Donna Loren Dreaming

Do you ever have a moment about which you wish you had dreamt your entire life so that when it happens you can honestly say, "It's like a dream come true?"  A few weeks ago I had such a moment when I heard that sweet siren of 60's, surfside song, Donna Loren.

Donna Loren
(Source)

Donna Loren is probably not a household name unless you and your family are total nerds about 60's television programming and the brilliant movies produced by American International Pictures.  A featured player in many of AIP's best, Donna Loren gave voice to the lovelorn, beach-bound "teens" of such cinematic wonders as Bikini Beach, Pajama Party, and Beach Blanket Bingo.

"Love's A Secret Weapon" - Donna Loren in Bikini Beach

"Among the Young" - Donna Loren in Pajama Party

"It Only Hurts When I Cry" - Donna Loren in Beach Blanket Bingo

To be perfectly honest, I did not have a lifelong dream of meeting Donna Loren.  Then again, I never dreamt that I would get the chance to meet her.  Those bashful doe eyes, that pert little nose, the plaintive voice - Donna Loren is a living dream.  As boring as I think my life can be, I only have to review a month's worth of photographs to realize how very fortunate I am.  One moment we're on a wacky whirlwind road trip and the next we're meeting a contemporary of Frankie & Annette!

I have said it before but for the sake of this photo, it bears repeating; I have never gone through
 a "goth" phase; I'm just too goofy.  For Donna, I could definitely change my ways...if'n there was
 a horror hootenanny!  Dig that crazy spider!
(Source)

Saturday, April 13, 2013, marked the Los Angeles benefit for Norton Records (another victim of Hurricane Sandy).  Organized by three Los Angeles-based music aficionados, DJ Howie Pyro, The Real Boss Hoss, and Deke Dickerson, the benefit show featured many incredible bands - The Phantom Surfers, The Go-Nuts, Untamed Youth, and Thee Cormans (ahem).  As awesome as all of the acts were, the real highlight of the day-long concert was hearing Donna Loren.  Never having had the chance to meet my dancing idol (and Loren's fellow AIP star) Candy Johnson, and coming on the heels of the inimitable Annette Funicello's passing, it was a real moment for me to see and to meet Donna.

May I say that she looks INCREDIBLE!!!
Unfortunately, my pictures didn't turn out well, but she was an absolute
stunner in a gold mini skirt that she made for herself in the 60's.

"Muscle Bustle" - Donna Loren backed by Deke Dickerson

Of course, the sound quality on my camera is weak

 but I still had to share her performance with you.

"Muscle Bustle" - Donna Loren in Muscle Beach Party

Ms. Loren's acting credits extend far beyond the beach party movies.  With regular and guest-starring roles on The Monkees, The Milton Berle Show, Batman, Dr. Kildare, Gomer Pyle: USMC, and others, she was a fixture of the 60's small screen as well.  And now she is a fixture of our wacky tacky scrapbook!!!

Our pal, Teresia, of The Mentalettes, Donna Loren, Mary, and Mr. Tiny
Donna was gorgeous, gracious, and extremely generous for the .003 seconds that we
had to meet her and snap a quick photo.  Understandably, there was a major line
 forming to behind us to do the very same.  

You know it is a pretty wonderful life when dreams you didn't even have are coming true!  Thanks to the fellas for putting on a great show!  And thanks to Donna for an incredible performance and some great memories!

Do you have a star encounter that would be a dream come true?  Let us know; until then, we'll be doing the "Muscle Bustle."

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

wacky tacky icons: Candy Johnson

What can be said about Candy Johnson that hasn't already be shimmied?!  Little to no explanation is required to prove her wacky tacky credentials.  Candy Johnson is not just a member of wacky tacky, she is the President of the San Gabriel, CA chapter.

 

Bikini Beach (1964)

Candy was the little firecracker in the Beach Party movies at American International Pictures that ponied,  watusi'd, shimmied and shook to the delight of audiences and to the injury of young surfers and beach bums.  Her legendary bumps could knock you flat!

Stand back!

Her film credits include:

Beach Party (1963) - credited as "The Perpetual Motion Dancer"

Muscle Beach Party (1964) - Candy

Bikini Beach (1964) - Candy

Pajama Party (1964) - Candy

The "Perpetual Motion Dancer"
Even in a still shot, she seems to keep moving!

There is not a lot of information on Candy Johnson to be found on the internet.  She has a lackluster IMDb and just a wisp of a Wikipedia entry.  The real Candy Johnson may be hard to find but there is a plethora of other Candy Johnsons in the world ranging from male saxophone players to teachers to "models."  Something that I did not know about San Gabriel native, Candy Johnson, was that she recorded songs on her own label "Canjo" as Candy Johnson & Her Exciters.  

She may have acted, she may have recorded, but nothing, NOTHING, compares to the way this girl DANCED!

Beach Party (1963)

As a part-time, semi-professional dancer myself, I am just a little embarrassed to admit how many moves I have stolen from Candy.  Her dancing has always been a source of inspiration and fascination - she did it all barefoot!  I think my particular fondness for the Beach Party movies stems from the fact that I have always lived in Southern California and dreamed that when I went to the beach the whole gang would be there surfing, dancing, sky diving, drag racing, rum running and having a pajama party.  (For those of you who have never been to SoCal, it is EXACTLY like the Beach Party movies all of the time!)

Sometimes the way to the top is by twisting on the backs of others.

I don't know where Candy Johnson is but I have a feeling that she's dancing.

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny