FAQ
Questions and answers
Who was Mamie Van Doren?
An American actress, singer and sex symbol, and one of the best known blondes of 1950s Hollywood.
What was her birth name?
Joan Lucille Olander.
Where was she born?
Rowena, South Dakota.
When was she active?
From 1951 to 1979, with later work in 1986, 1987, 1999 and 2002.
Which studio signed her?
Universal, in 1953, on a contract built around the hope that she could match Marilyn Monroe.
Why is she linked to Marilyn Monroe?
Universal promoted her as a rival blonde bombshell, and the press grouped her with Monroe and Jayne Mansfield as the three M's.
Which films is she known for?
Forbidden, The All American, Yankee Pasha, Untamed Youth, High School Confidential, Girls Town, Vice Raid and Sex Kittens Go to College are among the titles most often cited.
What kind of roles did she play?
Bad girls, singers and troublemakers in B-movies, many of which later became cult films for their camp value.
Did she pose for Playboy?
She posed twice in 1963 to promote one of her films, but she was never a Playmate.
Did she work in stage and music?
Yes. She recorded rock and roll singles, played nightclubs and appeared in stage productions of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Dames at Sea.
Did she tour for the troops?
Yes, in Vietnam in 1968 and again in 1970, and she visited military hospitals as well as performing.
Did she publish a memoir?
Yes, Playing the Field, published in 1987.