Nina Bara, Actress On `Space Patrol'

GLENDALE, Calif. - Nina Bara, who portrayed the reformed villainess Tonga on television's ``Space Patrol'' series in the 1950s, has died at age 70.

Miss Bara died Wednesday of cancer, said her husband, Ray Linke.

As Tonga, Miss Bara served on Commander Buzz Corey's crew in the low-budget predecessor to ``Star Trek.'' The ABC-TV series ran from 1950 to 1955.

Miss Bara also appeared in the films ``Visa'' and ``Carnival in Rio,'' and on television's ``General Electric Theater.''

Linke said his wife left acting in the 1960s and studied library science, serving as a librarian at Blue Cross of Southern California until she retired in 1985.

Born in Argentina to an American father and an Italian mother, Miss Bara spoke fluent Spanish and was heard on radio programs in a variety of dialect roles.

Besides her husband, she is survived by a daughter.