Each morning, Mamie Van Doren goes to the seashore close to her residence in Southern California and sits on the identical rock, her toes within the Pacific. “It form of heals me,” she says.
At 95, she has outlived virtually everybody. His memoirs, You Thought I Was Useless: My Lifetime of Celebrities, Intercourse and Champagneis out there now from Simon & Schuster, and she or he has already began the subsequent e book – about Marilyn Monroe, who would have turned 100 this month.
Mamie – rhymes with “pay me” – knew her earlier than she was Marilyn. To her, she remains to be Norma Jeane Baker, a youngster who defended a stranger on the Ambassador Resort pool through the struggle years in Los Angeles.
By the Nineteen Fifties, Hollywood had repackaged them each as blonde bombshells and pitted them towards one another: Van Doren was Common’s reply to Fox’s Monroe, whose measurements have been printed facet by facet in fan magazines. Monroe died in 1962. Van Doren continued. She has tales she’s saved secret for many years – about Howard Hughes, Tony Curtis, Jack Webb and others. Some she tells totally for the primary time. She lately spoke with THR.
You’re 95 years outdated. You appear extraordinary. What is the secret?
Properly, one factor: I’ve by no means smoked. I’ve by no means taken medication. Once I was a youngster, I smoked weed, however I did not prefer it. I’ve by no means drank a lot. I stayed away from dangerous individuals. I really like canine. I’ve all the time had canine and they’re my greatest buddies. And I did not stick with anybody who wasn’t good to me. I’ve form of been my very own lady. I just about do what I wish to do and what makes me really feel good.
Who did you admire whenever you arrived?
I’ve all the time admired older actresses. Once I was youthful, I liked Mae West and Marlene Dietrich. I simply adopted them and copied them all through all the pieces. And naturally my favourite was Jean Harlow – I used to be solely 5 when she died. After seeing pictures of her with platinum blonde hair, I stated to myself: someday I’ll have that hair. And so I bleached it, made it blonde.
Your title was Joan Lucille Olander. How did she change into Mamie Van Doren?
[A photographer] got here to me for horny pictures. He was going to do an article on the brand new participant beneath contract. It is me. So he went to the gallery the place I used to be taking pictures, met me and advised me I did not have a reputation. And he stated: “And Grandma? As a result of Granny [Eisenhower] was then the primary woman. After which they obtained the title Van Doren from somebody’s nickname there, they usually took that title and gave it to me, they turned Mamie Van Doren.
What did you consider it?
I believed it seemed too outdated. It seemed extra like a mature lady. I stated, “I’ll should create one other picture for that title. I’ll should make it occur.” And I believe I did.
You realize Marilyn Monroe lengthy earlier than she turned Marilyn Monroe. How did it begin?
I met her after I was 12 years outdated. I used to be swimming within the pool on the Ambassador Resort. She was a mannequin, they usually have been having a magnificence pageant, they usually have been strolling across the pool, and I used to be within the pool, attempting to get consideration. Somebody stated, “Get the child out of the pool.” » I’ll always remember it. I felt horrible. After which one lady, Norma Jeane, stated, “Don’t speak to him like that.” » I believed, “That is coming from somebody, an actual magnificence.” » I ran as much as her and stated, “My title is Joanie Olander. I do know your title is Norma Jeane. I simply wish to thanks.” She stated, “You’re so candy.” After which I went again residence – my residence with my household was proper behind the Ambassador Resort.
By the point you two have been within the studios, you have been thought-about rivals.
Common would pitch me as their reply to Fox’s Monroe. Hollywood magazines put us facet by facet. However I bumped into her at events through the years, and she or he solely had one black gown that she wore on a regular basis. I believed, “Doesn’t she have cash to purchase one other gown?” She was beneath contract at Fox. She had simply gotten a type of low-cost contracts – $60 every week or one thing like that.
Tony Curtis advised you one thing about him as soon as.
He stated she was a nasty lady. I believed, “What’s going to he say about me?”
When was the final time you noticed her?
I noticed her on the Russian Tea Room in New York every week earlier than she died. I used to be doing Males want blondes on stage. And I used to be sleeping – I all the time sleep through the day – and I obtained a name from [columnist] Depend Wilson. He stated, “Have you ever seen what’s on tv? Flip it on.” So I turned it on and Marilyn was being carried out on a stretcher with a unclean, outdated blanket over her. I used to be devastated. Then I had to do that play that night time, and I used to be having a tough time getting by way of it. I began to cry.
Do you’re feeling like Hollywood ate her alive?
Properly, that appeared to be the case, did not it? She was susceptible and I believe she actually thought Bobby Kennedy was going to depart his spouse for her. And she or he in all probability thought JFK would do the identical factor. He had no intention of doing that, and neither did Bobby. In order that they upset her, and it was much more rejection. And she or he was rejected by Yves Montand, with whom she was making a movie: she thought he was going to come back again, marry her and divorce Simone Signoret. I am unable to let you know extra as a result of I’ll write my e book. I’ve some actual presents in there. You will not imagine it.
Inform me about Howard Hughes. You have been 14 when he found you.
I went to the Mocambo membership, I had by no means been there, I used to be exterior asking for autographs. A household good friend let me in and rapidly a waiter got here and gave me a observe. He stated Howard Hughes want to meet me. The individuals who have been with me stated, “Oh my God, that is great. He has a studio.” I gave his affiliate my cellphone quantity. [The next day at] round 8 a.m. he referred to as me. I did not even have the possibility to inform my mom about it.
Was your mom keen to ship you to satisfy Howard Hughes, understanding his popularity?
My mom was 16 when she turned pregnant and gave beginning to me at 17. She did not suppose a lot about it. I advised him all the pieces, I did not cover something from him. She advised me, “In case you do one thing, it’s a must to inform me so you aren’t getting in bother.” » She actually protected me.
So that you had breakfast collectively. What occurred?
He despatched a automobile and we went to Gamers Restaurant on Sundown Boulevard. The very first thing he requested me was if I used to be a virgin. So I knew he was on the lookout for a virgin. I did not inform him if I used to be or not. I did not suppose it was his enterprise.
After which he took you to the Backyard of Allah. What was this place like?
Oh, it was like a small city in there. A number of timber – good, full timber. After which the swimming pool took the form of the Mediterranean. The water was a really darkish blue and really, very chilly. And so they had cottages – little homes – they usually have been actually stunning inside. Very giant and open. After which it smelled – we smelled wooden. I bear in mind the room smelling strongly as a result of it was a bit outdated.
It was the essence of Hollywood in a single place. Writers, film stars, events each night time.
Oh yeah. Many writers went there as a result of they preferred writing there and there was quite a lot of historical past there. We had a beautiful dinner and it was an expertise the place I wasn’t certain if I ought to or not.
{A magazine} article in contrast Van Doren to her predominant rival – and longtime good friend – Marilyn Monroe.
Bettmann/Getty Photographs
And that is whenever you had your Jean Harlow second.
I got here out of the bathe with a towel round me and I used to be questioning: did Jean Harlow do it? Do you suppose I ought to? And I used to be like, “Rattling, Jean did it. I’ll do it.” So I went for it.
How was it?
He handled me very kindly. And I advised him, “I am unable to be with you with out a condom.” » And I seemed, and there was already one. Once I seemed, there wasn’t a lot. In comparison with that [man] I already had one, this one was smaller.
Tony Curtis was a totally completely different story.
I had a bungalow at Common proper between Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis – it was for the superstars. He was doing Spartacus. He knocked on the door at lunchtime and I invited him in. And that is once we did it.
How was it?
Oh my God. It simply got here and got here and got here. I’ve by no means seen anybody like that. I believed, “Properly, perhaps he did not do it with Janet [Leigh]. Why had he saved it?
You write within the e book about Elizabeth Brief – the Black Dahlia. You knew her.
I saved this to myself for a very long time. I promised my mom that I would not inform anybody as a result of everybody was suspicious and I used to be scared to demise. However she was not a prostitute. Everybody referred to as her a whore. She wasn’t a whore. She labored laborious to get recommendation – to go to Hawaii.
Why Hawaii?
She needed to go there together with her fiancé. He was an ace flyer – he obtained killed, he crashed on his final flight. They deliberate to go to Hawaii collectively, after which his physique was despatched there. She needed to go there and notice what they have been going to do collectively. She stayed till the New Yr to earn extra money. And I gave her the $100 I had acquired so she might get there quicker.
After which she was murdered.
Once I noticed this picture within the newspaper that morning, I fainted. My mom needed to name the physician. I believed I used to be going to die.
The police by no means questioned you?
By no means. I by no means heard a phrase from the police.
There’s one other, extra disturbing chapter within the e book about Jack Webb, the star of Flirting.
I advised it a very long time in the past – about 30 years in the past – and nobody had actually seen it. Aaron Spelling launched us. Jack stated he’d like to satisfy me and requested me out to dinner. Very boring. I did not prefer it in any respect. About two weeks later, he requested me if I needed to come back to his producer’s home to observe a movie.
On the way in which again, he stated he needed to cease at his home. I stated I’d wait within the automobile. He completely needed me to enter. So I went in and sat down by the door. He comes out of the kitchen with a glass of wine and says, “That is one of the best wine you have ever tasted. Take a sip.” I took a tiny sip. Impulsively, I began feeling dizzy. The subsequent factor I knew, I used to be tied to a chair. Then I used to be in a mattress. I used to be drugged and raped.
Why could not you go to the police?
He was involved with the police. Nobody would imagine me. So I needed to endure it. It was the worst factor that ever occurred to me. After that, I by no means trusted a person once more.
And also you saved it a secret for many years.
Nobody would imagine me. His title was Jack Webb.
It is within the e book now.
It’s. And I am going to let you know one thing: I am very, very grateful to have lived this lengthy. I respect issues at the moment greater than ever.
This story appeared within the June 10 subject of The Hollywood Reporter journal. Click on right here to subscribe.