Dona Drake

Dona Drake (born Eunice Westmoreland; November 15, 1914 – June 20, 1989) was an American singer, dancer and film actress in the 1930s and 1940s. Of three-quarters black heritage, she presented herself as Mexican and went by the names Una Novella[1] and Rita Novella, typically being cast in "ethnic" roles including Hispanics and Middle Easterners, though occasionally took the role of white characters.[2] As Mexican "Rita Rio", she led a touring all-girl orchestra in the early 1940s,[3] also known as "Dona Drake and her Girl Band",[4] among other names for her musical and dance acts.

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

Dona Drake
Born	Eunice Westmoreland (1914-11-15)November 15, 1914 Miami, Florida, U.S.
Died	June 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
Occupation	Actress, singer, dancer
Years active	1933–1977
Spouse(s)	William Travilla ​ ( m. 1944)
Children	1

Early life

Drake was born Eunice Westmoreland in Miami, Florida[5] in 1914, one of five children of Joseph Westmoreland and his wife, Novella (née Smith).[6] U.S. Census reports on her family history show her grandparents were one black couple and one couple that was black/white.[7]

Career

Entering show business in the 1930s, she used the names Una Velon (or Una Villon),[5][8] Rita Rio and Rita Shaw.[9]

Una Villon

She began performing in 1932, working under the name Una Villon as a chorus girl and in nightclubs.[5] As Una Villon, she appeared in Earl Carroll's Vanities in 1933, prompting Paul Harrison to write in a review printed in The Indiana Gazette: "Most noteworthy newcomer is Miss Una Villon who sings, dances and looks like a 16-year-old incarnation of Ann Pennington. Only a couple of days before the premiere she was hired away from a Broadway night club and already has proved her right to a place in the big-time spotlight."[8]

In 1934, columnist Walter Winchell wrote about her performance in a night club: "Una Villon's torso shifting serves to synchronize the tempos instead of Berren's directing — this young lady directs the tooters with her wiggling."[10]

Rita Rio and Rita Shaw

She began using the name Rita Rio in 1935, when she was featured at the Paradise cabaret on Broadway. Besides singing and dancing, she sometimes played piano, trumpet, clarinet, saxophone and drums and occasionally led the orchestra.[1] In 1936, she and another woman formed an orchestra. After the group had financial problems in 1940, she went to Hollywood, where she had screen tests using the name Rita Shaw.[11]

She settled on the stage name Dona Drake in the early 1940s. Studio publicity during her heyday incorrectly stated that Drake was of Mexican origin and was born Rita Novella (borrowing her mother's first name as a new last).[12]

Her striking, angular features and dark curly hair led her to being cast as an ethnic character, such as a Latina, Middle Easterner, American Indian, or Gypsy. She is perhaps best known for playing the American Indian maid of Bette Davis in Beyond the Forest. She also appeared as the Arab girl Mihirmah, opposite Bob Hope and Bing Crosby in Road to Morocco in 1942. In 1944 she appeared as a lead role as a big band singer in a B-movie titled Hot Rhythm,[13] which also featured Irene Ryan (Granny from The Beverly Hillbillies) as a ditsy secretary.

Drake had a notable "non-ethnic", non-musical role as the second female lead in the 1949 comedy The Girl from Jones Beach,[2] playing opposite Eddie Bracken. The year before, she gave a memorable comic performance as the fortune-hunting sister in So This Is New York.

In the early 1940s, Drake toured the United States with an all-girl orchestra called "The Girl Friends",[14] which included fellow Hollywood actresses Marie Wilson, Toby Wing, and Faith Bacon.

Personal life

In 1936, Drake was questioned by the FBI about the murder of her then-boyfriend and known mobster, Louis Amberg. She claimed to only know him as "Mr. Cohen" and had no idea what he did for a living.[5]

Drake married Oscar and Emmy award-winning fashion designer William Travilla[15] on August 19, 1944. They had one daughter, Nia (August 16, 1951 – October 1, 2002), and remained a couple until her death.[6] Travilla appeared on the March 24, 1960, episode of You Bet Your Life, hosted by Groucho Marx, and introduced his elegantly dressed wife to the audience.[16]

Drake died of pneumonia and respiratory failure in Los Angeles, California on June 20, 1989, at the age of 74. She was cremated and her ashes scattered at sea.[17]

Filmography

Film and television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1935	Moonlight and Melody	Rita	Short, credited as Rita Rio
1936	Strike Me Pink	Mademoiselle Fifi	credited as Rita Rio
1938	Sweet Shoe	Rita Rio	Short, credited as Rita Rio
1938	Beautiful, But Dummies	Model	Short, credited as Rita Ray
1939	Gals and Gallons	Orchestra Leader	credited as Rita Rio
1939	Rita Rio and Her Orchestra	Rita Rio	Short, played self in this 10-minute short[18]
1941	Fresh as a Freshman	Chicquita	Short
1941	Aloma of the South Seas	Nea	first film credit as Dona Drake[12]
1941	Louisiana Purchase	Beatrice
1941	I Look at You	Rita Rio	Short, With Alan Ladd.
1942	Road to Morocco	Mihirmah	credited as Dona Drake
1942	Star Spangled Rhythm	Herself	performs song "On the Swing Shift" with Marjorie Reynolds and Betty Jane Rhodes
1943	Salute for Three	Dona Drake and Her Girl Band	credited as Dona Drake
1943	Let's Face It	Muriel
1944	Hot Rhythm	Mary Adams
1946	Without Reservations	Dolores Ortega
1946	Dangerous Millions	Elena Valdez
1948	Another Part of the Forest	Laurette Sincee
1948	So This Is New York	Kate Goff
1949	The Doolins of Oklahoma	Cattle Annie
1949	The Girl from Jones Beach	Connie Martin
1949	Beyond the Forest	Jenny
1950	Fortunes of Captain Blood	Pepita Maria Rosados
1951	Valentino	Maria Torres
1952	Kansas City Confidential	Teresa
1953	The Bandits of Corsica	Zelda
1953	Son of Belle Starr	Dolores
1953	Down Laredo Way	Narita
1953	Adventures of Superman	Joyce	Episode 35: "The Dog Who Knew Superman" 9th episode of 1953; aired 14 November
1954	Superman Flies Again	Joyce	theatrical re-release of 3 episodes of the television series included episode 35[19][20]
1954	Princess of the Nile	Mirva
1954	The Lone Wolf	Lee	Episode: "Deadline"
1954	City Detective	Francesca	Episode: "The Gift Shop"
1955	Soldiers of Fortune	Cheu	Episode: "The Runaway King"

References

1. Lowrance, Dee (September 13, 1942). "Triple Threat Trio From the Torrid Zone". The Montana Standard. Montana, Butte. Every Week Magazine. p. 28. Retrieved August 13, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
2. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041415
3. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0127596
4. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036327
5. Wagner, Laura (Spring 2015). "Dona Drake: "Mexican" Tornado". Films of the Golden Age (80): 68–69.
6. "Dona Drake - The Private Life and Times of Dona Drake. Dona Drake Pictures". Archived from the original on August 1, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
7. http://www.glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com/show/76/Dona+Drake/index.html
8. Harrison, Paul (September 28, 1933). "There's Murder in the Airs at Carroll's New "Vanities"". The Indiana Gazette. Pennsylvania, Indiana. p. 13. Retrieved August 13, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
9. Dona Drake on IMDb
10. Winchell, Walter (May 24, 1934). "Walter Winchell". The Scranton Republican. Pennsylvania, Scranton. p. 13.
11. Harrison, Paul (July 4, 1941). "This Little Drake No Ugly Duckling". The Sandusky Register. Ohio, Sandusky. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 4.
12. "Dona Drake - The Private Life and Times of Dona Drake. Dona Drake Pictures". Archived from the original on August 1, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2010.
13. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036928
14. "Dona Drake IMDb Biography". Retrieved May 1, 2014.
15. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0871359/bio
16. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZbufa1lsdQ
17. "Find a Grave: Dona Drake". Retrieved May 1, 2014.
18. Rita Rio and Her Orchestra on IMDb
19. "Superman Flies Again > Cast - AllMovie". Retrieved October 16, 2010.
20. Superman Flies Again (1954) on IMDb

External links

• Dona Drake on IMDb 
• Dona Drake at AllMovie
• Dona Drake at the TCM Movie Database
• Dona Drake at Find a Grave