sixties

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HANOI JANE

Though I was a kid at the time, I was against the Vietnam War along with most people and cheered on the protestors. But Jane Fonda took it to the extreme and was an ass for visiting North Vietnam. I always thought it was just a publicity stunt to make audiences accept her as a “serious actress” rather than Barbarella. It was a relief when Jane married Ted Turner and retired in the 90s.

Unfortunately, she’s back! Ugh! All week long as I look up from the treadmill at the gym there is Jane Fonda being interviewed on TV. Though she looks great (kudos to her plastic surgeon?) we have no interest in what she is hawking or opining about. I am officially declaring Fonda a 60s gal I-love-to-hate. She now joins the ranks of Diane Baker, Jill St. John, and Stefanie Powers in the Sixties Starlet Hall of Shame.

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OUT OF THE CLOISTERED CLOSET

They don’t ask Dolores Hart where the boys are any longer. She became a cloistered nun over 40 years ago. But Mother Dolores (at right, now & then) made big news recently when she ventured out into the real world and visited Hollywood for the first time since leaving there. Suffering from peripheral idiopathic neuropathy, a neurological disorder that afflicts countless Americans, Mother Dolores testified at a Congressional hearing in D.C. before heading West.

Dolores is best know for her role as virginal Merritt in Where the Boys Are (1960) the movie that kicked started the beach movie genre of the sixties. Prior to that she co-starred opposite Elvis Presley in Loving You (1957) and King Creole (1958). For years Dolores was dogged by rumours that she bore Elvis’ love child and that is why she became a nun, which were totally untrue. Her last movie was Come Fly with Me (1963) a glossy romantic yarn starring Hart, Pamela Tiffin, and Lois Nettleton as airline hostesses out to trap themselves a man. Ah, those glorious sixties movies!

Mother Dolores has stayed in contact with many of her sixties pals including Paula Prentiss and Mariette Hartley. She reportedly re-visited old jaunts and dined at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Unbelievably, she is still a voting member of the Academy even though she hasn’t made a movie since 1963!

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MORE POSEIDON ADVENTURE

I almost wet my pants the other day when my boyfriend Ern reluctantly called me at work to inform me that the Brooklyn Academy of Music was screening The Poseidon Adventure on Tuesday April 25. He thought since I am in the know on all things Poseidon that I knew but I had no clue! I yelled louder than Nonnie did when the Poseidon began to capsize and immediately purchased two tickets. I can’t wait!!! Neither can Ern. Not!

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DVD NEWS

Fox is preparing a special edition DVD package of the spy spoofs Our Man Flint (1966) and In Like Flint (1967). The producer contacted me because they want to include commentary from as many actors who appeared in the films. I led him to In Like Flint’s sexy femme fatales Jean Hale, Thordis Brandt, and Inga Neilsen.

Above is a great still from the movie. Picture (left to right) are Mary Michael, Jacki Ray, Diane Bond, Inga Neilsen, James Coburn, Ginny Gan, and Jean Hale.

Jacki Ray soon became Mrs. Tom Selleck and will be profiled in my new book along with Inga and Thordis. You can read more about Diane Bond in my Drive-in Dream Girls Book and Jean Hale was interviewed by me for Fantasy Femmes of 60s Cinema .