Mamie Van Doren

Mamie Van Doren, born Joan Lucille Olander on February 6, 1931, in Rowena, South Dakota, is a retired American actress and one of the last living blonde bombshells. She is famously recognized as part of the 'Three M's' alongside Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield, both of whom were her friends and contemporaries. In 1953, she signed a seven-year contract with Universal Pictures, who envisioned her as their answer to Monroe. Throughout her career, Van Doren starred in a variety of films, including teen dramas, musicals, and cult classics, establishing herself as a leading sex symbol of the 1950s.

Raised in Sioux City, Iowa, and later Los Angeles, Van Doren's journey to stardom began when she won the titles of Miss Palm Springs and Miss Eight Ball at the age of eighteen. It was during her reign as Miss Eight Ball that she caught the attention of film producer Howard Hughes, leading to her appearances in minor roles in RKO films such as His Kind of Woman and Jet Pilot. Despite a brief engagement to heavyweight boxer Jack Dempsey, she returned to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career.

While at Universal, she adopted the name Mamie Van Doren, inspired by First Lady Mamie Eisenhower and the studio's suggestion that she was more Dutch than Swedish. Her notable films during this period included The Second Greatest Sex and Running Wild. After her contract ended in 1959, Van Doren faced challenges as a free agent, appearing in several B movies and making headlines with her appearance in Playboy magazine in June 1964.

Throughout her life, Van Doren has been married five times and has had numerous affairs with Hollywood actors. She entertained troops during the Vietnam War in the 1970s and, following the deaths of her contemporaries Monroe and Mansfield, chose to retire from acting. In 1987, she published her autobiography, Playing the Field: My Story, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994. In 1998, she launched her website, branding herself as 'the first authentic kitten on Cyberspace,' and released her latest book, China & Me, in 2022, while currently working on a third autobiography.