Evening star., 1954-04-18
Orbit for Mamie
HOLLYWOOD.

11O1A4 WON/A.
Mamie Van Doren, who up
to a year ago was Just plain
Joan Lucille Olander of
Rowena, S. OAK, is not a star
yet.
A real honest-to-goodness
star is one who can draw
patrons to a movie on the
strength of her name alone.
Mamie Van Doren is not in
that class. But she is being
methodically pushed toward
stardom by Hollywood's star
making machine.
The celestial output of this
apparatus is not sure-flre. You.
the movie-goer, make the final
decision, and you-much to
the regret of Hollywood-can
be mighty unpredictable.
But the odds are that
Mamie will make it. Her case
history provides an interest
ing and highly decorative ex-
ample of the great Hollywood
buildup
Frame Is Solid
In the beginning was the
frame. and a gorgeous one 1t
was, too. Bust SO, waist "a,
hips 35. She also had a pretty
face and alluring platinum
blonde hair. She could sing
a little. Could she act? That
didn't matter so much. she
could get by on the other in
gradients until she learned to
act.
The early part of the Mamie
Van Doren story is not I'M
portant. She was born in the
Swedish colony in Rowena.
Her grandparents had come
from Stockholm. The family
moved to Los Angeles, where
Joan went to high school and
then became a lawyers secre-
tary. She gave that up for
show business, had scant sue
cess as a New York shoWglrl,
became a band singer In Las
Vegas.
Her luck began to change in
that gambling capital. Com
poser Jimmy McHugh, who
secuted girl singers for his
night club act, became her
manager.
McHugh enrolled her at
various drama schools in
Hollywood. One night she was
playing in 'Come Back. Little
Sheba" at the Bliss Hayden
Theater. In the audience was
Phil Benjamin, talent scout
for Universal international
Studios. He was impressed.
That's how it all started.
Got Bit Role
She was invited to the stu
dio. Producers listened to her
sing a McHugh tune, II Can't
Give You Anything But Love"
They liked it and she was
signed to do a bit as band
singer in a Tony Curtis pic
ture, Forbidden"
Because of her brief scene.
she was offered a seven-year
contract with yearly options,
starting at 5000 a week. This
was $75 or $100 over the
amount usually given to new
comers. Mamie signed on Feb
ruary 6, 1853, her goth birth
day.
Then things started hap
pening fast" she recalls.
Looking back on it, I don't
see how I lived through it."
First she was taken to
Buddy Westmore, head Of
the makeup department. He
scrubbed me up" showed her
how to use less lipstick.
Next stop was hair, stylist
Joan st. Oegger, who "stuck
my head in basin" and took
the curl out of her hair.
She conferred with William
Goetz and AL Horwitz, who
were then studio boss and pub
licity chief respectively Of U-1.
They told her how to dress.
"You don't have to wear those
low-cut, skin-tight dresses"
Goetz told her. They're okay
to draw attention at first, but
you don't need them now"
She Got a Name
She went out and bought
three conservative dresses.
She then faced the score or
more members of the studio
publicity department. They
were of one mind on her
strongest selling point: Sex.
But first you'll need a new
name" she was told.
A day later, the young girl
was having lunch in the COM
misSary. Casting Director Bob
Palmer sent her a note: Your
name is now Mamie Van
Doren."
II thought it was a joke"
she recalls. Then they told
me that was really my new
name. I couldn't get used to
it at first. Now I'm very fond
of it,"
Equipped with a name,