Dona Drake

Dona Drake (/DO-nə DRAYK/ November 15, 1914 – June 20, 1989) was an American singer, dancer, and film actress in the 1930s and 1940s. She was typically being cast in ethnic roles including Latin American and Middle Easterners. Drake often presented herself as Mexican and went by the names Una Novella and Rita Novella. As Rita Rio, she led a touring all-girl orchestra in the early 1940s, also known as "Dona Drake and her Girl Band", among other names for her musical and dance acts.

Dona Drake
Drake in Kansas City Confidential (1952)
Born
Eunice Westmoreland

(1914-11-15)November 15, 1914
Miami, Florida, U.S.
DiedJune 20, 1989(1989-06-20) (aged 74)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other names
  • Una Novella
  • Rita Novella
  • Rita Rio
  • Una Velon (or Una Villon)
  • Rita Shaw
  • Dona Travilla
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
  • dancer
Years active1933–1977
Spouse
William Travilla
​
(m. 1944)​
Children1
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.