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Thread: Jacqueline Susann

  1. #1
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    Jacqueline Susann

    I have to admit..I'm a fan of her and her books. Bette Midler did a great job portraying her in Isn't She Great? Plus, she had an affair with 'the Merm" so you've got to love that!

  2. #2
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    I like her books as well- but not the sequel to Valley of the Dolls that was written by someone else- that wasn't very good.

  3. #3
    jazzhands Guest
    I love Jackie! She also had a thing with Carole Landis, among others..

  4. #4
    there was alot of speculation about the "friendship" between Jacquline and Doris Day too.

  5. #5
    Jack-O-Lantern Guest

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    "Valley of the Dolls" was actually a WAY better book than the movie (though the movie is also a favorite of mine, the best BAD movie ever made)!

    Her best book, I think, was her first: "Every Night, Josephine!," which was a non-fiction memoir of her years with her adored poodle Josephine. What an incredibly endearing and funny story, Jackie got off to a great start with this book and I still think it's the best (and funniest) thing she ever wrote.

  6. #6
    Katie Guest
    I loved her too. Wish she could have gone on for years, writing.

  7. #7
    Noelle Page Guest
    anyone love Once is Not Enough as much as I did? The book i mean

  8. #8
    Catherine of Siena Guest
    The reason the movie was so bad was that it was so cheaply made, we mean REALLY cheaply made. it looked like a bad television soap opera, that's about how much money was spent on the production. in a word, it was a piece of crap.

    no wonder judy quit it.

  9. #9
    Reecy Guest

    Thumbs up

    Quote Originally Posted by Catherine of Siena View Post
    The reason the movie was so bad was that it was so cheaply made, we mean REALLY cheaply made. it looked like a bad television soap opera, that's about how much money was spent on the production. in a word, it was a piece of crap.

    no wonder judy quit it.
    Catherine are you talking about Valley of the Dolls 1 or 2?

    I enjoyed Valley of the Dolls. I could watch it over and over and over again. I also loved Dionne Warwick singing the theme song.

  10. #10
    Kathyf Guest
    I loved the movie with Bette Midler. She did a great job. her life was interesting.

  11. #11
    Bellfire Guest
    I love her. I use to go upstairs at my public library (When they had the soft comfortable chairs) and read her stuff for hours. I loved The Machine. (She described in detail one of women having a husband with a flatulence problem lol.)

  12. #12
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    Yes, I loved Once is Not Enough, too. My favorite, other than VOD, is Every Night, Josephine.
    By the way, Judy was fired. She didn't quit. But she did "borrow" that snappy outfit with all the "glitter and such" on it. She performed in it right up until she died. You go, girl!
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]peek-a-boo!!

  13. #13
    FloridaDeathHag Guest
    They spared no expense on making VOD the film. Those costumes alone by Travilla were a fortune. The problem was, it was directed poorly with a cheesy script and songs and it turned camp. Which I love, but it was not lack of putting money into the production. The director and Patty Duke battled all the time and he kept telling Duke to play it for laughs, which she did, which only added to the camp value. Why he told her to play it for laughs, I'll never know. She gets harshly criticized for "ruining" the movie with bad acting, but I think she was just doing what a misguided director was telling her. Judy was fired because she was stoned on the set and could never remember lines and couldn't get Helen Lawson "mean." She wasn't at a point in her life, I guess, where she could bark "Who the hell are you" with any real authority. I thought Susan Hayward did a wonderful, if campy and scenery-chewing, job. Fit right in with the rest. The three leads seemed to think they were making Shakespeare, but I think veteren Hayward knew what kind of movie this was.

    The DVD audio commentary with Barbara Parkins and Ted Casablanca is EXCELLENT! You can tell Parkins really was friends with Sharon Tate because she's very selective on what she will say about her. FWIW, she doesn't think Sharon would have stayed in showbiz long, she said Sharon didn't really like Hollywood.

  14. #14
    Noelle Page Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by joplinfrk View Post
    Yes, I loved Once is Not Enough, too. My favorite, other than VOD, is Every Night, Josephine.
    By the way, Judy was fired. She didn't quit. But she did "borrow" that snappy outfit with all the "glitter and such" on it. She performed in it right up until she died. You go, girl!
    Who did you think "Tom Colt," the macho older lover/novelist was based on? Mailer? We know Jackie hated Truman Capote (or "Horatio Capon")

  15. #15
    FloridaDeathHag Guest
    I know Helen Lawson was based on Ethel Merman. I guess after whatever went on between them, Susann had a grudge and this was her pay-back. Although, I think she tries to paint Lawson in the book as sort of more sad and lonely because men don't want older women, particularly ones with strong personalities, and not just the monster she was in the film. Neely O'Hara was supposed to be Judy Garland, Anne Welles, and idealized version of herself, and Jennifer North Marilyn Monroe.

  16. #16
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    That's a good question, Noelle. I'm not sure on that one.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]peek-a-boo!!

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by joplinfrk View Post
    That's a good question, Noelle. I'm not sure on that one.
    the characters of Linda Riggs and Tom Colt allegedly based upon Gloria Steinem and Norman Mailer, respectively. Try not to laugh when you come upon Tom Colt's "ailment", perhaps one of the funniest cases of literary revenge ever.

  18. #18
    vealcalf2000 Guest
    OMG I love her books too!!!! I never cared for ANY of the movies, they just never lived up to the mental images I had of the characters or events that happened. I've read all of her books to tatters and have restored to taking them out at the library when I'm in the mood.

  19. #19
    Noelle Page Guest
    Gloria Steinem, wow.....what about January? Mike Wayne? David? Deidre? Karla is Garbo, obviously.

  20. #20
    1karenhb Guest
    She also wrote a non-fiction book I think called " Every Night Josephine" or something like that about her standard black poodle Josephine. Read it many years ago. Good book. For many years her husband kept her ashes in an urn shaped like a book. Don't know what happened to them when he died.

  21. #21
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    She & Mansfield (Irving, not Jayne - lol) also had a son, Guy. He was developmentally disabled and has been institutionalized most of his life. I believe he is still living.

    VCNJ~

  22. #22
    Miss Swallow Guest
    Everytime I read or watch Valley, I just want to give Jackie a slap. It is such "Cosmo girl" glam garbage. Worse than any romance novel.

  23. #23
    Noelle Page Guest
    I'm re-reading "The Love Machine." I know the Robin character was based on a TV bigwig named Jim aubrey. Anybody know who the others are supposed to be?

  24. #24
    Catherine of Siena Guest
    She needed a drink......SHE NEEDED A DOLL!!!!!!

  25. #25
    leeny994 Guest
    there is a better and more accurate biopic about Jackie called "Scandalous Me" based on Barbara Seaman's biography on her. It starred Michelle Lee who is so Jackie it is scary. They show the movie on Lifetime every so often

  26. #26
    Noelle Page Guest
    Michelle Lee is so underrated.

  27. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by Miss Swallow View Post
    Everytime I read or watch Valley, I just want to give Jackie a slap. It is such "Cosmo girl" glam garbage. Worse than any romance novel.
    SUSANN herself was so upset when she watched the film at it' premiere aboard the PRINCESS ITALIA in late 1967 that she stormed out of the ship's theater exclaiming, "They've ruined it...."

    SUSANN in 1967

  28. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by Christie Prody View Post
    The DVD audio commentary with Barbara Parkins and Ted Casablanca is EXCELLENT! You can tell Parkins really was friends with Sharon Tate because she's very selective on what she will say about her. FWIW, she doesn't think Sharon would have stayed in showbiz long, she said Sharon didn't really like Hollywood.
    PARKINS made quite a few faux pas in her audio commentary; maybe her memory is fading.

    • She referred to actress JUDITH LOWRY who played her 'Aunt Amy' as having been her (movie) 'Granny'.
    • When speaking of TATE' murder, PARKINS said how horrible that she had her baby cut out of her. (That didn't happen).
    • PARKINS claims both to have been invited to the house that night for a party, and been in L.A. when she heard about the murders and then claims to have been in London and spoken with ROMAN before he left for L.A. (He left the night that he was informed 8-9-69 after his friends GUTOWSKI & LOWNES made arrangements for him.)
    • She speaks of the film now in glowing terms; for years she couldn't distance herself far enough away from it and pointedly badmouthed it to anyone who would listen.

    Gorgeous BARBARA PARKINS
    in late 1964 when she was
    on PEYTON PLACE



    PARKINS (bottom left) was TATE' Maid Of Honor
    at the January 1968 wedding of
    TATE & POLANSKI


    PARKINS at a VALLEY OF THE DOLLS
    screening in 2006.

  29. #29
    FloridaDeathHag Guest
    She said in the commentary that she was in L.A. at the time of the murders, but had not been specifically invited over that particular night. It was more an open invitation by Sharon to drop by any time she wanted. Parkins said she was very busy getting ready to move to London for an extended period and just didn't have time to hang out with Sharon or drop by in the weeks leading up to her murder.

  30. #30
    scootershort Guest
    I just read in a link (Annoying - I outlived my kid) that Jaqyeline and Ethel Merman had a passionate love affair... that almost made me snarf my Pepsi out my nose.

  31. #31
    leeny994 Guest
    yeah supposidely jackie and the merm had a very hot and heavy affair. then eventually ethel tired of jackie's 'obsessiveness' and just left her. apparently jackie was more into the affair than ethel.

  32. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by Christie Prody View Post
    She said in the commentary that she was in L.A. at the time of the murders, but had not been specifically invited over that particular night. It was more an open invitation by Sharon to drop by any time she wanted. Parkins said she was very busy getting ready to move to London for an extended period and just didn't have time to hang out with Sharon or drop by in the weeks leading up to her murder.
    PARKINS has also claimed at other times that she was indeed invited over. (And) if she was packing, and was in L.A> when she heard about the murders, then how does one explain that she was also in LONDON and able to see ROMAN before he returned to the U.S. which she also mentioned ?


    BTW- ROMAN makes no mention of PARKINS as being there that day that he found out, nor that she was any of those who came to see him before he left LONDON that evening to head back to the U.S.

    I don't think that the lady is being intentionally mis-leading, I think that her memory is fading as evidenced by the other inaccuracies noted.

  33. #33
    hotmama Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by DietCokeofEvil View Post
    I like her books as well- but not the sequel to Valley of the Dolls that was written by someone else- that wasn't very good.
    i heard the sequel was written by roger ebert. of siskel and ebert.

  34. #34
    leeny994 Guest
    no that is a movie called "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls"-- he used the title. Apparently Irving Mansfield (Jackie's hubby) and a team of top notch lawyers fought tooth and nail for the title NOT to be used ultimately they lost out in court. Needless to say The Jackie camp was very upset.

    There was a "sequel" called Shadow of the Dolls by Rae Lawrence. they plop the characters 20 some odd years into the future. it is okay....
    Last edited by leeny994; 01-04-2008 at 08:51 PM.

  35. #35
    janel Guest
    Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is ultra-camp. If you ever get a chance you must see this flick. Nudity, lesbians, beheadings it has it all.

  36. #36
    FloridaDeathHag Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by janel View Post
    Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is ultra-camp. If you ever get a chance you must see this flick. Nudity, lesbians, beheadings it has it all.
    I'm good with lesbians and beheadings, but nudity offends my sensibilities.

  37. 01-04-2008, 11:29 PM

  38. #37
    leeny994 Guest
    ummm for you valley-ites uh britney spears...neely (although not nearly as talented as neely)

  39. #38
    Noelle Page Guest
    So how about a remake? Britney as Neely....Courtney Love as Helen Lawson.....Mandy Moore (?) as Anne....Paris as Jennifer.....Jude Law as Lyon Burke....

    Can you picture the Helen/Neely bathroom catfight when Neely pulls Helen's wig off and flushes it? Hmmmm.....maybe Brit and Court should switch roles.....

    Oh and they can be doing coke in the stalls when the fight breaks out.

    I think I'm onto something here....
    Last edited by Noelle Page; 01-06-2008 at 07:23 PM.

  40. #39
    leeny994 Guest
    i had heard a remake was in the works.... i would only hope they keep it in the time period the book takes place in, and of course--no happy endings, just as Jackie would have wanted it lol

  41. #40
    Noelle Page Guest
    John Waters should direct

  42. #41
    FloridaDeathHag Guest
    Lindsay Lohan would rock it as Neely.

  43. #42
    Noelle Page Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Christie Prody View Post
    Lindsay Lohan would rock it as Neely.
    "Get that whore out of my pool!" LOL

  44. #43
    leeny994 Guest
    ooooh i had not thought of that....

    i had heard Beyonce toyed around with the idea of playing Jennifer.... i do not know how i feel about that...

  45. #44
    FloridaDeathHag Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Noelle Page View Post
    "Get that whore out of my pool!" LOL
    "Here, let me disinfect it!" as she pours a bottle of booze into the pool.

    As overdone and bizarre as Patty Duke was in that movie, her dialog could go from 0-60 in about 2 seconds, which is that character personified.
    Lindsay would be great.
    I thought Barbara Parkins was just gorgeous in that movie. I'm not sure anyone today could do her justice.

  46. #45
    leeny994 Guest
    i agree Barbara Parkins was so beautiful, as was Sharon Tate it would be so hard to find someone equaling them. although i hear Beyonce's name has been toyed around with for the part of Jennifer. allegedly there is a script out there...

    honestly--I think if Whitney Houston could get it together she would be an great helen lawson.

  47. #46
    Jack-O-Lantern Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by leeny994 View Post
    i agree Barbara Parkins was so beautiful, as was Sharon Tate it would be so hard to find someone equaling them. although i hear Beyonce's name has been toyed around with for the part of Jennifer. allegedly there is a script out there...

    honestly--I think if Whitney Houston could get it together she would be a great helen lawson.
    Two words: Faye Dunaway.

  48. #47
    FloridaDeathHag Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Jack-O-Lantern View Post
    Two words: Faye Dunaway.
    That would be good casting. And she wouldn't get that she was playing herself which would add to the camp value. You got the impression Susan Hayward, the only one in the cast who seemed to pick up this would be camp trash, and she played it that way, camp and over the top. She was fantastic in that. Or case another Susan, Susan Sarandon. I'd love to see her with fangs bared acting like a complete bitch.

  49. #48
    Noelle Page Guest
    Aw no, not Susan Sarandon. She'd bring a touch of class to it. We don't want that.

    I like Faye as well.....but I still want to cast Courtney as something. Ok, what the hell, how about Courtney as Anne Welles?

  50. #49
    FannyB1923 Guest
    Valley of the Dolls came out when I was a teenager.

    Where it really stood on the cutting edge of things is exposing the prescription drug addictions. I guess after Marilyn we should have realized so many performers were strung out with uppers and downers.
    The real shocker to me was the story (not in VOTD, but in later gossip stories) that there was a Dr. Feelgood running around giving everybody "vitamin" shots which were really speed and one of his best customers was President Kennedy!

    Who do you think that guy- the one that was so handsome, but had the mind of a child- was supposed to be? A made up character?
    Last edited by FannyB1923; 05-26-2008 at 04:11 PM. Reason: clarifying

  51. #50
    dovescry1999 Guest
    I first saw "The Love Machine" when I was 10 years old. I didn't know what the hell was going on, but I instantly fell for John Phillip Law...

    http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...&GRid=26829180

    As far as VOTD, I love that bitchy camp movie. They should do a treatment of it, like "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" can you Imagine ?

    When Neely snatches off that wig, every on in the audience would throw wigs at the screen, or whenever someone takes a "doll" you throw M&Ms at the screen...
    Pure Camp, Honey !!


    "I'LL PLANT MY OWN TREE, AND I'LL MAKE IT GROOOOOOWWWW!!!!!!!"
    Last edited by dovescry1999; 05-27-2008 at 05:18 PM. Reason: forgot my real age...

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