The 1967 film Valley of the Dolls, based on the novel of the same name, has been described as ‘an amusingly bad movie.’ Lead actress Barbara Parkins attended a screening on its 30th anniversary and said to the audience, “I know why you like it…because it’s so bad!” All of these facts, along with its cult status, just makes me want to see it more, a feat that I haven’t yet accomplished. (It currently sits in my basement among about 3000 other films, the bulk of which I have yet to see). But I’ve done a little bit better when it comes to meeting the cast…
So far, I’m two for three. The third will never happen. Sharon Tate’s role as Jennifer North has been vastly overshadowed by her untimely and tragic demise before the film was even released, as a victim of the Manson Family murders.
I had already met Patty Duke at the Chiller Theatre show in 2010, at that time not really knowing she was involved with Valley of the Dolls, and instead opting to get a signed photo from The Miracle Worker. You can check out that encounter here.
Then I met Barbara Parkins at the Hollywood Show on August 4, 2012. Despite the fact that she had been nominated for an Emmy for her role in the TV series Peyton Place in the late 1960’s, and made appearances in a variety of TV shows such as Leave It to Beaver, My Three Sons, The Love Boat, and Picket Fences – I still recognized her most from her iconic role as Anne Welles in Valley of the Dolls. Besides, no such luck on actually having a Leave It to Beaver photo…
I laid down my $25 for the photo, and she scrawled a nice signature and added her character name. She posed for a photo with me, mumbling under her breath that is costs extra. But that’s as far as it went.
The next year at the Chiller Theatre Show on April 27, 2013, I added the second and final signature to the photo. Having the additional chance to meet Patty Duke once again, I talked the handler into a 2 for $40 deal and had her sign the Valley of the Dolls photo, plus finally got her on a shot from The Patty Duke Show (which you can see here). I thought this was a necessity to have in my collection.
She was sweet as always and gave me a big hug. She grew a bit pensive when she saw the photo, remarking what a terrible loss it was when she learned of Sharon Tate’s passing, and how she would have become a big star if she hadn’t been taken so soon.
Celebrity encounters from the Summer 2012 Hollywood Show will continue…
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