Donna Jeffries

Donna started out in the entertainment business working as a print model and as an extra in films. She began studying film and writing, and eventually wrote a screenplay that caught the attention of the William Morris Agency. Donna's writing career continued with other projects such as the writing of several commercials and educational videos. She also acted as script supervisor and assistant in the off-line editing of several of these projects. She then co-wrote the action-adventure film, "Beretta's Island" (featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu) shot on-location on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. Donna also wrote several additional film projects for Columbu's company, and was an uncredited writer on the comedy-adventure, "Taken Alive" featuring Columbu, Barbara Niven, Frank Stallone and Robert Ginty. From 1993 through 2005 Donna was the writer, producer, and occasional host (along with co-producer Larry Leverett) of the popular interview show Hollywood Beat. Celebrity guests have included: Oscar- nominated director Peter Bogdanovich; former Motion Picture Academy and Directors Guild President, Oscar-winning director Robert Wise; and author/film critic/historian Charles Champlin among many others. Donna also wrote, produced, directed, edited and hosted special on-location episodes of Hollywood Beat. One of the most popular episodes was shot at the 8th annual Multi-Cultural Motion Picture Association "Diversity Awards" Gala held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, where Donna interviewed celebrities such as James Coburn, Jimmy Smits, Billy Dee Williams, and Diane Ladd. As a long-time journalist for the first International internet magazine, founded by news anchor Sam Donaldson, Donna also served as a producer, writer, and co-host of the historical live web-cast, radio, TV and DVD production commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the first wireless broadcast, which was done on location at the Queen Mary in Long Beach and broadcast live on the K-SURF Radio station in Los Angeles. Working for WGD-Media and it's subsidiaries, Donna assisted on several commercials and video/DVD shoots, as well as writing, directing, producing and co-hosting a special on-location show at the Environmental Media Awards where she interviewed stars Harrison Ford, Daryl Hannah, and many others. As an entertainment columnist for the popular Ojai and Ventura View magazine, Donna also eventually went on to author a large coffee-table book featuring the photos of acclaimed photographer Tim Hauf. The two recently attended book signings for fans at the Borders and Barnes & Noble book stores.