The Donna Reed Show: Freeing The Housewife One Episode At A Time

Adoption

Adoption was not a theme that was often explored on television shows back in the 1950s and 1960s. When Fabares’ character, Mary, went off to college, ending her run as a series regular, the family adopted an orphan named Trisha, played by Patty Petersen. Patty remained on the show for the remainder of its run.