Mamie Van Doren, the last surviving member of Hollywood's iconic 'Three M's' alongside Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield, has released a candid autobiography at age 95. Titled 'You Thought I Was Dead: My Life of Celebrities, Sex and Champagne,' the book shatters myths about the golden age of Hollywood.
Early Life and Rise to Stardom
Born Joan Lucille Olander in 1931 in South Dakota during the Great Depression, Van Doren grew up in poverty. Her father worked at a quarry earning 35 cents per load, and she spent years on her grandparents' farm without electricity or running water. After moving to Los Angeles at age 11, she worked as an usherette and won the title of Miss Palm Springs in 1949, catching the eye of Howard Hughes, who signed her to RKO.
Friendship with Marilyn Monroe
Van Doren recalls her close friendship with Monroe, noting their shared unhappy childhoods. 'There was no jealousy between us,' she says. 'But she had a problem with rejection. When she didn't get something or had a personal problem, she couldn't seem to get over it. Me? If I didn't get something, I just moved on.' She also comments on Monroe's drug habit, though details are not specified in the article.
Career and Personal Life
Van Doren starred opposite Tony Curtis in 'All American' (1953), which led to tension with Curtis's wife, Janet Leigh. She also kissed her childhood crush, Clark Gable, in a film, describing the experience as nerve-wracking. She dated Rock Hudson, Quincy Jones, and Howard Hughes, and was married five times. She stepped back from Hollywood to raise her son in the late 1950s but continued in TV, theatre, and modelling.
Reflections on Hollywood
Van Doren says the 'blonde bombshell' label never hurt her because she considered herself a good actress. She faced unwanted sexual advances in the studio system but remained resilient. 'I have so many stories to tell,' she says. 'When I was 90, I thought I had better get my ass going if I was going to write a book.'
The book, published by Permuted Press in the UK on June 18, promises to make readers 'laugh and cry and might even embarrass you.' Van Doren concludes, 'After all these years, I still have Joan Lucille Olander inside me – that little girl who dreamed of being a movie star.'
