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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.
Dona Drake (1914-1989) was a light-skinned African-American who passed for white in her film career. She appeared in musicals, comedies and dramas, and formed her own all-girl band, Rita Rio and Her Rhythm Girls.
- January 1, 1
- Miami, Florida, USA
- January 1, 1
- Los Angeles, California, USA
Dona Drake was a singer and actress who passed as white or Latina in the 1940s and 50s. Learn about her life, career, and tragic death in this article that reveals her true identity and the lies she told.
Dona Drake was a light-skinned African-American actress who passed for white in Hollywood and worked as a singer, dancer and bandleader. She appeared in films such as Aloma of the South Seas, Road to Morocco and Kansas City Confidential, and was married to costume designer William Travilla.
- 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.
Feb 20, 2024 · 80.3K subscribers. 158. 12K views 1 month ago #vintagearchives. Born into an era that dictated who you could be, Dona Drake navigated the treacherous waters of Hollywood, cloaked in a persona...
- 22 min
- 12.7K
- VINTAGE ARCHIVES
Feb 6, 2024 · 2. 124 views 2 months ago. Dona Drake, an American actress of the 1940s, navigated Hollywood's racial limitations by presenting herself as Latin American 🌎, a common practice at the time for...
- 9 min
- 147
- Page & Screen
