(Usually cast in the singing but non-speaking role of "Donna.")

Donna Loren – an intriguing character whose competencies go way beyond just singing and acting – appeared in four of the Beach Party movies.  She briefly appears in a duet in one and does substantive solos in three others.  Two of these were dance numbers, the other a ballad.  Unlike Annette and Frankie, she wasn’t initially cast because of her film experience (these movies were her first) but rather as part of a product placement deal AIP made with the Dr Pepper soft drink company, whom she was a "spokesmodel" for.  AIP wanted Donna – she was young, beautiful and could sing like an angel with her strong, confident alto  -- and Dr Pepper agreed to "loan" Loren and invest in producing the series…just as long as everyone in the movies were continually shown drinking a particular brand of soda. 

Regarding that role, Donna’s contract with Dr Pepper (a conservative, Texas-based company) clearly stated that as a representative of the firm she could not do, much less wear anything provocative (similar to the “urban legend” about Annette’s contract).  However, unlike Annette, Donna was 100% in compliance, she never wears a bikini in any of the films, is never seen doing anything more provocative than comparatively docile dancing and yes, her navel is never  visible.

The full Loren story