Donna Reed, born Donna Belle Mullenger on January 27, 1921, in Denison, Iowa, was raised on a Midwest farm in a tight-knit, conservative family. She was the eldest of five children and developed a strong sense of responsibility early on. After graduating from high school in Iowa, she moved to California to live with an aunt and pursue further education.
She enrolled at Los Angeles City College, originally intending to become a teacher. However, her beauty and charisma quickly attracted attention, and she began acting in school plays. Winning a campus beauty contest helped open doors, leading to a screen test with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).
Reed signed with MGM in 1941 and adopted the stage name “Donna Reed.” Her early career featured roles in a string of supporting films, where she was often cast as the wholesome girl-next-door. Her breakout came with roles in *The Get-Away* (1941) and *Shadow of the Thin Man* (1941), gradually building her reputation. Reed’s big moment came when she starred as Mary Hatch Bailey in *It’s a Wonderful Life* (1946), a role that would become iconic. Over time, she transitioned into more complex characters and eventually won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in *From Here to Eternity* (1953).
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