Mamie Van Doren

Mamie Van Doren (born February 6, 1931) is an American actress and sex symbol.

Career continues

Some of Van Doren's more noteworthy movies include Teacher's Pet (1958) at Paramount, Born Reckless (1958) at Warner Bros., High School Confidential! (1958), and The Beat Generation (1959), the latter two at MGM.

Related Topics:
Teacher's Pet - 1958 - Paramount - Born Reckless - Warner Bros. - High School Confidential! - The Beat Generation - 1959 - MGM

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But many of the productions she starred in were low-budget B-movies. They are largely unknown to later generations, though some have gained a following for their high camp value. Besides the casting decisions at Universal, a problem was her poor management in selecting a suitable project.

Related Topics:
B-movie - High camp

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In 1959, Universal chose not to exercise the option in her contract. Van Doren was now a free agent and had to struggle to find work. Some of her later movies were foreign and independent productions, such as The Blonde from Buenos Aires (1961), The Candidate (1964), The Navy vs the Night Monsters (1966) and Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women (1968), which was directed by Peter Bogdanovich, who used another name, fearing the movie would ruin his reputation.

Related Topics:
1959 - The Blonde from Buenos Aires - 1961 - The Candidate - 1964 - The Navy vs the Night Monsters - 1966 - Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women - 1968 - Peter Bogdanovich

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In 1963, she posed twice for Playboy to promote her movie Three Nuts In Search of a Bolt (1964), though she was never a Playmate.

Related Topics:
1963 - Playboy - Three Nuts In Search of a Bolt - 1964 - Playmate

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In 1964, Van Doren was at the Whisky A Go-Go on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood when The Beatles were at the club, and a drunk George Harrison accidentally threw his drink on her when he was really trying to throw it on some bothersome journalists.

Related Topics:
1964 - Whisky A Go-Go - Sunset Strip - West Hollywood - The Beatles - George Harrison

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Van Doren also developed a nightclub act and did a lot of live theatre. She performed in stage productions of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Dames at Sea at the Drury Lane Theatre, Chicago, and appeared in Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter and The Tender Trap at the Arlington Park Theatre.

Related Topics:
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - Dames at Sea - Drury Lane Theatre - Chicago - Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter - The Tender Trap

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During the war, she did tours for U.S. troops in Vietnam, for three months in 1968 and again in 1970. In addition to USO shows, she visited hospitals, including the wards of amputees and burn victims that many other celebrities stayed away from.

Related Topics:
War - Vietnam - 1968 - 1970 - USO - Hospitals

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Her guest appearances on TV include The Bob Cummings Show, The Jack Benny Show, Fantasy Island, Burke's Law, Vega$, and L.A. Law.

Related Topics:
The Bob Cummings Show - The Jack Benny Show - Fantasy Island - Burke's Law - Vega$ - L.A. Law

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In the 1970s, she did a nightclub act in Las Vegas.

Related Topics:
1970s - Las Vegas

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