Valley of the Dolls...a Guilty Pleasure by Dave Goode

 

You'd think that someone who openly admits his love of all manner of B , C and D movies wouldn't have any guilty pleasures. But I do. And Valley of the Dolls is at the top of that list.

Based on Jacqueline Susann's 1966 best-selling roman à clef trash-fest the movie may have been more over the top than the novel. And deserves it's reputation as a camp classic. Directed by Mark Robson with a screenplay by Helen Deutsch the movie tells the story of three young women and their rise and fall in show business.Harlan Ellison also had a part in writing the movie. But had his name removed from the credits when the film's downbeat ending was changed.

RARE JUDY GARLAND STILL

The movie stars Patty Duke as Neely O'Hara, Barbara Parkins as Anne Welles and the beautiful and tragic Sharon Tate as Jennifer North. Half the fun in watching this movie is guessing who the characters are based on. For instance the Neely O'Hara character is based on Judy Garland. Garland originally was hired to play Helen Lawson ,the character who was based on Ethel Merman and played by Susan Hayward after Garland was fired for coming to work drunk.

SUSAN HAYWARD

JUDY GARLAND ON THE POSTER

PATTY DUKE

Patty Duke caught a lot of flack from critics for her performance as Neely when the movie was released. And when you win an Oscar for best supporting actress when you're only sixteen I guess a lot is expected of you. I actually enjoy her over the top performance in Valley of the Dolls. And the scene where she wakes up from a drunken stupor in a hot sheets hotel room with a skid row stud is great. The look of disgust on her face when she realizes what she ,the biggest star in movies ,has just done should have earned her another academy award nomination.

LINDSAY LOHAN in better days

For a time when it looked like Lindsay Lohan was still serious about getting her career back together I thought a remake of Valley of the Dolls would have been perfect for her. She could play Neely O'Hara in her sleep. After all she had been rehearsing for it all her life. Then I started to imagine an adaptation of Susann's book with Lohan playing all three of the female leads. With different hair colors of course. You could even throw Mariah Carey in as Helen Lawson. Now that would have been a camp classic.

...and bad days.

 

VALLEY OF THE DOLLS  directed by Mark Robson. Based on the novel of the same name by Jacqueline Susann. PG-13 1967 available on various formats.

There's Only One Race Bannon by Dave Goode

Actor Jeff Chandler...the perfect Race Bannon

TV Guide ad

I was seven years old when JONNY QUEST premiered in prime time on September 18 , 1964. At the time I thought it was the coolest cartoon I had ever seen. And there has been nothing in the ensuing decades to challenge that opinion. Sure SPACE GHOST was cool. But it wasn't Jonny Quest cool. After all ,as any fan-boy will tell you ,the real star of JONNY QUEST was Race Bannon. Much in the same way Pat Ryan was the true star in the early days of Milton Caniff's classic adventure comic strip TERRY & THE PIRATES.

Race Bannon

JONNY QUEST followed the pulp-like adventures of 11 year-old Jonny who travelled the world with his scientist father Dr.Benton Quest , adopted brother Hadji and bodyguard Roger "Race" Bannon. Because of the nature of Dr. Quest's work and it's importance to world security Bannon was assigned by " Intelligence I " as a permanent bodyguard to the Quests as well as a tutor for Jonny and Hadji. By the way publicity material claimed that Hadji was adopted by the Quests. But this was never mentioned in any of the original 26 episodes.

Race Bannon's "voice" Mike Road

EAST OF SUMATRA 1953 Universal

As far as Race Bannon he was a secret agent , expert pilot , and expert with firearms. He is also a martial arts expert with a third degree black belt in judo. He was voiced on the series by actor Mike Road. And his physical design was based on Hollywood he-man actor Jeff Chandler. I can't watch a Jeff Chandler movie like EAST OF SUMATRA without imagining it's a Race Bannon adventure prior to his assignment with the Quests.

THE LADY TAKES A FLYER 1958 Universal-International

Chandler was born Ira Grossel in Brooklyn NY where he attended Eramus Hall High School. After the U.S. entered WW Two Chandler entered the army and served for four years earning the rank of lieutenant. After being discharged from the army and began a notable film career. He was even nominated for the Academy Award for portraying the Apache chief Cochise in BROKEN ARROW (1950) . When fan-boys think of casting a JONNY QUEST movie their first choice is Jeff Chandler as Race. Unfortunately Chandler would die tragically young at age 42 three years before JONNY QUEST first aired. I suppose Peter Graves might have been a good second choice. But as Race's love interest on the cartoon, Jezebal Jade, said "There's only one Race Bannon."

JONNY QUEST is available on DVD

 

Faux book cover idea by Dave Goode - graphics by Vance Capley

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