Mary Elizabeth McDonough, sometimes credited as Mary Beth McDonough, is an American actress and writer, best known for her role as Erin Walton on The Waltons on the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS-TV network from 1972 to 1981, and several subsequent made-for-television reunion films in later decades.

Early life

McDonough was born in the Van Nuys section of Los Angeles, California, the third of four children to Lawrence and Elizabeth (née Murray) McDonough. Her father was an Irish American ex-United States Navy from Nebraska, while her mother was from La Junta, Colorado. McDonough was raised in the Roman Catholic Church, in what she described as a working-class family. She and her siblings were raised in the Northridge section of Los Angeles, and attended the Our Lady of Lourdes School on South Eastman Avenue in East Los Angeles. McDonough was an active theater student, and became interested in acting in elementary school.

Career

McDonough began her career as a child actor, portraying Erin Walton in the series The Waltons beginning broadcasting in September 1972, a role which she would portray until the series' finale nine years later in 1981. She made her feature film debut with a minor part in the action film Lovely But Deadly (1981) before co-starring with Melissa Sue Anderson in the television horror film Midnight Offerings (1981). McDonough was subsequently cast in a lead role in the slasher horror film Mortuary (1983), opposite Lynda Day George and Bill Paxton. She later reprised her role of Erin Walton in several of The Waltons subsequent television reunion films A Wedding on Walton's Mountain, Mother's Day on Walton's Mountain, and A Day for Thanks on Walton's Mountain (all released / televised in 1982). In 1987, she had a lead role in the dark comedy Funland, about an unhinged amusement park operator. In the next decade of the 1990s, McDonough appeared again as Erin Walton in a further three The Waltons reunion made-for-TV films: A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion (1993), A Walton Wedding (1995), and A Walton Easter (1997). In the new 21st century of the 2000s, she returned to other television acting roles, guest-starring on Boston Legal (2004–2008 on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC-TV) and The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006–20010 on the Columbia Broadcasting System, CBS-TV). McDonough was a radio guest and has been on international and syndicated shows such as Get Focused Radio with Kate Hennessy. She can be seen on the internet in the show McDougall M.D. as part of the broadcasts on the TBN network. In 2018, McDonough's book Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane was adapted into the Hallmark Channel film of the same name starring Alicia Witt and Colin Ferguson. McDonough also appeared in the film in a minor supporting role.

Personal life

McDonough suffers from lupus erythematosus, which, she claimed on her In the Know plastic surgery awareness website, stemmed from leaking silicone from her breast implants.

Filmography

Film

Television

Other work

Sources