Dawn Catherine Menzer, later known as Lori Martin, was born on a sunny morning in Glendale, California, at precisely 10:00 a.m., four minutes before her identical twin sister, Doree, arrived into the world. She had an older sister, Jean, and a younger brother, Stephen, which meant she was never short on company or attention from a young age.
As a bright-eyed six-year-old, her mother took her to an agent specializing in child actresses, marking the beginning of her illustrious career. Her first gig was a commercial for Chrysler, followed by numerous other commercials and film roles. Her breakthrough role came at the tender age of 12, when she won the part of "Velvet Brown" in the popular television show National Velvet, which ran for 54 episodes from 1960 to 1962. During this time, she changed her name to Lori Martin, as her natural blonde locks were dyed black for the role, earning her comparisons to the legendary Elizabeth Taylor. It was this uncanny resemblance that led the producers to select her from among 974 hopefuls for the coveted part.
Lori's impressive performance in National Velvet catapulted her to fame, and she went on to appear in films such as Machine-Gun Kelly (1958),The FBI Story (1959),and Cash McCall (1960),as well as numerous television shows. She even ventured into music, releasing records for her devoted fans, although unfortunately, they failed to chart. In 1962, she starred in the critically acclaimed film Cape Fear, which she later described as the best performance of her life.
Lori's personal life was marked by her marriage to Charles Breitenbucher, with whom she had an only son. The couple retired to Oakhurst, California, where Lori developed a deep appreciation for nature, birds, wild animals, and her beloved dog, Taylor. Tragedy struck when her husband passed away in 1999, leaving her to raise their son on her own. Lori struggled with bipolar disorder for many years, a battle she fought valiantly until her untimely death.
