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Dona Drake

Dona Drake
Dona Drake
Born: Nov 15, 1914 in Mexico City, Mexico
Died: Jun 20, 1989 in Los Angeles, California
Occupation: Actor
Active: '40s-'50s
Major Genres: Comedy, Musical
Career Highlights: The Girl From Jones Beach, Son of Belle Starr, Fortunes of Captain Blood
First Major Screen Credit: Louisiana Purchase (1941)
3 Videos for Dona Drake
Star Spangled Rhythm (1942) The Road to Morocco (1942) Louisiana Purchase (1941)
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Biography:

Vivacious Dona Drake (born Rita Novella) was a singer with an all-girl band, the Girl Friends, prior to entering films in 1935 under the name of Rita Rio. She later also used the moniker Rita Ray before settling on Dona Drake. At Paramount in the early '40s, Drake appeared opposite Bob Hope in The Road to Morocco (1942) and took part in the all-star extravaganza Star Spangled Rhythm (1942).

She later signed with Columbia but her perhaps most famous role was at Warner Bros., where she played Bette Davis' Indian maid in Beyond the Forest (1949). It was arguably Davis' worst film and did nothing for Drake's standing in Hollywood and the former vocalist spent the remainder of her career in potboilers.

~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide.