Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Donna was a precocious child performer who won an amateur talent show, sang a jingle for Meadow Gold Ice Cream, and performed on various radio shows, making guest appearances on the iconic Mickey Mouse Club in 1955. Before the age of 10, she had already recorded several singles and gained widespread recognition. In 1963, she was chosen as the spokesperson for Dr. Pepper after a nationwide talent search, becoming the one and only "Dr. Pepper Girl." For five years, she graced billboards, magazines, television, and movies as the teenage face of the soft drink, designing and sewing her own costumes for personal appearances, a talent that would serve her well in her future endeavors.
The Dr. Pepper gig led to a role in the second Frankie Avalon/Annette Funicello beach movie, Muscle Beach Party, released in 1964. Initially, she was assigned a non-speaking role holding a soft drink bottle, but the producers decided to let her perform a song instead. She sang the Brian Wilson-penned "Muscle Bustle" alongside Dick Dale, and the song's success led to her appearing in a featured musical number in later beach movies. Her raven-haired beauty and powerful voice were a welcome addition to the films, although her contract with Dr. Pepper prohibited her from wearing any outfit that showed her navel.
Donna became a regular on the ABC shows Shindig! in 1964 and The Milton Berle Show in 1966. In 1968, she was offered the lead role in a series called "Two for Penny," produced by Aaron Spelling and Danny Thomas, but instead chose to marry and retire from performing. Her second husband, Jered Cargman, was a member of the 1960s studio surf band Fantastic Baggys. From 1998 to 2008, Donna and her husband created the fashion retailer ADASA Hawaii, which sold many of her own 1960s-inspired designs. Donna still sings and writes songs to this day.
