Donna In the News
By Don Taylor
“Donna in the News” is my reporting of newly found newspapers articles and advertisements regarding my grandmother, Madonna Montran (aka Donna Montran and Donna Darling). I am always excited when I learn of a new venue for my grandmother’s exciting show business career of the 1910s and 1920s.
This week, from the Sunday Star (Washington, D.C.) newspaper dated March 6, 1921, I learned that “California Bathing Girls” was a coming attraction to come to the Cosmos Theatre “next week.”
The article reads:
“California Bathing Girls”
A return engagement of the California Bathing Girls, with Donna Montran, featured in a beach parage, interspersed with exclusive songs by Donna Montran and dances by Anna La Toy, is announced for the Cosmos Theater for next week. It is a sensational production and presents an elaborate review of the latest in bathing costumes. Other attractions will include “Past, Present and Future” a comedy….
An article in the Washington Times (Washington, D.C.) dated March 15, 1921, confirmed this showing and venue with an article that reads:
AS
COSMOS—
California Bathing Girls.
Tom Rooney’s Broadway sensation, “The California Bathing Girls,” in a daring revue of bathing costumes, past, present and future, interpolated with songs by Donna Montran and effective dance poses by Anna La Toy, making an effective headliner to a very good vaudeville bill at the Cosmos theater this week. The Girls are pretty graceful and not too warmly clad, but as a whole the act is a novel drawing card. Manager Brylawski this week has completed his bill with six team acts….
Because of those articles recently discovered on NewspaperArchives, I was able to add another date and venue for Donna’s vaudeville.
New information added to her career list:
March 14-16, 1921 – Cosmos Theatre, Washington, D.C. – “California Bathing Girls” – News.
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