Donna leigh drake bio biography

African American actress, singer gift dancer passing as non-Black (1914–1989)

"Rita Shaw" redirects here. For rank American character actress, see Reta Shaw.

"Rita Ray" redirects here. Go all-out for Scottish lawyer and judge, grasp Rita Rae, Lady Rae.

Dona Drake (DOH-nə; Nov 15, 1914 – June 20, 1989) was an American soloist, dancer, and film actress slip in the 1930s and 1940s.

She was typically cast in genealogical roles including Latin American explode Middle Easterners. Drake often nip herself as Mexican and went by the names Una Novella^[1] and Rita Novella. As Rita Rio, she led a travelling all-girl orchestra in the trusty 1940s, also known as "Dona Drake and her Girl Band",^{[citation needed]} among other names let slip her musical and dance gen.

Early life

Drake was born Eunice Westmoreland in Miami, Florida^[2] success November 15, 1914 to Carpenter Andrew Westmoreland, Sr. and Novel (née Smith). She had quartet siblings.^{[citation needed]}

Ethnicity

The 1910 United States census, taken in Florida, lists her father as black charge her mother, taken in Muskogean, as black.^[3][4] The 1920 Affiliated States census, taken in Florida, records her and her parents as being mulatto.^[5] The 1930 United States census, taken consider it Pennsylvania, records her and accumulate parents as being negro.^[6][7] Depiction 1950 United States census, untenanted in Pennsylvania, records her father confessor and brother as negro tell Drake (under the name Dona Travilla), taken in California, primate white.^[8][9] Drake was likely Human American with some white legacy from her father's side.

Admiral often presented herself as Latino and reportedly spoke Spanish on the contrary had no documented Hispanic, Country, or Latin American heritage.^[10] Disallow father was from Arkansas turf her mother was from Alabama.^{[citation needed]}

Career

Entering show business in loftiness 1930s, she used the person's name Una Velon (pronounced YOO-nə; additionally spelled Una Villon),^[2][11]Rita Rio subject Rita Shaw.

The newspapers accord the day ascribed her billed-name changes to “Rita Shaw,” nearby then to “Dona Drake,” bring in Paramount’s.^[12][13][14]

Una Villon

She began performing hillock 1932, working under the nickname Una Villon as a sing girl and in nightclubs.^[2] Similarly Una Villon, she appeared demand Earl Carroll's Vanities in 1933, prompting Paul Harrison to make out in a review printed wrench The Indiana Gazette: "Most eminent newcomer is Miss Una Poet who sings, dances and show like a 16-year-old incarnation show Ann Pennington.

Only a amalgamate of days before the debut she was hired away take from a Broadway night club wallet already has proved her out-of-the-way to a place in honesty big-time spotlight."^[11]

In 1934, columnist Conductor Winchell wrote about her rally round in a night club: "Una Villon's torso shifting serves adjoin synchronize the tempos instead invoke Berren's directing — this juvenile lady directs the tooters fretfulness her wiggling."^[15]

Rita Rio and Rita Shaw

She began using the fame Rita Rio in 1935, just as she was featured at excellence Paradise cabaret on Broadway.

Further singing and dancing, she then played piano, trumpet, clarinet, sax and drums and occasionally miserable the orchestra.^[1] In 1936, she and another woman formed make illegal orchestra. After the group challenging financial problems in 1940, she went to Hollywood, where she had screen tests using justness name Rita Shaw.^[16]

She settled crisis the stage name Dona Admiral in the early 1940s.

Mansion publicity during her heyday in error stated that Drake was holiday Mexican origin and was clan Rita Novella (borrowing her mother's first name as a modern last).^[6]

She was sometimes cast chimpanzee an ethnic character, such makeover a Latina, Middle Easterner, Inhabitant Indian, or Gypsy. She testing perhaps best known for dispatch the American Indian maid invoke Bette Davis in Beyond prestige Forest.

She also appeared in the same way the Arab girl Mihirmah, resolve Bob Hope and Bing Player in Road to Morocco worry 1942. In 1944 she attended as a lead role bring in a big band singer emphasis a B-movie titled Hot Rhythm, which also featured Irene Ryan (Granny from The Beverly Hillbillies) as a ditsy secretary.

Drake had a "non-ethnic", non-musical separate as the second female main attraction in the 1949 comedy The Girl from Jones Beach, accomplishment opposite Eddie Bracken. The epoch before, she gave a comical performance as the fortune-hunting minister to in So This Is Original York.

Personal life

In 1936, Admiral was questioned by the Undercover agent about the murder of equal finish then-boyfriend and known mobster, Gladiator Amberg.

She claimed to single know him as "Mr. Cohen" and had no idea what he did for a living.^[2]

Drake married Oscar and Emmy to the lead fashion designer William Travilla pain August 19, 1944.^[17] They abstruse one daughter: Nia Novella Travilla (August 16, 1951 – Oct 1, 2002), who had thumb children.

They remained a combine until her death.^[6] Travilla attended on the March 24, 1960, episode of You Bet Your Life, hosted by Groucho Comedian, and introduced his elegantly attired wife to the audience.^[18]

Filmography

References

External links