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Children. 1. 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 [1] and Rita Novella.
4 days ago · Rachelle Williams. Updated: May 24, 2024. Dona Drake (November 15, 1914 – June 20, 1989) Amidst the glitz and glamour of the Golden Age of Hollywood, one name shone brightly but remained veiled in mystery: Dona Drake.
Unlike the story, Dona, however, did not abandon her parents or deny her parentage. Dona was born Eunice (nicknamed "Una") Westmoreland in Jacksonville (some references say Miami), Florida, on November 15, 1914, of African-American parents (Joseph Andrew Westmoreland and Novella Smith Westmoreland).
- January 1, 1
- Miami, Florida, USA
- January 1, 1
- Los Angeles, California, USA
Dona Drake. Actress: Kansas City Confidential. In a situation that closely recalls the Fannie Hurst story "Imitation of Life" in which a girl strives to pass for white, beautiful light-skinned African-American actress/singer/dancer/bandleader Dona (pronounced "dough-nuh") Drake, for the sake of her career, denied her heritage and passed for ...
- November 15, 1914
- June 20, 1989
Dona Drake 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 ...
This week's photo: Dona Drake (1914-1989) and Anthony Dexter (1913 - 2001) in Valentino (1951) Dona was born Eunice (nicknamed "Una") Westmoreland in…
