The Paley Center for Media Salutes the Donna Reed Show

The Donna Reed Show Reunion

Tuesday, December 6, 2011, 7:00 pm PT, Los Angeles

Forty-five years after airing its last episode of the Donna Reed Show, and on the occasion of its official Season Four - The Lost Episodes DVD release, the Paley Center welcomes members of the iconic series cast and creative team for a fond look back at this true TV classic, including the screening of highlights and rare footage from unsyndicated episodes not seen anywhere in decades.

Appearing In Person

Shelley Fabares, "Mary Stone"
Paul Petersen, "Jeff Stone"
Patti Petersen, "Trisha Stone"
Jimmy Hawkins, "Scotty"
Ann McCrea Borden, "Midge Kelsey"
Stu Phillips, Music Producer, "Johnny Angel," "My Dad"
Eddie Foy III, Screen Gems Casting Director
Read a follow-up commentary.

Free screenings of "It's a Wonderful Life" at the Donna Reed Theatre, December 18

See It's a Wonderful Life as it was meant to be viewed – on the big screen. 

On Sunday, December 18, the classic holiday movie, starring Denison native Donna Reed and Jimmy Stewart, will be shown twice – at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Donna Reed Theatre. Free admission.

Bedford Falls display returns.
A miniature replica of Bedford Falls returns to the front window of the Donna Reed Heritage Museum for a winter showing. The HO scale replica was built by model building enthusiast from the Quad Cities area and, for several years, was displayed by the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center in Davenport, Ia. before being donated to the Donna Reed Foundation.

Expanded museum exhibit on the making of It's a Wonderful Life opens. 

The expanded exhibit features a variety of items from the Donna Reed Collection relating to the making of the movie. It includes a letter to pen pal Violet Lindsey mentioning the upcoming filming of the movie; daily call sheets detailing the daily shoot schedule; daily production reports tracking expenses and progress of the filming of a various scenes; Donna Reed's invitation to a screening of the movie from director Frank Capra; and the review of the movie which appeared in Variety. Of particular interest are photos of the new snow-making process developed especially for this film that replaced the practice of using painted cornflakes for falling snow.

It's a Wonderful Life: The Making of a Film Classic to be presented in New York City, December 12

An encore presentation of a program that will be presented in Los Angeles on December 9 by the Academy’s Science and Technology Council.

It's a fresh take on a familiar film! Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Craig Barron and Oscar-winning sound designer Ben Burtt reveal the unique photographic and sound effects used in creating Frank Capra’s quintessential holiday favorite "It’s a Wonderful Life." The program will examine classic studio production methods, the use of matte paintings in key scenes, and the origins of the film’s sound effects. The event will feature an introduction by Karolyn Grimes (Zuzu Bailey) with a big-screen showing of a newly struck print of the film from the Academy Film Archive.  Read more.