Donna Reed has been called everyone's favorite mother and her recognition as such has stood the test of time. But before she became known as the ultimate mom for her role on The Donna Reed Show, Miss Reed was already a veteran film actress with almost forty films to her credit. Among these are her performances in It's a Wonderful Life and From Here to Eternity. Her role in the latter garnered her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. This book is a comprehensive reference to the life and work of Donna Reed for use by researchers as well as fans.

Performing arts researcher Brenda Scott Royce has compiled a self-contained reference work to Donna Reed's career and life. A brief biography begins the book, followed by detailed examinations of Miss Reed's work in motion pictures, television, and radio. Also listed are media reviews of her work, a listing of awards and nominations, and a chronology of major events in her life. An annotated bibliography follows these sections, and it lists all articles and other items about Donna Reed that appeared in major magazines, fan magazines, books, and newspapers. The entries in each section are cross-referenced for easy referral by the reader. This bio-bibliography will be an important addition to libraries with a performing arts collection, students of media arts, and Donna Reed fans.