Who was Donna Douglas?

The late American actress and singer Donna Douglas was born as Doris Ione Smith in Pride, Louisiana USA, on 26 September 1932, meaning that Libra was her zodiac sign. She appeared in 43 TV series and movies, and is perhaps still remembered best for starring as Elly May Clampett in all the 274 episodes of the family comedy series “The Beverly Hillbillies”, which Paul Henning created, and which also starred Buddy Ebsen and Irene Ryan. It follows a hillbilly family who’ve just become wealthy and have moved to Beverly Hills; the series aired from 1962 through 1971, and won three of its 21 award nominations.

Education and early life

Donna was raised in Pride alongside her one older sibling, by their mother Elma (nee Robinson) who was a housewife, and father Emmett Ratcliff Smith Sr. who worked at Standard Oil.

Donna became interested in acting while attending St. Gerard Catholic High School, while she was also into playing basketball and softball with her peers. She matriculated in 1951, and then found work to financially support herself, while she was named Miss Baton Rouge sometime in the mid-1950s, and Miss New Orleans in 1957, and then moved to New York City to pursue a career in the movie industry.

Roles in TV series

Donna made her debut TV series appearance in the 1959 comedy “The Steve Allen Plymouth Show”, and the same year saw her play Nancy in the episode “The Casino” of the crime drama “Tightrope”; she could then have been seen appearing in an episode of the family comedy “Bachelor Father”, the adventure “Whirlybirds” and the critically acclaimed family comedy “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet”.

She was mostly focused on shooting for “The Beverly Hillbillies” in the ‘60s, and only appeared in a couple of other TV series in the decade, such as the drama “Sam Benedict”, the crime drama “The Defenders” and the family fantasy comedy “Mister Ed”.

From 1970 through 1972, Donna played Annabelle and Gloria Gilchrest in the romantic comedy “Love, American Style”, which starred William Callaway, Barbara Minkus and Stuart Margolin, and is a collection of short love stories; the series won four of its nine award nominations. Donna also remains known for playing Mrs Ferrell in the science fiction “Project U. F. O.”, created by Harold Jack Bloom, and which starred Caskey Swaim and Edward Winter; it follows two men employed by the US government as they’re investigating UFO sightings.

Donna retired from acting in 1981, but returned to voice Ellie Mae in the 1989 episode “Mario Hillbillies” of the animated action adventure “The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!”, and to play a supporting character in the 1999 episode “California, Here We Come” of the romantic family comedy “The Nanny”.

Roles in movies

Donna’s debut film role was playing Woman on Sidewalk in the critically acclaimed 1959 action adventure mystery “North by Northwest”, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and which starred Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason. It follows an advertising executive who’s trying to hide from a group of foreign spies, as they believe him to be a government agent; the film won nine of its 22 award nominations, including three Oscar nominations for Best Film Editing, Best Art Direction – Set Direction, Color and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen.

Some of Donna’s following roles were in the drama “Career” and the family musical comedy “Li’l Abner” both in 1959, and the 1960 romantic musical comedy “Bells Are Ringing”.

In 1961, she portrayed Deborah, Peter’s Secretary in the romantic comedy “Lover Come Back”, directed by Delbert Mann, and which starred Rock Hudson, Doris Day and Tony Randall. It follows a man who’s been left with a campaign for a product which is yet to be invented, and the film won two of its eight award nominations, including an Oscar nomination for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen.

Donna had only two other film roles prior to retiring, playing Frankie in the 1966 romantic musical comedy “Frankie and Johnny” and Elly May Clampett in the 1981 comedy “The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies”, while she was later featured in the 2008 short family drama “Chronicles of Life Starfish” and the 2013 family drama “Chronicles of Life Trials”.

Other credits

Donna sang the song “Look Out Broadway” in the 1966 movie “Frankie and Johnny”, and the song “Real Love” in the 1999 video game “Grand Theft Auto 2”.

Some of her talk-show appearances were in “TV Land’s Top Ten”, “Biography” and “The Jim Bakker Show”.

Awards and nominations

Donna was named Miss Golden Globe in 1963, and won a 2004 TV Land Award for Favorite ‘Fish Out of Water’, for her and her colleagues performance in “The Beverly Hillbillies”.

Career after acting

Donna became a real estate agent upon retiring from acting, but only worked the job for two years as she then returned to the film industry, appearing in several TV series and movies, and helping friends with writing and producing their projects.

She became a motivational speaker, giving speeches at schools and churches across the USA, and was also a gospel singer. Donna published her first children’s book “Donna’s Critters and Kids: Children’s Stories with a Bible Touch” sometime in the 2000s, and it was followed by her second “Miss Donna’s Mulberry Acres Farm” in November 2011; she published her cookbook “Southern Favorites with a Taste of Hollywood” in 2013.

Love life and marriages

Donna was married twice. She and her first husband, non-celebrity American Roland Bourgeois Jr. exchanged vows in 1951, and Donna gave birth to their son Danny Bourgeois in 1954; she and Roland divorced in the same year, for unknown reasons.

Her second husband was the late American film editor and director Robert M. Leeds; they married in 1971 and divorced in 1980.

Donna didn’t speak about other men whom she had perhaps been with, she was single at the time of her death, had married twice and had a son with her first husband Roland Bourgeois Jr.

Interesting facts about Donna

She enrolled at Rhema Bible Training Center in 1982, graduating with a degree in children’s ministry in 1984.

Her closest friend was the late American actor and dancer Buddy Ebsen (born as Christian Ludolf Ebsen Jr), who passed away aged 95 on 6 July 2003.

Donna and Curt Wilson filed a lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company and some of its employees on 10 June 1993, claiming that their 1992 comedy movie “Sister Act” was plagiarized from the book “A Nun in the Closet”; The Walt Disney Company won the case. She also filed a federal lawsuit against CBS Consumer Products and Mattel on 4 May 2011, claiming that they used her appearance for a Barbie doll; the case was settled on 27 December 2011.

Donna spent the last years of her life answering her fan mail, being with her friends and family members, and gardening.

Death, appearance and wealth

Donna was 82 when she died from pancreatic cancer on 1 January 2015, at Baton Rouge General Hospital, and so would’ve been 90 today. She had blue eyes and blonde hair, was 5ft 7ins (1.7m) tall and weighed around 150lbs (67kgs).

Donna’s net worth was estimated at over $500,000 at the time of her death.

Who is Mackenzie Phillips?

American actress and singer Laura Mackenzie Phillips was born in Alexandria, Virginia USA, on 10 November 1959, meaning that Scorpio’s her zodiac sign. She’s appeared in 55 TV series and movies, but is perhaps still known best for playing Carol in the 1973 comedy movie “American Graffiti”, which George Lucas wrote and directed, and which starred Paul Le Mat, Ron Howard and Richard Dreyfuss. It follows a group of teenagers who’ve just matriculated from a local high school, and are now spending their last night together; the movie won nine of its 27 award nominations, including five Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Candy Clark) and Best Director, amongst others.

Education and early life

Mackenzie was raised in Alexandria by her mother Susan Stuart Adams, who was a housewife, and father John Edmund Andrew Phillips, the late American singer-songwriter and guitarist who was a member of the folk rock vocal group The Mamas & Papas. Mackenzie’s brother is Jeffrey Phillips, and half-siblings Chynna Phillips, who’s today a famous singer and actress, Bijou Lilly Phillips Mastersons who’s a model, actress and singer, and Tameriane Phillips.

Mackenzie grew up being interested in music, and was 12 when she and her friends founded a band; she was noticed by a casting agent while they were performing, and was cast to appear in her first movie, playing Doris in the 1973 drama “Go Ask Alice”. Mackenzie made her debut TV series appearance in the following year, playing Chessie Wallace in the episode “Roadblock” of the drama “Movin’ On”.

She studied at Highland Hall Waldorf School while simultaneously working on her acting career; Mackenzie matriculated in 1978 and then chose not to enroll at college.

Roles in movies

In 1975, Mackenzie played Robin Williams in the drama “Miles to Go Before I Sleep”, and the remainder of the decade saw her appear in the 1975 comedy “Three to Get Ready”, and in 1979 the drama “Fast Friends” and the war comedy “More American Graffiti”.

She played one of the main characters J. J. in the 1982 romantic crime drama “Love Child”, written and directed by Larry Peerce, and which also starred Amy Madigan and Beau Bridges. It tells the true story of Terry Jean Moore, who was sentenced to seven years behind bars for stealing $5 – the movie was nominated for only a single award. Mackenzie then played Deyna in the 1986 drama “Kate’s Secret”, and her following film role came in 1998, when cast to play Connie in the drama “True Friends”.

In 2002, she portrayed Mary Burge in the biographical family drama “Double Teamed”, directed by Duwayne Dunham, and which starred Poppi Monroe, Annie McElwain and Teal Redmann; it follows two sisters who’ve become professional basketball players. Mackenzie appeared in only two other films in the 2000s: the 2005 fantasy mystery “The Jacket” and the 2009 drama “Radio Needles”.

The year 2013 saw her star as Jamie in the crime drama “She Made Them Do It”, directed by Grant Harvey, and which also starred Jenna Dewan and Sarah Jo Pender. It tells the true story of Sarah Pender who was found guilty of planning two murders, and the film was nominated for a Canadian Cinema Editors Award for Best Editing in Television Movie or Mini-Series.

Mackenzie’s three most recent film roles have been in the 2015 family drama “Girl on the Edge”, the 2016 drama “Sacred Journeys”, and the 2018 drama “North Blvd”.

Roles in TV series

The ‘70s saw Mackenzie appear in an episode or two of various series, such as the crime mystery “Baretta”, the comedy “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”, and the romantic biographical comedy “Eleanor and Franklin”.

From 1975 through 1983, she played Julie Cooper Horvath in 130 episodes of the comedy “One Day at a Time”, created by Whitney Blake and Norman Lear, and which starred Bonnie Franklin, Pat Harrington Jr. and Valerie Brertinelli. It follows the life of a divorced mother, and the series won seven of its 25 award nominations. Mackenzie appeared in only one other TV series in the ‘80s, playing Carol Needom in the 1985 episode “Murder in the Afternoon” of the crime mystery “Murder, She Wrote”.

The mid-1990s saw her appear in single episodes of the romantic drama “Beverly Hills, 90210”, the romantic drama “Melrose Place”, and the romantic comedy “Caroline in the City”, then from 1999 through 2001, Mackenzie starred as Molly Phillips in the popular family adventure mystery “So Weird”. It was created by Tom J. Astle, also starred Cara DeLizia and Patrick Levis, and follows a pre-teen girl who keeps witnessing supernatural occurrences, but nobody believes her; the series was nominated for seven awards. Some of Mackenzie’s other TV series appearances in the 2000s were in an episode of the crime mystery “The Division”, another crime mystery “Without a Trace”, and the family comedy “7th Heaven”.

Most recently, from 2017 through 2020, she played Pam in nine episodes of the hit comedy “One Day at a Time”, in which Todd Grinnell, Justina Machado and Isabella Gomez starred, and which was created by Mike Royce and Gloria Calderon Kellett. It follows a large Cuban-American family living under the same roof, and the series won 15 of its 66 award nominations.

Other credits

Mackenzie sang the song “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” in the 1976 episode “Happy New Year” of the comedy series “One Day at a Time”, and the song “Junk Food Junkie” in the 1977 episode “John Byner” of the musical comedy “The Jacksons”.

She received special thanks for the 2004 historical science fiction documentary movie “Empire of Dreams: The Story of the ‘Star Wars’ Trilogy”.

Some of Mackenzie’s most recent talk-show appearances have been in “Stars in the House”, “America Recovers” and “Entertainment Tonight”.

Awards and nominations

Mackenzie won a Meritorious Achievement Award at the 2012 LA Femme International Film Festival.

She was also nominated for a 2005 TV Land Award for Favorite Singing Siblings, for her and Valerie Bertinelli’s performance in “One Day at a Time”, and a 2017 Behind the Voice Actors Award for Best Vocal Ensemble in a New TV series, for her and her colleagues’ performance in “Milo Murphy’s Law”.

Drug addiction and scandals

Mackenzie revealed in her 2009 memoir “High on Arrival” that she was 11 when she began taking cocaine, and that her father took it with her, as well as injected her with it. She was fired from the series “One Day at a Time” in 1980 aged 20, because of her drug and alcohol abuse, having nearly killed herself twice by overdosing. She returned to the series after having completed a rehab program, but soon began using cocaine again, and was permanently fired in 1983; she continued using cocaine until the first half of the ‘90s, but has since been clean.

Mackenzie also revealed that she was raped by her father in 1979, the night before she was to marry her first husband, and that she was then in a sexual relationship with her father for a while, describing it as ‘sort of Stockholm syndrome’; the two stopped having sex after Mackenzie became pregnant, and her father paid for her abortion.

Love life and marriages

Mackenzie’s been married thrice, and has revealed that she’s bisexual. Her first husband was British rock ‘n’ roll band manager Jeffrey Sessies, who’s probably only known for being a son of the late British businessman and raconteur Arden Frederick ‘Freddie’ Sessier; Mackenzie and Jeffrey married in 1979, but divorced two years later.

She and her second husband, British rock ‘n’ roll guitarist Michael Barakan aka Shane Fontayne exchanged vows in 1986, divorced in 2000,and have a son Shane Barakan, born in 1987.

From 2005 through 2007, Mackenzie was married to her third husband Keith Levenson.

She’s yet to speak of other people who she’s perhaps been with, Mackenzie’s unattached as of April 2023, has been married thrice, and has a son with her second husband Michael Barakan.

Interesting facts and hobbies

Mackenzie’s appeared in a number of talk-shows, most notably in the third season of the show “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew” in January 2010, to speak about her rehabilitation, as well as to urge people to stop using drugs.

Mackenzie’s followed by more than 50,000 people on Instagram, and has uploaded over 260 pictures and videos onto the network, most of which show her spending time with her dog and friends.

She’s a philanthropist and has worked with several charity organizations, mostly enjoying helping the youth, and abandoned animals.

Mackenzie loves to read books in her spare time; her favorite genre’s psychology, and her favorite book is “Emotional Intelligence” by Daniel Goleman.

Her favorite actresses are Katharine Hepburn and Ingrid Bergman, and some of Mackenzie’s favorite movies include “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”, “The African Queen” and “Bringing Up Baby”.

Height, eyes and wealth

Mackenzie’s age is 63. She has brown eyes and hair, is 5ft 7ins (1.71m) tal, ,and weighs around 135lbs (62kgs).

Mackenzie’s net worth’s been estimated at over $1 million, as of April 2023.

Who is Tatyana Ali?

American actress and singer Tatyana Marisol Ali was born in North Bellmore, New York State USA, on 24 January 1979, making Aquarius her zodiac sign. She’s appeared in nearly 100 TV series and movies, but is probably still known best for playing Ashley Banks in the evergreen sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”, which starred Alfonso Ribeiro, James Avery and Will Smith, and was created by Susan and Andy Borowitz. It follows a poor young adult who’s been sent to live with his wealthy cousins, the series aired from 1990 through 1996, and won 15 of its 43 award nominations.

Education and early life

Tatyana was raised alongside her sisters Kimberly and Anastasia in North Bellmore, by their Afro-Panamanian mother Sonia Ali and Indo-Trinidadian father Sheriff Ali; her father was a police officer, while her mother was a registered nurse.

Tatyana fell in love with acting at the age of five, when she began watching TV series on a daily basis with her sisters, and was nine when she made her debut film appearance, playing Park Girl in the 1988 action adventure comedy movie “Crocodile Dundee II”; in the following year, Tatyana played Michelle in the episode “Life After Death” of the action “A Man Called Hawk”.

She then continued acting while being simultaneously focused on her education. Tatyana studied at Marymount High School in Los Angeles, California, and upon matriculating in 1997 enrolled at Harvard University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 2002.

Roles in TV series

In 1989, Tatyana played Girl in the episode “Shall We Dance?” of the critically acclaimed romantic family comedy “The Cosby Show”, and the following years saw her appear in an episode or two of the family comedy “Getting By”, the fantasy horror “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” and the comedy “In the House”.

From 1984 through 1997, she played various characters in 12 episodes of the popular adventure comedy “Sesame Street”, which today stars Caroll Spinney, Frank Oz and Jim Henson, and was created back in 1969 by Lloyd Morrisett Jr. and Joan Ganz Cooney. The series follows a group of children and muppets, and has won 247 of its 583 award nominations.

In 2002, Tatyana played Shelly in the episode “Girls Own Juice” of the action crime comedy “Fastlane”, and the following year saw her play Olivia in the “The Big Condom-Nation Episode” of the comedy “Half & Half”. Her following role came in 2009, when cast to star as Quinci in the comedy “Buppies”, created by Julian Breece, and which also starred Robin Thede and Preston Davis; it follows the lives of several black actors and actresses, and the series won one of its six award nominations.

Tatyana portrayed Maya in 10 episodes of the 2013 comedy “Second Generation Wayans”, and from 2007 through 2013 played Roxanne in 53 episodes of the long-running soap opera “The Young and the Restless”.

Most recently, from 2018 through 2022, she voiced Mrs James in the animated adventure comedy “Fancy Nancy”, created by Krista Tucker and Jamie Mitchell, and which starred Mia Sinclair Jenness, Dana Heath and Alyson Hannigan. It follows the life of a young girl who likes to wear colorful clothes, and the series was nominated for six awards.

Roles in movies

In 1995, Tatyana portrayed Rita in the family comedy “Kidz in the Wood”, and some of her following film roles were in the 1996 thriller “Fall Into Darkness”, the crime mystery “Kiss the Girls” and thecomedy “Fakin’ Da Funk” both in 1997.

The year 1998 saw her play Monica in the horror mystery thriller “The Clown at Midnight”, directed by Jean Pellerin, and which starred Christopher Plummer and Margot Kidder; it follows seven teenagers who are being chased by a serial killer. Tatyana’s following notable performance was playing Cherie Smith in the popular 2001 romantic comedy “The Brothers”, written and directed by Gary Hardwick, and which starred Morris Chestnut, Shemar Moore and D. L. Hughley; it tells the story of four best friends as they’re maturing, and the film won one of its nine award nominations. Some of Tatyana’s notable performances in the remainder of the decade were in the 2007 romantic comedy “The List”, the 2008 comedy “Nora’s Hair Salon II” and the 2009 romantic drama “Mother and Child”.

She starred as Victoria in the 2014 comedy “The Divorce”, written and directed by Donald Welch, and which also starred Jonelle Allen; it follows the wealthy anchorwoman Yolanda Massey’s celebration of her recently finalized divorce.

Tatyana’s three most recent movie roles have been in the 2022 thriller “Vanished: Searching for My Sister”, the 2022 drama “It Snows All the Time” and the 2023 biographical drama “Giving Hope: The Ni’cola Mitchell Story”; she’s currently shooting for the upcoming film “Christmas Kennel”.

Other credits

Tatyana has seven producing credits, which include the 2008 comedy movie “Nora’s Hair Salon II”, the 2012 short film “October 31”, and the 2018 romantic musical movie “Jingle Belle”.

She received special thanks for both the 2020 short animated movie “Canvas” and the 2023 mystery thriller film “Missing”.

Tatyana’s made a guest appearance in close to 100 talk-shows, most recently in “RuPaul’s Secret Celebrity Drag Race”, “Entertainment Tonight” and “Tamron Hall”.

Awards and nominations

Tatyana’s won seven of her 18 award nominations. She won a 1991 Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress Starring in a New Television Series and a 1997 YoungStar Award for Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Comedy TV Series, both for her performance in “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”, and four NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series from 2011 through 2014, all for “The Young and the Restless”.

Love life and relationships

Tatyana avoids speaking about her love life in public, but has still shared the details of two men whom she’s been with. She began dating the late American actor Jonathan Gregory Brandis in 1995, but they split three years later; Jonathan committed suicide by hanging on 11 November 2003.

Tatyana revealed in March 2016 that she and Dr. Vaughn Rasberry had become engaged; he’s today an assistant professor of English language at Stanford University, and the two met on the dating website eHarmony. Tatyana and Vaughn exchanged vows on 17 July 2016, and she gave birth to their first son Edward Aszard Rasberry on 16 September 2016, while their second son Alejandro Vaughn Rasberry followed on 15 August 2019.

The family of four’s today splitting their time between Los Angeles and Stanford.

Interesting facts and hobbies

Tatyana enjoys being active on Instagram; close to 900,000 people are following her on the network today, and she’s posted more than 1,300 pictures, with many of these showing her spending time with her friends.

One of her closest friends is famous American actor, screenwriter and producer Will Smith.

Tatyana’s fluent in Spanish, and can also speak some Hindi.

She loves to read books in her spare time, and her favorite is “The Celestine Prophecy” by James Redfield.

Tatyana wanted to pursue music in the ‘90s, and her debut album “Kiss the Sky” came out in 1998, however, she then chose to focus on acting.

Her favorite actors are the late Humphrey Bogart and Spencer Tracy, while some of Tatyana’s favorite movies include “The Harder They Fall”, “The Left Hand of God” and “The Caine Mutiny”.

Her sister Anastasia N. Ali appeared in two episodes of the series “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”.

Tatyana’s been featured in “King’s Magazine” twice.

Height, eyes and wealth

Tatyana’s age is 44. She has black hair and brown eyes, is 5ft 4ins (1.63m) tall and weighs around 135lbs (61kgs).

Tatyana’s net worth’s been estimated at over $4 million, as of April 2023.