Iowa History Daily: On January 27, 1921, Academy Award winning actress Donna Reed (Donna Belle Mullenger) was born on a farm near Dension. After high school graduation, Reed went on to truly live a wonderful life while starring on the silver screen.
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Born the oldest child in a Crawford County farm family, Reed attended the local Methodist church and Denison public schools. Reed played the lead in a school play and was voted ‘Campus Queen’ during her senior year. Hoping to become a teacher but short on funds, the advice of an aunt carried Reed west to attend Los Angeles City College.
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While in college, Reed enjoyed performing in several stage productions bud did not plan to make a career of acting. However, when MGM studios came calling after she graduated she signed. Changing her name from Mullenger as anti-German furor gripped America during World War II, a few minor roles continued the newly minted Donna Reed on the path toward success.
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Over a career spanning 1941 to 1986, Reed endeared herself to audiences everywhere with many memorable roles. Playing opposite James Stewart as the unforgettable Mary Hatch Bailey in Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life,” brought incredible fame, while her role in the 1953 film “From Here to Eternity” netted her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
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