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Maggie Peterson originally auditioned for the part of Ellie Walker
We'll never know if the Darling girl would've made a better Ellie.
As Charlene Darling, Maggie Peterson frequently stole scenes on The Andy Griffith Show in episodes like "Mountain Wedding" and "The Darling Baby."
At various points it’s clear that Charlene has a crush on "that pretty man" Sheriff Andy Taylor, and the romantic chemistry between the actors is explored with a heap of humor.
But when Peterson first auditioned for The Andy Griffith Show, there was no Charlene Darling character yet. Instead, she was auditioning to play Ellie Walker, the first love interest for Sheriff Andy introduced in the series’ first season.
Ellie Walker was played by Elinor Donahue, and the character was famously short-lived on the show because of the lack of chemistry between Donahue and Griffith.
Some critics thought the couple didn’t work onscreen because of the age gap between Griffith, who was 34 when the show premiered, and Donahue, who was 23.
Peterson — though she charmed Andy Griffith Show fans as Charlene — would’ve presented an even larger age gap, four years younger than Donahue when she auditioned for the part at the age of 19.
Perhaps that’s part of the reason why Peterson didn’t get cast.
For Peterson, landing the part of Charlene Darling three years later delivered her onscreen debut.
Newspapers teased her first episode, describing her as a "moon-eyed mountain girl who makes a play for Andy."
By this time in the show, Ellie Walker was long gone.
Audiences were more accustomed to thinking of Andy as a permanent bachelor, shuffling through episodic experiences with funny gals like Charlene Darling, but never claiming a new wife.
Whether this was a superior formula or not was put to the ultimate test when Aneta Corsault came on the show and established that if you cast the right girl, viewers were ready to see Sheriff Andy settle down.
We’ll never know if Peterson could’ve made the role of Ellie Walker last longer than Donahue did, but through Peterson’s performances as Charlene, we do get a glimpse of what could’ve been any time she bats her wide eyes at Andy.
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61 Comments
Who played MR.SCHWAMP on
The Andy Griffith Show?
How come Mr Schwmp never
Talked on TAGS?
How come Moose Barry Greenberg never talked on
Happy Days?
Played on The Andy Griffith Show?
Andy Griffith Show episode
with Andy's old girlfriend
Alice Harper played by Joanna McNeil?Alice Harper Helen Crump Howard Sprague and
Andy Taylor rent a cabin in the
woods and Andy and Alice get
lost in the woods and later
Helen Crump gets lost in the woods.
A Lovely Daughter by Hermans Hermits to actress Ann Marshall who
Played Angela Brown the daughter of Mrs Brown (Pamela Britton) on My Favorite Martian.
With Andy Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show in 1962.
Andy Taylor and mean old
Ben Weaver Will Wright singing
Outside the jail window.
On The Andy Griffith Show episode The County Nurse
With Mary Simpson 1 Julie
Adams having no luck with
Rafe Hollister taking his shot.
Sue Ane Langdon in the TAGS
Episode Three's A Crowd.
THEME Song from The Andy Griffith Show a beautiful instrumental song.
Elinor Donahue did a great job
playing Ellie Walker on TAGS.
Peggys Theme for TAGS for
Peggy McMillan Joanna Moore.
For One Episode ONLY.
I liked Ellie Walker Elinor Donahue and Peggy McMillan Joanna Moore and Alice Harper
Joanna McNeil and Helen Crump was okay.
Ellie Walker singing Away In A Manger was the highlight of the Christmas episode of The Andy Griffith Show.
I read the real reason for Donahue leaving was because she was never given mention in the screen credits that she was due.
Singing the song There Is A Time
Was a wonderful.song sung by a
Very talented actress.
I do think Elinor's funniest role is as Chris Peterson's mom in Get A Life.
Do you remember Andy's former girlfriend Alice
Harper played by Joanna McNeil
Mary Simpson the county
nurse in the episode Three's A Crowd where
Barney played the bongos.
Unfortunately Sue Ane Langdon only appeared in
One episode only.
Mary Simpson Sue Ane Langdon is the ONLY
GIRLFRIEND of Andy Taylor
Who had NO TEMPER at all
Peggy McMillan Joanna Moore was another good girlfriend for Andy Taylor.
Only Appeared in 2episodes of TAGS and on
the spinoff show Gomer Pyle USMC Lou Ann Poovie
played by Elizabeth MacRae played Gomer Pyles girlfriend for 16 episodes .Gomer Pyle Jim Nabors also dated Colonel
Harpers daughter Jane Harper and Pyle dated Jane
Gray both played by Suzanne Benoit.
Pyle went on a date with
Eileen (Maggie Peterson)
In Bunny's first episode.
Pyle dated DIXIE who was
Played by Jeanne Burner
And Dixie was a loudmouth and a female version of
Sgt Vince Carter.
Soap Opera Days Of Our Lives.On Days Of Our Lives I enjoyed watching PATCH and KAYLA dancing to the
song Lady In Red by Chris
DeBurgh .
An excellent job singing the song Down In The Valley.
