Many homes in the United States tuned into a popular television show in the 1950’s called “The Donna Reed Show.”
This show was especially a favorite for many of the residents of Clearfield County due to the character of the neighbor next door, Midge Kelsey.
Ann McCrea, native of DuBois, played the well-known character.
Ann McCrea was born in 1931 in DuBois, Pennsylvania. She graduated from DuBois High School in 1948. One of her classmates can recall how Ann was always fascinated with Hollywood when she was growing up.
Ann left for New York City and began a modeling career after graduation. She soon started acting with her first role on “The Bob Hope Show.”
Her first film appearance came in 1952 in the movie “The Story of My Murder” playing a corpse. She also appeared in “Singin’ in the Rain” as a chorus girl, “Girls, Girls, Girls” with Elvis Presley in 1962, and “The War Wagon” with John Wayne in 1967 just to name a few.
Ann’s biggest claim to fame role was that of Midge Kelsey, neighbor to Donna Stone on television hit sitcom “The Donna Reed Show” from 1963-1966.
This was the first television show where the mother was the star of the show. In those days, the studio did not provide clothes to the actors.
When Ann would fly home to visit her mother, she would visit Eleanor Aravich to have her skirts made right in DuBois.
Ann retired in 1971.
