Why Dallas REALLY Replaced Donna Reed? | Donna Reed Documentary

Why Did Dallas REALLY Replace Her? | Donna Reed Documentary In 1984, Donna Reed took over the role of Miss Ellie on Dallas, the number one show in America. A year later the studio replaced her through a phone call to her agent. This video follows her from a Depression-era farm in Denison, Iowa, through It's a Wonderful Life, her Oscar and The Donna Reed Show, to the 1985 lawsuit and what the court record says about why she was let go. Sources: UPI Archives (August 1984, June 1985, January 1986); Guideposts (September 1962); Iowa Public Radio (2025); Donna Reed Foundation; New York Times (June 19, 1985 and January 15, 1986); Los Angeles Times; AFI. Narration in this video uses a synthetic AI voice. Images are archival; any illustrative images are noted.