was also ranked #16 in TV Guide’s list of the “50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time.” The family dynamic and the chemistry between him and his on-screen wife were really evident all throughout the show and are probably the reason why the show became as popular as it was at that time.
Shelley Fabares; From Child Star to an Acclaimed Female Lead
Shelley Fabares was a well-known actress who started her career in Hollywood at a very young age. She was a child model by the age of 3 and at 8 years old, she snagged a role as a regular on the series, “Annie Oakley”. However, throughout her career, she was best known for her roles as Donna Reed's daughter, Mary Stone.
Another big break for Shelley Fabares came in 1953 when she became Frank Sinatra’s dance partner on a TV show. After that, she was so sought after, that she bagged the role as Elvis Presley’s co-star in 3 movies. In 1989, her winning streak continued when she was cast as one of the stars of the hit TV series “Coach”.
The Reunion That Never Took Place
Many years after the show ended, Donna Reed had an idea for another show that would be a reunion for all her former cast members of “The Donna Reed Show”. Unfortunately, Carl Betz passed away in 1978 before the reunion could materialize. Reed and the rest of the cast members agreed to not go forward with the plan.
Carl Betz was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1977. Unfortunately, by the time he was diagnosed, it was too far gone. He kept the tragic news to himself and continued working without sharing his medical condition with anyone else. Months later he was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles where he would spend seven weeks before dying on January 18, 1978.