friends

Friends

Johnny Grant 1923-2008
A dear, dear friend passes, and there are no words to describe the loss. I have known Johnny since I was eighteen. He will be missed by everyone who knows what Hollywood REALLY means. Sleep well, Johnny. Until we meet again.

Video of Johnny's last birthday party, his 84th, HERE.
Pictures of the party HERE. (Scroll down the page to see the photos.)

A Collection of Friends from the Past

May 6, 2007

My sincere thanks to David Wills whose talent for uncovering lost or forgotten photos never ceases to amaze me. I have come a long way since that little 18 year old sitting at the Stork Club with Jack Dempsey. What sweet innocence! Believe it or not, I still have it... with a dash of the devil.

Governor Scranton, circa 1963, running for president, visited my dressing room for an autograph. This photo appeared in Time magazine.

Photo shoot for the Marineland Museum, circa 1957.

An Alberto Vargas showing in 1954 at the Shrine Auditorium. He chose me over Marilyn to appear with him. I'm standing in front of the painting Vargas did of me, but the photo flash blots it out. I'm imitating the pose in the painting. Alberto was a master at posing hands.

Tony Curtis, Mayor of Universal City, swears me in as Chief of Police while my pal Mara Corday, Fire Chief, looks on.

Jack Dempsey (the Manassas Mauler) and 18 year old Joan Olander at the Stork Club. We became engaged, but, fortunately for me, I landed a contract at Universal and became Mamie Van Doren. And the rest is history.

A very Art Deco photo, circa 1956,
during a pin up photo session I commissioned.

A two martini lunch! I'm posing in a Rudy Gernreich frontLESS bathing suit. Gernreich was famous for his backless and frontless fashions. This picture appeared on the wire services.

Jim Sears, the All American, holds while I kick an extra point. The movie was "The All American," my first starring role opposite Tony Curtis, 1953.

Jerry Giesler, my attorney and dear friend got me out of a lot of jams. This one was my marriage to Ray Anthony.

A publicity stunt during the filming of "Untamed Youth" in Bakersfield, California. My leg was supposedly caught in a cotton gin. It made all the papers.

My first premier, "The Glenn Miller Story" in 1953. I attended with Nicky Hilton, great uncle of Paris, newly split from Elizabeth Taylor.

Rock Hudson, circa 1953, who was so sweet and kind to me during my years at Universal.

Gennifer & David Visit

April 21, 2007

I had visitors recently at a photo shoot with Alan Mercer--my Texas pal, David Blackstock and my friend, Gennifer Flowers, who now lives and works in Las Vegas. If you're there try to catch her show. It had been a long day in front of the camera and I was dolled up like Astor's horse, so we took a couple of minutes to clown for the camera and record the occasion.

Kisses for everyone!

Gennifer tells some secrets under my hat.

David joins the girls for a hug fest.

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