fiction.wikisort.org - Actor

Donna Lee Butterworth (February 23, 1956 – March 6, 2018) was an American actress and singer, best known for starring opposite Elvis Presley in the 1966 musical comedy Paradise, Hawaiian Style, when she was 10 years old.[1]

Donna Butterworth
Born	Donna Lee Butterworth (1956-02-23)February 23, 1956 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	March 6, 2018(2018-03-06) (aged 62) Hilo, Hawaii
Occupation	Actress, Singer
Years active	1965–1967

Butterworth's career as an actor and performer was brief; however, during that short time, she received critical acclaim.[2]

Early life

Donna Lee Butterworth was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 23, 1956, the daughter of Isabella "Isa" Chalfant.[3][4] She had one sibling, a brother named William "Bill" Butterworth.[2]

Butterworth's family lived in Pennsylvania for the first three years of her life before they moved to Hawaii, where Butterworth remained until her death. She learned to play the ukulele soon after moving to Hawaii.[5]

Career

Performing Hawaiian music from an early age, Donna gave concerts around the islands, performed with Don Ho,[2] and appeared on The Dean Martin Show,[6] The Danny Kaye Show and The Hollywood Palace.[7] She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her role in the 1965 film The Family Jewels.[8] In 1966, she appeared opposite Elvis Presley, singing several duets with him in Paradise, Hawaiian Style.[5] Little Leatherneck, an unsold sitcom pilot film in which she appeared, aired on ABC television as part of the 7-week 1966 series Summer Fun.[9]

Butterworth ultimately left acting after her brief stardom; she continued in the entertainment business as a singer.[2]

Death

Butterworth died on March 6, 2018, at a medical center in Hilo, Hawaii, from undisclosed causes. She was 62 years old.[2]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1965	The Family Jewels	Donna Peyton
1966	Paradise, Hawaiian Style	Jan Kohana

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1966	Summer Fun	Cindy Fenton	Episode: "Little Leatherneck"
	The Danny Kaye Show	Herself	Episode: #4.1
	The Dean Martin Show	Herself	Episode: #1.20
1967	Disneyland	Laura-Kate Brackney	Episodes: "A Boy Called Nuthin': Part 1", "A Boy Called Nuthin': Part 2"

References

External links

• Donna Butterworth at IMDb
• Donna Butterworth and others talk about working with Elvis Presley in his movies. The Oklahoman. Accessed March 13, 2018.

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