Donna Reed has also used her popularity for good things. One of these was during World War II. Donna Reed occasionally wrote letters to soldiers during her free time to give them moral support and keep their spirits up while they were fighting. She was praised for these good and thoughtful deeds and has earned more love from her fans.
Surprisingly, some soldiers were able to write back to her. Donna Reed treasured these letters from the soldiers and kept them. In 2009, to the surprise of many, a box was found in Donna Reed’s garage which contained a total of 341 letters from the soldiers that she wrote to back in the day.
The Stateless Hilldale, USA
In "The Donna Reed Show", Donna’s family lives in a town called Hilldale. The producers and writers of the show deemed the location stateless, probably to avoid leaving the impression on the audience that the family on the show was real. So while there exists a Hilldale in a few states, we don't know which one exactly was the family's hometown.
At no point during the show was it revealed which state, or even which area of the country, Hilldale is located. The producers and the writers were also very careful to not include clues in the show’s shooting location that would reveal a specific place or location for the family.
Donna Reed Was No Pushover
It wasn't the writers’ decision to depict Donna Stone as a tough and independent character, Donna Reed herself possessed these characteristics. One example of her strong character was when she joined the cast of the show "Dallas", playing the role of Miss Ellie Ewing who was formerly played by Barbara Bel Geddes.
In a very unprofessional manner, producers reinstated Bel Geddes to her original role in the next season. This meant that Donna Reed was fired for no good reason, which was a breach of her contract. Understandably, Reed became furious with the studio and sued them, and eventually won a seven-figure settlement. Bravo!
A "Jill" of All Trades
As we have mentioned, Donna Reed was very much like her character on the show. She was also a loving wife and mother to her family and let's not forget, she was also an exemplary homemaker! This just proves how important her family is to her and how she has managed to balance her life as a mother and as an actress.
While Donna Reed was best known for her acting talents, she was also known to make wonderful recipes, some of which can be found online. For example, the recipe for her bundt cake is very simple as it was designed for mothers like her. The ingredients required were just four eggs, lemon cake mix, lemon pudding mix, a cup of water, and half a cup of oil.
TV Family Turned Into a Real-Life Family
With the shows we grow up to love and cherish, we can't help but wonder if the characters portrayed on-screen become friends off-screen. With "The Donna Reed Show" lasting for 8 years, it was only natural that the whole cast became very close, proving that the show has not only impacted Donna Reed’s career but also her personal life.
The two cast members that became particularly close with Donna Reed were Paul Petersen and Shelley Fabares. They both played her children in the show, but outside of the show, they have been reported to frequently visit her at her home, even decades after the show had ended. Some friendships really do last forever!