Mamie Van Doren is a Bombshell for all eras. She is as cutting edge today as she was when she sang Rolling Stone in Untamed Youth in 1957. I first discovered Mamie after watching the film Girls Town and I have considered her the ultimate Bombshell ever since! She appealed to me not only because of her outstanding glamour, but the characters she played were not push overs – they were strong, independent women. One day I would love to write a Biography of Mamie as both a pop culture and feminist icon, but until then please enjoy this small tribute, which I hope will be a starting point for new fans, and evoke wonderful memories for the die-hards too!
Part One: Mamie Through The Decades
1930’S – Good Sweet Home Type Girl
Born Joan Lucille Olander, in Rowena South Dakota, on 6th February 1931 to Warner and Lucille Olander. As an only child, Joan was extremely close to her parents who she once described as “my Bonnie and Clyde”. From a young age Joan was fascinated by the movies and in particular Jean Harlow, who would be a great influence on her career. In 1939 the family moved to Iowa and Joan was a regular visitor to the local cinema. She recalled “I just loved the big silver screen with all those big actors, and that’s when I decided to become an actress, or a “movie star.” … It was just kind of ingrained in me”.
1940’s – Something to Dream About
In 1942, Joan moved with her parents to Los Angeles, later working as an usherette at the Pantages Theater on Hollywood Boulevard. Joan’s striking looks meant that she did not go unnoticed. At the age of 17 Joan posed for well known pin up artist, Alberto Vargas and in 1949 she was crowned Miss Palm Springs. Her photo appeared in the newspaper and she was spotted by billionaire movie producer Howard Hughes (the same man who gave Mamie’s idol, Jean Harlow her big break).
1950’s – The Girl Who Invented Rock and Roll
Hughes offered Joan a small role in his movie Jet Pilot, however due to delays, the film was not actually released until 1957. In 1950 she married Jack Newman, a businessman, however they divorced the same year. Joan soon turned her talents to live theatre and took to Broadway to perform in the musical Billion Dollar Baby. Soon she was discovered by Jimmy McHugh, who recommended she take dramatic training because she was too talented for the chorus line. Around this time, Joan became involved with ex-champion athlete Jack Dempsey, who was more than 30 years her senior.
The publicity that the romance created resulted in a buzz about the new starlet and more film roles began to come her way. Her first noticeable role was in His Kind of Woman starring Jane Russell and Robert Mitchum.
In 1953, Mamie signed a contact with Universal Studios. As with many stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood, it was suggested Joan change her name to something more glamourous. ‘Mamie’ was chosen because of Mamie Einsenhower (whose husband was being inaugaurated that day), and ‘Van Doren’ because ‘it sounded Dutch’ (linking back to her Scandinavian heritage). With a new name, things really began to take off. Universal marketed Mamie as a rival to Marilyn Monroe and her pin up photos appeared in magazines all over the world.
Mamie’s first big movie was The All American, starring alongside Tony Curtis, this was soon followed by Yankee Pasha (1954) and the lavish musical, Ain’t Misbehavin’ (1955).
In 1955 Mamie played the role of Irma Bean in the juvenile delinquent movie Running Wild. Mamie was a natural for the role of a jitterbugging bad girl who loved good times. The same year a romance blossomed with band leader Ray Anthony. Mamie soon discovered she was pregnant, so she and Ray married and their son Perry was born the following year.
Being a wife and mother was not the image the studio wanted for their sexbomb star and Mamie found herself being offered a slew of roles which were less than dynamic, so in true Mamie style she took the bull by the horns and began accepting roles in movies at different studios. She starred in films which are now considered cult classics, such as Untamed Youth (1957), Born Reckless (1958), High School Confidential (1958) Guns, Girls and Gangsters (1959), The Beat Generation (1959) and Girls Town (1959).
In these films Mamie carved a niche for herself which set her aside from her other bombshell contemporaries, she was often cast as the sassy bad girl with a good heart. Mamie’s characters are strong, independent, modern women, often not interested in marriage, just the thrill of the good times. In Guns Girls and Gangsters Mamie’s character Vi Victor exclaims her ambition is to “die rich”. In many ways Mamie was a trailblazer for the freedom of expression of the 1960’s.
In 1958 Mamie was cast alongside one of her idols, Clark Gable in the romantic comedy Teacher’s Pet. Mamie appears in one scene, during which she performs the sizzling song The Girl Who Invented Rock and Roll, resulting in a very flustered Mr Gable!
Mamie did film more scenes, however they ended up on the cutting room floor. The reason they were cut is unknown – some sources claim it was because of her revealing outfits and others have claimed rivalry between she and Doris Day. Although Mamie’s scene is brief, she dazzles in costumes designed by the legendary Edith Head. Edith was once quoted as saying that Mamie was one of her all time favourite stars to dress.
Recently Mamie’s beaded gown, as worn in Teacher’s Pet was sold by Julien’s Auctions.
1960’s – The Beat Generation
Mamie and Ray divorced in 1961 and she became a single, working mother, commenting at the time “He (Ray) had to be the boss, and I respected him for that. But as my career zoomed, his declined – and so did our marriage”. Mamie’s popularity remained throughout the 1960’s and her film career continued. Notable films include Sex Kittens Go to College (1960), Vice Raid (1960), College Confidential (1960), 3 Nuts in Search of a Bolt (1964), The Candidate (1964) and Las Vegas Hillbillies (1956).
In the early part of the decade she was romantically involved with baseball player Bo Belinsky. The two became engaged, but the relationship ended. During the 1960’s Mamie turned her hand to writing and released three tell -all, illustrated autobiographies: I Swing, My Naughty, Naughty Life and My Wild Love Experiences. I Swing sold out just 10 days after it hit the shops!
As well as the movies and writing, Mamie developed a successful cabaret act and starred in several Theatre productions, including Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. She talked of her almost impossible workload: “I had a son to support, I had no choice. In Chicago we did `Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ and `Dames at Sea’ at the Drury Lane, and shows at the Arlington Park Theater. They burned you out, but audiences loved them”.
In 1966, Mamie caused a stir by marrying 19 year old baseball star, Lee Meyers, but they divorced the following summer. Tragically, Lee was killed 3 years later in a car accident.
The 60’s proved to be a busy decade for Mamie, however her 3 month tour of the Vietnam war-zone changed her life. As well as performing in shows, she visited hospitals, including the wards of amputees and burn victims. In her Inside/out blog Mamie recalled the tour:
“I made two trips to Vietnam, entertaining the troops independent of the usual USO or Bob Hope tours—just me with a conductor and a small band traveling in a pair of Hueys, flying into remote fire stations from the Mecong Delta to the DMZ. The vets and I commiserated about the war, our nightmares, and the plight of many Vietnam vets.”
In her autobiography, Playing the Field Mamie reflected about the tour: “Nothing could have prepared me for the horrors of war. By the time I left Vietnam, the things I had seen and heard left me changed forever.”
1970s – Separate the Men From The Boys
The 70’s was a decade of huge change for Mamie. In 1971 she embarked on another tour of Vietnam. On her return she moved to London, residing in a luxury apartment near Harvey Nichols – her furniture was “all Chippendale”. The move to England did not prove to be permanent and Mamie returned to the USA the following year.
After settling back in the USA Mamie married her 4th husband, oilman Ross McClintock, who she later described as “a mistake”, going on to add “I’d refused to be an ornament for the studios, and I was damned if I’d be one at a bunch of dull cocktail parties”. After 4 months the marriage was annulled.
Mamie continued to work, releasing an album Mamie as in Mamie Van Doren and also toured in theatre. During this time Mamie met photographer Thomas Dixon and they eventually married in 1979.
1980’s- I Have A Heart
Always one to anticipate the next trend, Mamie spent the first half of the 80’s touring clubs and discos with her New Wave material. Her film career now began to experience a revival, a new generation were discovering her juvenile delinquent movies of the 50’s and in 1984 she attended the ‘Hollywood’s Film Retrospective and Tribute to Mamie Van Doren’ at The Nuart Theatre in Los Angeles.
During the 80’s Mamie was a much sought after chat show guest, especially after the release of her tell all autobiography in 1987 entitled Playing The Field: My Story. With it’s frank tales of the Hollywood studio system and Mamie’s romances (and the ones she turned down) – the book caused a stir!
1990’s – Anything Your Heart Desires
In 1994 Mamie’s talents were recognised by Hollywood and she was awarded her own star on the legendary Walk of Fame. She told The Hollywood Reporter:
“I love the location. It’s right near Mann’s Chinese Theater. I used to walk there when I was a youngster. Believe it or not, I go clean it myself. I take a can of Brasso and throw it in the back of my truck. I like to shine it when it gets dirty. I really make it sparkle. It’s probably due for another cleaning now.”
As the internet became a worldwide phenomenon Mamie launched her own website http://www.mamievandoren.com. She featured rare photos, Hollywood anecdotes, her musings on life as well as her insightful blog, Inside/Out.
2000’s and Beyond – Still A Troublemaker
As the new millenium dawned Mamie was as in demand as ever. Her website continued to gain populariry and she launched a limited edition wine – Mamietage, which was notable for it’s unique packaging featuring photos of herself.
In 2010, photographer Alan Mercer released the book Mamie Now, a coffee table book which celebrated her as the icon she is today. In the same year, Mamie released the country inspired album Still A Troublemaker – an apt title for a lady who was once considered the ‘bad girl’ of the movies.
Due to increased interest, Mamie re-released a special collectors edition of her 1987 biography Playing the Field in 2013.
She has also been the subject of work by celebrated pin up artist, Olivia De Berardinis – her career coming full circle from the Vargas girl she was at age 17.
Part Two: My Top Three Mamie Movies
1. Girls Town (1959)
Girls Town is a juvenile delinquent, teen exploitation film of the highest caliber! Mamie plays the sassy and rebellious Silver Morgan who is sent to the Girls Town reform school for a crime she didn’t commit. Silver becomes friends with Sarafina (Gigi Perreau) who has been sent to Girls Town for stealing a lace nightie and breaking into the apartment of pop star Jimmy Parlow (Paul Anka)! When Jimmy comes to Girls Town to perform for the inmates he is greeted by the following comment from Silver:
“Big deal. King Groovy comes to Dungeonsville to make with a song for poor little old us. What do you want me to do, kiss your foot?”
The film also stars Mel Torme as the oldest teenage hoodlum in town (Mel was aged 31 at the time of filming). With catfights, hot rod races and human trafficking the film is nothing short of “crazy, cool and fantabulous”!
Favourite quote:
Dick Culdane (Ray Anthony) to Silver: “you’re new around here aren’t you” Silver: “Fresh outta the box, daddy-o”
Interesting fact: Paul Anka wrote a song named Hey Mamma for Mamie to sing in the movie. The scene was filmed, but was cut by the censors because it showed Silver singing in the shower. Mamie quipped at the time “even bad girls have to shower”. You can see the scene here.
2. Untamed Youth (1957)
Mamie stars as Penny Lowe in this rock n roll exploitation film. She and her sister, Jane (Lori Nelson) are singers, arrested for hitchhiking. They are subsequently sent to a reform camp to pick cotton and are secretly fed dog food for dinner (!). Other delinquents are played by Eddie Cochran and Jeanne Carmen, among others. Controversial for it’s day, Untamed Youth was on the Catholic Legion of Decency list of objectionable films due to it’s “immorality”. The film deals with issues that were not commonly dealt with at the time, such as teenage pregnancy out of wedlock. This is one of Mamie’s personal favourite movies.
Interesting Fact: Mamie sings 4 rock n roll songs, written by Eddie Cochran, making her the first woman to sing rock n roll on film (she really was the girl who invented rock n roll!). The songs were released as an EP to coincide with the film’s release in 1957.
3. Guns, Girls and Gangsters (1959)
A cheating blonde, a crazed con and the biggest armored car robbery in history – what’s not to love about this film? Mamie stars as singer Vi Victor in this festive crime thriller. Along with the criminal Chuck Wheeler they plan to hijack and armored car containing 2 million dollars.
Favourite quote:
Just before Vi is about to sing at the motel: “Give me plenty of room, men. I take deep breaths!”
Part 3: Mamie Mysteries
1. The Blonde From Buenos Aires
The Blonde from Buenos Aires was released in Argentina in 1961 and in Europe in 1962. It is one of the few Mamie films I have never seen, and as far as I am aware the film is lost. It has never surfaced in any form online. If anyone has a copy, or if you went to see the movie when it was released, please get in touch as I would love to hear more about it.
2. That Girl From Boston
In 1975 it was announced that Mamie would be starring in a film entitled That Girl From Boston. I understand that the film was never completed, but wonder if any footage was shot and if it is still out there somewhere? I did find a book that was released to accompany the movie, which indicated that some scenes were in fact filmed. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Mamie has certainly had both a wild and creative life so far! Now all that’s left, is for me to wish the living legend that is Mamie Van Doren a truly HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
B Movie Bombshell 
Always beautiful and talented!! I grew up watching all her movies. She is forever special to me!
LikeLike
Hi Barry. Thank you so much for your comment. I really admire Mamie and I think her films are the best of the 1950’s. I think she is inspirational.
LikeLike