Nina Bara

Nina Bara (born Frances Joan Baur on May 3, 1920, died August 15, 1990) was an American actress who performed in films, on television, and on old-time radio. Bara is best known for her role as "Tonga" in the 1950s TV series Space Patrol. Early years The daughter of an Italian mother and an American father, George Baur, Bara was born in Buenos Aires. She was educated in Germany, Austria, and Italy. Film While acting in The Gay Senorita (1945), Bara helped Brooklyn-born Adele Jergens adopt a Latin accent for her role in that film. Concurrently, Bara worked to lose her own accent to make herself acceptable for a wider range of roles. Her other films included Visa and Carnival in Rio. The former Space Patrol actress also had roles in numerous motion pictures for Columbia, MGM, Universal, 20th Century-Fox and Monogram Studios. Radio and television On radio, Bara portrayed Tonga, "...a former alien villain turned Space Patrol ally." in Space Patrol. She also was heard on Tell It Again, Mr. President and The Adventures of Bill Lance. She also appeared on Retribution, and Meet the Missus. She had the same Tonga role on the TV version of Space Patrol, which began as a local program on KECA in Los Angeles and later was carried on ABC. In 1954, after she had left Space Patrol, Bara filed suit for invasion of privacy and breach of contract against the producers of the program and other parties. The suit alleged that kinescopes of the program were released without her consent. It also asked for an injunction to prevent use of her likeness on cereal boxes and toys.