Donna Loren

Donna's career began when she was five years old and won first prize on an amateur show. From there she was featured on Playhouse 90 and on stage at the Moulon Rouge. When she was eight she performed regularly on the live radio country-western music show "Sqeakin' Deacon" with James Burton (then 17), who was playing with Rick Nelson on Ozzie & Harriet. Her first big break came in 1955 (age 8) when she did her first commercial, singing a jingle for Meadowgold Ice Cream. For you history buffs, the dialogue on the commercial was done by the actor who played "Speedy Alka Seltzer". That same year Donna was chosen to appear as a guest on the Mickey Mouse Club's "Talent Round-Up", a weekly segment that showcased young talent. Her first commercial recording, at the age of nine, was "I Think It's Almost Christmas Time". Nine more records followed on various labels until 1964, when she accepted several offers that began to provide her with national exposure.

In late 1963, the Dr Pepper Company did a national talent search for a young girl who could promote Dr Pepper effectively to the younger set. This resulted in Donna's being chosen as the first and only "Dr Pepper Girl" ever. During her five years with the company, Donna was seen and heard on radio, billboards (Dr Pepper's most successful billboard campaign of the 60's), magazines and personal appearances across the country. She was frequently seen representing the company on Dick Clark's American Bandstand and in the 1963 Caravan of Stars Tour which starred Diana Ross and the Supremes, Gene Pitney, The Shirelles, The Dixie Cups and Brenda Holloway.

In 1964 and 1965 Donna had co-starring roles in four of the popular Beach Series Movies for American International Pictures. She appeared, along with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, in Bikini Beach, Muscle Beach Party, Pajama Party and the classic Beach Blanket Bingo. She typically sang at least one solo in each movie. Donna also appeared in the film Sergeant Deadhead for AIP.

Donna was signed to Capitol Records in 1964 by Voyle Gilmore, the same man who, along with Nick Venet, was responsible for bringing the Beach Boys to Capitol. During her tenure with the company, Donna released five singles as well as the collectible LP soundtrack from the film Beach Blanket Bingo. She has also performed on 15 other singles and various LP and CD compilations.

In the summer of 1964, Donna began appearing as a regular on the new ABC television variety show, Shindig. The show was unique for its time in that it was fast-paced and fun, and all performances were live. Performers included everyone from the Clara Ward Gospel Singers to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Donna appeared as the featured female vocalist on the show during its entire run from September 16, 1964 to January 8, 1966.

Each year, only ten of Hollywood's most promising young actresses were dubbed Deb Stars by the Hollywood Makeup Artists and Hair Stylists Guild and were presented with the coveted "Debbie" at the Guild's annual ball. In 1965 Donna was among the ten young women chosen as "the likeliest candidates for motion picture and television stardom in the coming years."

Donna also had leading roles in episodes of Dr. Kildare, The Monkees, The Danny Thomas Hour, Batman, The Red Skelton Show, The Mothers-In-Law, and Gomer Pyle as well as numerous guest spots on several game shows including Hollywood Squares, PDQ and You Don't Say. After the demise of Shindig, Donna was a regular, along with Bobby Rydell on the Milton Berle Show.

Readers of Movie Life Magazine may remember two monthly columns by Donna that appeared during 1966 and 1967. "Let's Talk It Over" was a personal advice column, while "Donna Loren's Young Hollywood" spotlighted the younger showbiz set. And, Teen Magazine, among others, often featured her on their covers (See Cover Girl). In 1968, her last year as a professional entertainer, she was chosen by Danny Thomas and Aaron Spelling to star in her own network TV series which was broadcast as a one-hour special entitled "Two For Penny". At the height of her career, she chose to retire from show business, get married and devote her energies to raising a family. Donna has written and published dozens of songs and singing is still a major part of her life. A new, limited edition CD entitled "The Best of Donna Loren" was released in the fall of 1998 in Europe. A 1999 CD released by Collectable Records entitled "The Very Best of Donna Loren", including the ten songs from Beach Blanket Bingo plus many other recordings is now widely available. More information on Donna's earlier career can be found at Donna Loren's Swinging Sixties website (www.donnaloren.net).