Click here to read a review of the western The Hangman just released on Blu-Ray starring Robert Taylor, Jack Lord, Fess Parker and scene stealer Tina Louise. The reviewer praises Tina’s portrayal and what acting promise she showed. She had already given well-received performances in God’s Little Acre (for which she won a Golden Globe) and The Trip. Tina should have become a top leading lady of the Sixties, but she made the decision to abandon Hollywood to live in Italy for a few years. This hindered her movie career tremendously. She made one prestige movie Garibaldi for esteemed director Roberto Rossellini but it barely was released in the U.S. However, her sword-and-sandal films Siege of Syracuse and Warrior Empress were distributed widely. View the below clip to see some behind-the-scenes footage from Warrior Empress.

httpv://youtu.be/gs_JwA__ojA

When Tina returned to the U.S. she was never able to achieve the silver screen career she deserved. Time on Broadway and being stranded on Gilligan’s Island sidelined it. But Tina was not the only starlet who left Hollywood at an inopportune time. After playing the naive ingenue in Come Fly with Me, For Those Who Think Young and The Pleasure Seekers, among others, Pamela Tiffin was able to finally progress to more mature roles with her turn as the sexy brunette who vexes Paul Newman in Harper. She won raves so what does Pamela e do? She dyes her hair blond and goes off to Italy to escape her marriage where she starred in a number of movies of which only a very few made to the U.S. shores.

In 1965, Carol Lynley did not impress the critics as Jean Harlow in Harlow. However, she followed up with an excellent performance in Otto Preminger’s cult thriller Bunny Lake Is Missing with Laurence Olivier. Variety raved, “Carrying the weight of the movie on her shoulders…Carol Lynley is outstanding.” Redeeming herself, does Carol concentrate on her career? No, she moves to London saying she needs a break since she has been working steadily since age 10. When she returns to Hollywood in 1968 Rowan & Martin and Glen Campbell are in her future as leading men. Thank goodness for the ill-fated SS Poseidon.

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I always get asked when did my fascination with Sixties starlets begin since I was just a little kid by the end of the decade. So here goes. Picture it. A seven-year -old boy sits down to watch this new comedy/drama set in late 1800s Seattle called Here Come the Brides starring pop sensation Bobby Sherman. The kid loves his music as he is all the rage of the teenage baby-sitting set and we had a lot of baby-sitters. My first starlet crush (not counting him but that is for another Blog) was on the delightful Bridget Hanley as his girlfriend Candy. I don’t know if it was because of her great hair styles or because if she was paired with that teen dream wearing the tightest pants allowed on network TV.

httpv://youtu.be/iwQRUsh1CfY

I next fell for Deanna Lund as the fiery redheaded, mini-skirted intergalactic castaway Valerie Scott on Land of the Giants. In the first couple of episodes, her character had spunk and schemed with villainous Col. Fitzhugh to get themselves rescued. Later as her skirts became shorter, she became more of a team player with her fellow castaways. My brother and I at this time used to play with Matt Mason 6 inch action figures. We had a space pod and 3-story space station. I would always get my sister’s red haired Dawn doll, put her in a mini-skirt, and dub her Valerie the damsel in distress to be rescued by Matt and his team. Too much information? I hope my poor mother doesn’t read this.

Number three was Marta Kristen on Lost in Space. Watching in syndication, I like most viewers enjoyed the machinations of Dr. Zachary Smith and his interplay with Will Robinson and the Robot. Then the third season began and Marta’s Judy Robinson went from long limp blond hair and a pants suit to a wild mod hair style and mini-skirt with matching go-go boots. I was awed. And unlike the earlier seasons, she is featured prominently in a lot more episodes here.

httpv://youtu.be/yjvnKb0keq8

By 1970-71 my starlet affection grew to include Batman‘s Yvonne Craig as Batgirl and Julie Newmar as Catwoman (do they really think the scrawny, ridiculous Anne Hathaway will be able to fill Ms. Julie Newmar’s catsuit? I think not.); Tina Louise from Gilligan’s Island (no contest for me who I prefer. Pitiful Dawn Wells entire post-Gilligan’s Island career consists almost entirely of bad-mouthing Tina); Meredith MacRae and Linda Saunders (Billie Jo and Bobbie Jo) from Petticoat Junction; Judy Carne from Laugh-In; Karen Valentine in Room 222; Annette Funicello; Shelley Fabares; and Linda Harrison who played Nova in the Planet of the Apes movies.

So wasn’t I excited when I discovered ABC-TV’s anthology series Love, American Style when it moved to the 10pm timeslot on Friday nights. I think for two years the line-up before it began with The Brady Bunch at 8pm followed by The Partridge Family; Room 222; and The Odd Couple at 9:30pm. I loved them all (maybe not so much The Partridge Family as skinny David Cassidy ws no Bobby Sherman). I would sit with bated breath as the opening for Love, American Style would begin hoping one of my gals would appear. I would clap in delight when I saw Tina or Julie or Yvonne or Bridget or Shelley or Deanna’s face appear in the heart-shaped opening. The 4 skits was just soooo that period in time and the clothes and hair styles and sets spot on. I think most of the adult themes went right over my 9 year-old head but I just loved this show.

httpv://youtu.be/10hrOJkOxX0

My fascination with all these actresses never went away, but did take a back seat when I saw The Poseidon Adventure on May 11, 1973. I was infatuated with the pretty waifish-looking long-haired blond who played the terrified pop singer Nonnie. When I asked my mom who she was she said, “Carol Lynley. She was in that vampire movie I told you not to watch.” The light bulb went off. She was reporter Carl Kolchak’s girlfriend in The Night Stalker. The movie that gave me nightmares for days. I was in heaven demented as that sounds. Once I saw a more glamorous Carol with a short haircut playing tough-talking Yvonne Phillips who goes part way across the country in a stolen sedan with Vietnam Vet Glen Campbell in Norwood I was hooked. Forty years later I still am on Carol and all the other Sixties starlets.

httpv://youtu.be/BHOhZrVS1Jk

Wonderful clips of some screen tests. Most interesting to me is Raquel Welch’s test with James Coburn for Our Man Flint a role she lost to Israeli actress Gila Golan. Also the brief clip of Raquel testing for the role of the ill-fated Jennifer in Valley of the Dolls–she took the blue pills. Raquel was offered the role, but turned it down.

httpv://youtu.be/7fpOPI9O0gg

One of the actresses seen testing for Jennifer was former Playboy Playmate Donna Michelle who played Animal in Beach Blanket Bingo.

Jean Hale who had just co-starred with James Coburn in In Like Flint also turned down Jennifer because of the semi-nudity. She opted for the violence in The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre instead.

Karen Jensen craved the role of Jennifer and thought she had it. She remarked in Fantasy Femmes of Sixties Hollywood, “When you go on interviews, sometimes you get the sense if they like you or don’t.  I really sensed that either producer David Weisbart or director Mark Robson—I can’t remember which—took a real liking to me and was pulling for me to get the part.  I went back a couple of times and I thought I had a real chance for it.” 

Sharon Tate is ultimately cast and gives a touching, understated performance as the vulnerable Jennifer. And she gets to utter that infamous unPC line, “You now how bitchy fags can be!” 

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