Donna Loren (1947-)

biography

Born Donna Zukor on March 7, 1947, in Boston, Massachusetts, pretty Donna Loren started her music career while still a child. At the age of 8, Loren sang a jingle for an ice cream commercial. Soon afterward, she began making TV appearances on such shows as Playhouse 90 and The Mickey Mouse Club. She was also a regular performer on a country and western radio show. Although Loren began making recordings in the mid-1950s, she would have to wait until 1963 to find fame as a singer, when she was signed as the "Dr. Pepper Girl." Loren did radio spots and appeared in TV commercials and print ads for the soft drink company until 1968. Capitol Records signed Donna Loren to a recording contract in 1964, a deal which resulted in several singles and the release of Loren's Beach Blanket Bingo album. Loren later recorded for other labels, including Warner Bros. While her career was going very well, in 1968 Loren married and started a family, and in the process she walked away from performing.

The success of Donna Loren's singing career led her to make several films and numerous television appearances. She appeared in four beach party films (Muscle Beach Party (1964), Bikini Beach (1964), Pajama Party (1964), and Beach Blanket Bingo (1965), as well as another American International release, Sergeant Deadhead (1965). In fact, Loren was one of the very few actual teenagers in AIP's beach party flicks. Much of Donna Loren's TV work was on the ABC network, where she appeared on such popular shows as Shindig, Batman, and The Milton Berle Show both as a singer and actress.

the films of donna loren

Muscle Beach Party (1964)

Bikini Beach (1964)

Pajama Party (1964)

Shindig! (1964-1966 ABC TV Series)

Beach Blanket Bingo (1965)

Batman (1966-1968 ABC TV Series)

The Milton Berle Show (1966-1967 ABC TV Series)

donna loren today

After Loren's first marriage ended, in the 1980s she attempted to revive her music career, but this time she returned to her country music roots rather than pop. However, Loren eventually abandoned her singing in favor of fashion design at which she has become very successful. Check out the links section below to find out more about Loren's designs.

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Frankie & Annette: M-G-M Movie Legends Collection [DVD] DVD
"Surf's up" in this four-disc boxed set saluting AIP's teen comedy series and seaside sweethearts Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello. Anthropologist Bob Cummings uses the pair as part of a study of modern mating habits in the original "Beach Party" (1963), with Morey Amsterdam, Dorothy Malone, and Harvey Lembeck as Eric Von Zipper. Annette has her hands full when the Potato Bug, a British pop star who's Frankie's double, arrives at "Bikini Beach" (1964). Don Rickles and Little Stevie Wonder guest star. Gym owner Rickles wants to take over the kids' surf spot, and heiress Luciana Paluzzi wants to woo Frankie from Annette, in "Muscle Beach Party" (1964). Avalon trades his board for slats and joins Dwayne Hickman, Deborah Walley and James James Brown for a "Ski Party" (1965). "Beach Blanket Bingo" (1965) boasts a missing singer, a mermaid, and skydiving surfdogs. Avalon wants to keep pal Hickman away from Funicello while he's on military duty in "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini" (1965), with Buster Keaton. Frankie's a moonshine-running hot rodder competing with racer Fabian for Annette's hand in "Fireball 500" (1966). And Fabian and Funicello burn rubber together in "Thunder Alley" (1967). 12 1/2 hrs. total. Widescreen; Soundtrack: English mono.
Beach Blanket Bingo (1965)/How To Stuff A Wild Bikini [DVD](1965) DVD
The "Beach Party" gang is back in a double bill that's packed with more fun than a two-piece bathing suit. "Beach Blanket Bingo," a wild mix about a missing singing star, a mermaid, and biker Eric Von Zipper's gang, features guest stars Don Rickles, Paul Lynde, Buster Keaton, and Linda Evans joining series regulars Annette Funicello, Frankie Avalon and Harvey Lembeck. Then, while Frankie is away on Army Reserve duty, he gets witch doctor Keaton to send a bikini-clad beauty to keep rival Dwayne Hickman away from Annette, in "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini." Beverly Adams, Mickey Rooney, and The Kingsmen also star. 192 min. total. Widescreen; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: French, Spanish; theatrical trailers.
Beach Party (1963)/Bikini Beach [DVD](1964) DVD
The first entry in A.I.P.'s surfside slapstick series, "Beach Party" stars Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello as fun-loving teens who become the subject of anthropologist Bob Cummings' research into adolescent mating rituals. With Morey Amsterdam, Dorothy Malone, Dick Dale and The Del-Tones, and Harvey Lembeck as Eric Von Zipper. Next, Frankie plays himself and mop-topped British pop idol the Potato Bug (get it?)--and both are vying for Annette's attention--in "Bikini Beach," co-starring Don Rickles, Keenan Wynn, Little Stevie Wonder, and Boris Karloff. 198 min. total. Widescreen; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: French, Spanish; theatrical trailers.

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filmography

FILM
Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) with Frankie Avalon, Deborah Walley, Annette Funicello, and Jody McCrea, and John Ashley
Sergeant Deadhead (1965) with Frankie Avalon, Deborah Walley, John Ashley, Eve Arden, Cesar Romero, Harvey Lembeck, Buster Keaton, and Pat Buttram
Pajama Party (1964) with Tommy Kirk, Annette Funicello, Jody McCrea, Bobbi Shaw, Buster Keaton, Jesse White, Elsa Lanchester, and Dorothy Lamour
Bikini Beach (1964) with Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Jody McCrea, Martha Hyer, John Ashley, Keenan Wynn, and Don Rickles
Muscle Beach Party (1964) with Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Jody McCrea, Peter Lupus, John Ashley, Luciana Paluzzi, Peter Lorre, and Don Rickles

TELEVISION SERIES
The Milton Berle Show, 1966-1967, series regular
Shindig, 1964-1966, series regular
Dr. Kildare, 1961-1966 NBC TV series. Loren was a semi-regular during the final season

TELEVISION GUEST APPEARANCES
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., episode Love and Goulash, originally aired March 29, 1968
The Danny Thomas Hour, episode Two for Penny, originally aired March 11, 1968
The Mothers-in-Law, episode Herb's Little Helper, originally aired February 11, 1968
The Monkees, episode Everywhere A Shiek, Shiek, originally aired September 25, 1967
Batman, episode The Joker Goes to School, originally aired March 2, 1966
Batman, episode He Meets his Match, The Grisly Ghoul, originally aired March 3, 1966
Hollywood Squares
Dr. Pepper commercials, aired 1964-1968

donna loren links

The Official Donna Loren Website
This site highlights Donna Loren's performing career and offers many photos, old and new, of Loren. A great site, and a must-see for Donna Loren fans!

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Watch Donna Loren's 1964 Dr. Pepper commercial