Donna Douglas, best known for her role as Ellie May Clampett on *The Beverly Hillbillies*, kept parts of her personal life hidden from the public, including legal battles.
Despite her sweet, country-girl persona on screen, she was involved in lawsuits later in life. In 2010, Douglas sued Mattel and CBS over an unauthorized Barbie doll based on her character, Ellie May. She claimed the companies used her likeness without permission and sought $75,000 in damages, eventually settling the case. Additionally, in 1993, Douglas and her partner Kurt Wilson sued Disney, Whoopi Goldberg, and Bette Midler, alleging that the movie *Sister Act* stole ideas from their book *A Nun in the Closet*, seeking $200 million in damages. These legal issues showed the challenges Douglas faced off-screen while managing her iconic image.