#89 Laya Raki

Laya Raki is our first dancer masquerading as an actress. Which, if you think about it, is not a bad strategy at all for B movie success. I mean, nobody’s here for their acting skills, right? So, why not dress in a super skimpy outfit and gyrate around suggestively in front of the camera? Speaking entirely as a B movie patron, I have no problem with this at all!

Embarrassing Real Name:  Brunhilde Jörns
 
Embarrassing Real Birthplace:  Calvörde, Germany (pop. 3,000)

Embarrassing Movies

• In the Beginning Was Sin
• Land of Fury
• Savage Pampas
• Danger Grows Wild
• The Nylon Noose

Embarrassing Taglines:  As most of Laya’s movies were in German, IMDb doesn’t list a lot of taglines for her. I did find this great description however:

A company's stockholders hold their meeting at a lonely mansion. A mad doctor conducting experiments in the mansion starts to strangle them one at a time with a nylon noose. The survivors must figure out a way to stop him.

Embarrassing Characters

• Halima
• Ilonka
• Lao Win Tan
• Betta Dudoit
• Kyro Caro

Whiffs of Scandal

• Long history of popping out of dresses, swimsuits, etc.
• On-screen nudity (quite a big deal in 1954)
• Having a record banned (see below) because “her ecstatic moaning was imitating coitus”

Interesting Tidbits

• 38-23-36
• Was the daughter of two acrobats
• Half German, half Indonesian
• Stage name came from the German actress La Jana and the Turkish drink raki
• Recorded two songs, "Faire l`amour" (“Making Love”) and "Oh Johnny hier nicht parken" (“Oh Johnny, don’t park here.”)
• Was married to Australian actor Ron Randell for almost 60 years

Where can I learn more?

• Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen
• IMDb
• Wikipedia
• Film Star Postcards 
• Babes of Yore (photos) 

 

<#90          #89>