July 6, 1938 –Actress Luana Patten is Born
On July 6, 1938, Luana Patten was born in Long Beach, California. A model since the age of 3, Patten was picked from hundreds of girls to star in the film Song of the South as Ginny, alongside Bobby Driscoll as Johnny. She would go on to become the first actress to sign a long-term contract with Disney, starring in several films with Driscoll, including Melody Time and So Dear to my Heart. In fact, she and Driscoll were the first long-term contract players at the studio. She also starred in the film Fun and Fancy Free with Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, and Mortimer Snerd. After taking a brief break to finish high school, Patten returned to the studio for a couple of films, her last role being Nora White in the 1966 film Follow Me, Boys. After leaving the studio, Patten continued to act until 1970, when she retired from the industry. She passed away at the age of 57 in 1996 from respiratory failure.
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