DARK SHADOWS FORUMS

General Discussions => Current Talk Archive => Current Talk '24 I => Current Talk '06 II => Topic started by: Elmont on October 20, 2006, 01:43:44 PM

Title: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: Elmont on October 20, 2006, 01:43:44 PM: Does anyone know if Diana Davila did any acting other than on Dark Shadows? The only credit that IMDb list is as Julianka.
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: CyrusL on October 20, 2006, 02:32:56 PM: Hi Elmont,
Check your imdb again, Diana was also in a TV production of "Anne Frank" which seems to have gotten good remarks from most people who saw it, although I don't think any copies are floating around.
Like Jerry Lacey, Diana also appears in the film, "Play it Again , Sam" as the pretentious, gothy girl Woody tries to pick up at the art museum. IMDB also lists a TV movie called "The Two Lives of Sean Doolittle," which also had Grayson Hall and Barnard Hughes in the cast, and was directed by Lela Swift, and written by Sam Hall, but very sadly not available on home video. (PS: Anyone here who has a copy to send me, send me a PM, I would love to have one!)
Diana has been in at least 5 shows on Broadway between 1967 and 1978, including "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie", in which she played a student named Jenny, and her most successful Broadway role may have been in the musical adaption of Shakespeare's "Two Gentlemen from Verona", which opened in late 1971, and ran through mid 1973. Diana is on the original cast recording, which last time I checked, was available in CD. Raul Julia, and Clifton Davis were the other leads, and Jeff Goldblum was also in the cast.
She is of Cuban descent, and for my money, gave one of the sexiest performances ever on Dark Shadows.
Perhaps Julia99 may know a little of her later work, as there are some nice mentions of Grayson and Diana having a good personal and working relationship in her new biography of Grayson. I would LOVE [hall_tongue] to see Diana attend a DS festival. [bonny_hand]

Michael [skull_winks]
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: Para L. Time on October 20, 2006, 02:41:00 PM: Ohhh, I just saw Julianka's episodes last night! I liked her character a lot and was upset how brief her "visit" was! My boyfriend had to ruin a scene she was in by remarking that she sounded just like a 60's robot! And yes, she was very sexy.
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: Lydia on October 20, 2006, 03:12:58 PM: Quote from: Para L. Time on October 20, 2006, 02:41:00 PM
My boyfriend had to ruin a scene she was in by remarking that she sounded just like a 60's robot!

Go to the Fest next year and get yourself a better boyfriend. Surely there will be few for sale in the dealers room? Autographed, too!
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: petofi on October 20, 2006, 05:16:05 PM: Check this out!

http://www.broadwayarchive.com/Display.asp?StockID=1986

It's a link to Diary of Anne Frank from 1967 - video seems to be available.

Petofi
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: Elmont on October 20, 2006, 05:35:29 PM: Thank you Cyrus for the information. I went back to IMDb and found some of the shows that you mentioned. Apparently I didn't dig deep enough into her file. I agree with you completely when you say she gave one of the sexiest performances on the show. I would say that she was the most beautiful woman ever on the show and Dark Shadows had more than a few beautiful women over the years. I too would like to see her attend a festival. You never know what the next fest will bring. Elmont...
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: BuzzH on October 20, 2006, 09:20:30 PM: Quote from: Elmont on October 20, 2006, 05:35:29 PM
I too would like to see her attend a festival. You never know what the next fest will bring.

Hey, I *never* thought I'd ever see Donna McKechnie or Betsy Durkin at a Fest so you never do know! [hall2_wink]
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: Bob_the_Bartender on October 20, 2006, 10:04:39 PM: Yes, Julianka, not only one of the most beautiful women on Dark Shadows, but, perhaps the most eloquent gypsy woman ever! [hall2_kiss] [hall2_wink]
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: Joeytrom on October 21, 2006, 02:20:17 AM: I am surprised they never offered her another character.
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: Julia99 on October 21, 2006, 03:31:10 AM: Quote from: CyrusL on October 20, 2006, 02:32:56 PM
Perhaps Julia99 may know a little of her later work, as there are some nice mentions of Grayson and Diana having a good personal and working relationship in her new biography of Grayson. I would LOVE [hall_tongue] to see Diana attend a DS festival.

I'm afraid I know little beside what is in the book. Most people have fallen out of touch with her--
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: Brandon Collins on October 21, 2006, 09:37:37 PM: I'm sorry to say that I wasn't as impressed with Diana as Julianka as everyone else seems to be. It would certainly be nice to see her at a fest, get her whole take on the series for only having been on there for 3 episodes or so. But while I liked the character, I just didn't really think that her performance was a real hallmark of the series. Maybe she just wasn't on there long enough to capture my at-times short attention span. [female_skull]
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: Midnite on October 22, 2006, 12:29:56 AM: Quote from: CyrusL on October 20, 2006, 02:32:56 PM
Diana has been in at least 5 shows on Broadway between 1967 and 1978, including "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie", in which she played a student named Jenny, and her most successful Broadway role may have been in the musical adaption of Shakespeare's "Two Gentlemen from Verona", which opened in late 1971, and ran through mid 1973. Diana is on the original cast recording, which last time I checked, was available in CD. Raul Julia, and Clifton Davis were the other leads, and Jeff Goldblum was also in the cast.

Kosmo graciously provided a scan of his January, 1973 Playbill for "Two Gentlemen of Verona." It's readable on my PC, but I won't mind typing the text if someone needs it.

(http://www.dsboards.com/images/Davila1.jpg)
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: BuzzH on October 23, 2006, 04:38:46 PM: Quote from: Brandon Collins on October 21, 2006, 09:37:37 PM
I'm sorry to say that I wasn't as impressed with Diana as Julianka as everyone else seems to be.

I'm w/you Brandon, I thought her performance was rather wooden. She was attractive though so I can understand the straight guys in fandom liking her looks. [hall2_grin]
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: MagnusTrask on October 23, 2006, 07:49:46 PM: Yeah, I'm uncomfortable in general when actresses get praised just for being beautiiful, or worse yet, "hot". I didn't like it when that word came back, in the late 70s, and it never went away. We didn't get to see a lot of acting or screen time with her, but she had a great presence, which partly came from beauty, and party from attitude. Though she obviously had reason to fear for her safety, she just blew into town and did what she had to, unimpressed and unconcerned with anyone, or the dangers they posed for her.
[candle_in_skull] [candle_in_skull] [candle_in_skull] [candle_in_skull]
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: CyrusL on October 24, 2006, 05:50:27 PM: While Diana as Julianka is for me what most people call a "guilty pleasure", I can understand why some people may find her "wooden." Then again, one of the fascinating things about DS is the mix of some over the top acting with some wonderful pensive and subtle performances, and some downright, stiff readings. In the latter category, I usually hear the name Geofrey Scott often mentioned. [hall_sad]
On the other hand, I think of number of mentions have been made here over what performers other posters may find attractive, Don Briscoe's name often seems to pop up here. So, I will stand to my statement that I shamelessly declare Diana Davila's appearence as sexy, [hall2_wink], in the way say some Halloween costume seems to bring out a more uninhibited sensual side. As far as her acting, I don't have any problem with it. I think one would have had to have seen her in something more demanding like her stage work, or the other films I mentioned to make a real judgement. She got good notices there.
Michael[/color] [female_skull]
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: Mysterious Benefactor on October 24, 2006, 08:09:16 PM: Quote from: CyrusL on October 24, 2006, 05:50:27 PM
On the other hand, I think of number of mentions have been made here over what performers other posters may find attractive, Don Briscoe's name often seems to pop up here.

Really? Posters have mentioned finding Briscoe attractive? I hadn't noticed.

[hall2_grin]
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: MagnusTrask on October 26, 2006, 05:04:37 AM: I'm not sure I do understand seeing DD as wooden. She was aloof, but she was supposed to be. Some of us watching her may have been a bit wooden, but that's another story.
[skull_winks] [skull_winks] [skull_winks] [skull_winks] [skull_winks]
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: Mysterious Benefactor on October 26, 2006, 05:12:14 AM: Quote from: MagnusTrask on October 26, 2006, 05:04:37 AM
Some of us watching her may have been a bit wooden, but that's another story.

Actually, I seem to recall that a certain someone mentioned recently that any thoughts/decisions arrived at while in that particular state may not be the most rational or the best reflections of reality. [hall2_grin]
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: Philippe Cordier on November 14, 2006, 08:05:54 PM: Frankly, based on her DS appearance, I was surprised to read here that she was actually an actress. Presumably she had vocal coaching later and also learned to express thought and feeling in her face ... just my opinion.
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: MagnusTrask on November 15, 2006, 03:35:12 PM: You think she was meant to be warm and engaging? Or fearful? The character was aloof and arrogant, and had no use for anyone around her. That's just how she played it. You don't walk around with your heart on your sleeve, with people who don't count to you. You hold it in. That aloofness was all over her face and voice though.
Title: Re: What ever became of Diana Davila???
Post by: Philippe Cordier on November 17, 2006, 11:35:47 PM: Quote from: MagnusTrask on November 15, 2006, 03:35:12 PM
You think she was meant to be warm and engaging? Or fearful? The character was aloof and arrogant, and had no use for anyone around her. That's just how she played it. You don't walk around with your heart on your sleeve, with people who don't count to you. You hold it in. That aloofness was all over her face and voice though.

In answer to your question, no, but I'll keep your comment in mind next time I see these episodes.