Donna at the Indiana Theatre, Marion, IN, Mar 1-4, 1925.

Donna in the News
100 Years Ago
by Don Taylor

“Donna in the News” reports newly found newspaper articles and advertisements regarding my grandmother, Madonna Montran (aka Donna Montran and Donna Darling). I am always excited when I see a new venue for my grandmother’s exciting show business career of the 1910s and 1920s. 

This week, from the Chronicle-Tribune and the Leader Tribune (Marion, IN) newspapers dated February 26^th to March 7^th, I learned that Donna played at the Indiana Theatre from March 1^st to the 4^th and then returned for three more shows on March 7^th.

This set of advertisements was fascinating because it named images of Clarice Allyn and Betty Bryant. I had seen the photos before, but not with the names included. The Chronicle-Tribune had a lengthy article about the show.

Bathing Girls on Stage Here at the Indiana

Bathing girls from various western motion picture studios will personally appear at the Indiana theatre next Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The star of this spectacular Hollywood Revue is Miss Donna Darling who has won many beauty prizes in New York City, Boston and Philadelphia. She was the creator of the principal feminine part of “Chin-Chin,” the late musical comedy success. Miss Darling is known as the ‘girl with a million-dollar personality”; she entrances her audience from her entrance on the stage until the final curtain drops.

Miss Darling was followed from the coast where she has been making pictures, by two life-guards, Todd Watson, a specialty dancer, and Al Ross, and eccentric stepper. Every girl in the revue is an artist. Betty Bryant of Ziegfield Follies posses as “Miss America of Today.” Clarice Allyn is a clever toe-dancer, Allyce Lampse, a captivating Hawaiian bather, (Mildred Obrian dances as a Palm Beach favorite, while Rose Lasgo does difficult acrobatic dancing. Petite Annis Walker, the beach flirt, sings clever blues numbers.

The Revue opens with a prologue which is followed by a display of 1860 bathing suits. The 1900 bathers supply comedy, which is followed by the modern bather. Bathing costumes are shown from various beaches of this and other countries. These costumes become more elaborate as the revue advances, closing with Miss Darling as she appears in a rhinestone bathing suit.

The entire entertainment is fast, clean and enjoyable. The scenic and lighting effects are unusual.

The Leader-Tribune newspaper of March 1, 1925, Page 6, “Week’s Theater Menu” mentions the Royal Grand program is “playing at the Indiana.” That article mentions:

Also for four days, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: Donna Darling and “Her Bathing Girls” with Betty Bryant. Here’s thirty-five minutes of fast and furious fun and entertainment. Wonderful costumes and snappy dancing. It’s just the show that you want to see.

I wonder if something happened at the Royal Grand that necessitated their shows moving to the Indiana Theatre.

Finally, the Leader Tribune of March 7^th indicates that Donna Darling and Her Bathing Beauties were back for March 7^th only. I wonder what happened to the show on March 5^th & 6^th. I can’t imagine the cast took off two days, a Thursday and a Friday.

Because of those newly available online articles, I was able to add another venue for Donna’s exciting vaudeville career.

New information added to her career list:

March 1-4, 1925 – Marion, IN – Indiana Theatre – “Hollywood Motion Picture Bathing Girls.”

March 5-6, 1925 – ?

March 7, 1925 – Marion, IN – Indiana Theatre – “Hollywood Motion Picture Bathing Girls.”

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Endnotes

My thanks to Newspapers.com for providing access to these clippings.