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Acquanetta
Born: July 17, 1921
Died: August 16, 2004 (at the age of 83) |
Born Burnu Acquanetta (Burning Fire, Deep Water in Arapahoe) on
July 17, 1921 in Ozone, Wyoming. Her birth parents names where
Blue Skies (mother) and Laughing Water (father). She also used the
name Mildred Davenport.
According to herself from an acticle in The Milwaulkee Journal"
July 20, 1942 she was full blooded Arapahoe Indian. Her real parents
died when she was 2 years old and she was taken in by another Arapahoe
Family. Her Foster Mother (another Indian lady) named Linda Smith married
a man that did not like Acquanetta. An artist and his wife allowed her to
live with them and they traveled all over the country in a trailer. She left
the couple in Boston at the age of 15 and worked as a nursemaid and as a
waitress in New York and near by cities. She also became a Powers Model
before she was signed by Universal Pictures.
Acquanetta worked in small parts with mild success, in the (1942) film
'Arabian Nights', (1943) 'Captive Wild Woman', 1944 'Jungle Woman' and a
few others. She started in (1946) film 'Tarzan and the Leopard Woman' with
Johnny Weissuller. She was Nicknamed The Venezuelan Volcano by Universal.
She also had a 3 page layout in Life Magazine in August 24th 1942 issue.
Acquanetta left her film career in the early 1950's and went to Mexico
rumored to be a goodwill ambassador for President Franklin D Roosevelt. There
she met and married her first husband they had one son, he died before his 5th
birthday of cancer. In the late 1950's she married Jack Ross and moved to
Phoenix, Arizona. She would do many radio and TV Commercials for his
Lincoln/Mercury Car Dealership. She also hosted a Friday Night Movie with
a show called "Acqua's Corner".
In 1974, Acquanetta wrote a book called "The Audible Silence". A book of
poetry about life, love and Indian Jewelry.
Acquanetta used her Celebrity Status to help support and raise money for charities
such as The Phoenix Indian School, Stagebrush Theatre, Mesa Lutheran Hospital,
The Phoenix Symphony and the Hearld Museum.
She divorced Jack Ross in the 1980's
Acquanetta passed away at the age of 83 August 16, 2004 in Ahwatukee, Arizona
of Alzheimer's Disease. She left behind 4 sons Jack Ross Jr., Lance Ross, om Ross,
Rex Ross, and one brother Horace Davenport (a retired Pennsylvania Judge). She was
a beautiful and wonderful actress that would light up the screen. Set back
and enjoy the films of this Classic Actress.
------------ Films ----------- |
(1990) |
The Legend of Grizzly Adams |
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(1953) |
Take the High Ground! |
Bar Girl (uncredited) |
(1951) |
Callaway Went Thataway |
Native Girl with Smoky (uncredited) |
(1951) |
Lost Continent |
Native Girl |
(1951) |
The Sword of Monte Cristo |
Felice |
(1946) |
Tarzan and the Leopard Woman |
Lea, the High Priestess |
(1944) |
Dead Man's Eyes |
Tanya Czoraki |
(1944) |
Jungle Woman |
Paula Dupree - the Ape Woman |
(1943) |
Captive Wild Woman |
Paula Dupree - the Ape Woman |
(1943) |
Rhythm of the Islands |
Luani (as Burnu Acquanetta) |
(1942) |
Arabian Nights |
Ishya (uncredited) |
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