History Literature / ValleyOfTheDolls

The novel was wildly popular upon publication (thanks largely to its juicy HorribleHollywood detailing), and had two film adaptations. The first adaptation in 1967 starred Barbara Parkins, Creator/PattyDuke, Sharon Tate, Paul Burke, Martin Milner, and Susan Hayward, and -- just like its source material -- was [[CriticalDissonance hated by critics yet a huge box-office hit]]; today it's seen as a SoBadItsGood CultClassic. The second adaptation was a MadeForTVMovie in 1981. The first adaptation also had a parody pseudo-sequel, ''Film/BeyondTheValleyOfTheDolls'', in 1970, helmed by '60s/'70s schlockmeister Russ Meyer.

* HorribleHollywood: The book revels in the grime that lurks beneath the showbiz glamor of the UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood . Susann wasn't the first to explore this, as the decay that surrounded Hollywood with the UsefulNotes/FallOfTheStudioSystem and the aging of Golden Age performers was already inspiring films like ''Film/WhateverHappenedToBabyJane'' in TheSixties, but she could go a lot further in the salacious details than films and TV of the time could, and this certainly contributed to the book's huge popularity in its day.

* UnflinchingWalk: Ted, who walks away from Neely after being caught cheating on her and doesn't react after she screams at him to go to Hell '' and'' as she throws a bottle of champagne at him (and misses.)

* DoubleStandard: Said by Neely: "When a man says he won't do a scene, that's called 'integrity'; when a woman says she won't do a scene, she's being temperamental."

The novel was wildly popular upon publication (thanks largely to its juicy HorribleHollywood detailing), and had two film adaptations. The first adaptation in 1967 starred Barbara Parkins, Patty Duke, Sharon Tate, Paul Burke, Martin Milner, and Susan Hayward, and -- just like its source material -- was [[CriticalDissonance hated by critics yet a huge box-office hit]]; today it's seen as a SoBadItsGood CultClassic. The second adaptation was a MadeForTVMovie in 1981. The first adaptation also had a parody pseudo-sequel, ''Film/BeyondTheValleyOfTheDolls'', in 1970, helmed by '60s/'70s schlockmeister Russ Meyer.

* BlondeBrunetteRedhead:...sort of. In the film version, Jennifer is played by blonde Sharon Tate, Anne is portrayed by (dark brown) brunette Barbara Parkins and Neely is played by auburn-haired Patty Duke. This is canon.

* LargeHam: As Neely, Patty Duke left very little scenery unchewed.

!! This novel provides examples of:

''Valley of the Dolls'' is a 1966 novel by Jacqueline Susann. It follows the lives of three women (Anne Welles, Neely O'Hara, and Jennifer North) from the late 1940s to the mid-1960s. They start out as roommates in New York, and each of them achieves fame and fortune in the cutthroat world of show business, with plenty of ups and downs along the way, particularly where their love lives are concerned. While one might think "Dolls" refers to these leading ladies, it is a slang term for pills -- particularly sleeping pills and weight loss pills -- and almost everyone in the book pops them like candy...[[note]]The term "dolls" may come from dolophine, a form of methadone also used as a painkiller and sleep aid, and very addictive.[[/note]]

The novel was wildly popular upon publication thanks largely to its juicy HorribleHollywood detailing, and had two film adaptations. The first adaptation in 1967 starred Barbara Parkins, Patty Duke, Sharon Tate, Paul Burke, Martin Milner, and Susan Hayward, and -- just like its source material -- was [[CriticalDissonance hated by critics yet a huge box-office hit]]; today it's seen as a SoBadItsGood CultClassic. The second adaptation was a MadeForTVMovie in 1981. The first adaptation also had a parody pseudo-sequel, ''Film/BeyondTheValleyOfTheDolls'', in 1970, helmed by '60s/'70s schlockmeister Russ Meyer.

* GoodGirlsAvoidAbortion: [[spoiler: Implied with Jennifer, who had to abort her and Tony's child due to medical reasons; she didn't want the child to be diagnosed with Huntington's Chorea, which is hereditary.]]

* MayDecemberRomance: Anne and Kevin Gillmore.

** It doesn't help that the guy she was with only cared for her looks, praising her breasts in particular.
*** Actually stated outright in [[spoiler: one of her two suicide notes,]] where she states in the one addressed to her husband that she [[spoiler: did it to "save his babies" )this is his affectionate term for her breasts after she warns him she will not be able to have children).]]

* PoorCommunicationKills: Jennifer has breast cancer, in those days an automatic radical mastectomy. She's devoted her whole emotional life and soul on marrying Winston -- who seems to love her for herself -- and starting a family. Then she's told pregnancy could cause a recurrence. She tells Winston "I'll be scarred and I won't be able to have any children" and he hears "hysterectomy". Almost willfully, he won't allow her to explain, saying he doesn't mind about no kids, instead effusing over her body, especially her breasts -- even saying "[[Squick these are my babies]]" -- and being horrified at finding the tiny incision where they took the cyst out. That's enough for Jennifer. In her distraught state of mind there's only one thing to do.

* BlondeBrunetteRedhead:...sort of. In the film version, Jennifer is played by blonde Sharon Tate, Anne is portrayed by (dark brown) brunette Barbara Parkins and Neely is played by auburn-haired Patty Duke.

** Neely O'Hara is Creator/JudyGarland. Her [[spoiler: time in the sanitarium is based on the experiences of Frances Farmer]]. (Garland was almost cast as Helen Lawson in the 1967 movie.)

** Jennifer North is Carole Landis with a dash of Creator/MarilynMonroe.

*** Actually stated outright in [[spoiler: one of her two suicide notes,]] where she states in the one addressed to her husband that she [[spoiler: did it to "save his babies."]]

----

** Neely O'Hara is JudyGarland. Her [[spoiler: time in the sanitarium is based on the experiences of Frances Farmer]]. (Garland was almost cast as Helen Lawson in the 1967 movie.)

* GoldenAgeOfHollywood: The temporal setting.

* HorribleHollywood: The book revels in the grime that lurks beneath showbiz glamor. Susann wasn't the first to explore this, as the decay that surrounded Hollywood with the FallOfTheStudioSystem and the aging of Golden Age performers was already inspiring films like ''Film/WhateverHappenedToBabyJane'' in TheSixties, but she could go a lot further in the salacious details than films and TV of the time could, and this certainly contributed to the book's huge popularity in its day.

''Valley of the Dolls'' is a 1966 novel by Jacqueline Susann. It follows the lives of three women (Anne Welles, Neely O'Hara, and Jennifer North) from the late 1940s to the mid-1960s. They start out as roommates in New York, and each of them achieves fame and fortune in the cutthroat world of show business, with plenty of ups and downs along the way, particularly where their love lives are concerned. While one might think "Dolls" refers to these leading ladies, it is a slang term for pills -- particularly sleeping pills and weight loss pills -- and almost everyone in the book pops them like candy...

* BetterToDieThanBeKilled: In the late going, [[Jennifer commits suicide when she finds out that she has cancer and needs a mastectomy.]]

''Valley of the Dolls'' is a 1966 novel by Jacqueline Susann. It follows the lives of three women (Anne Welles, Neely O'Hara, and Jennifer North) from the late 1940s to the mid-1960s. They start out as roommates in New York, and each of them achieves fame and fortune, with plenty of ups and downs along the way.

"Dolls" is a slang term for pills (particularly sleeping pills and weight loss pills). Almost everyone in the book pops them like candy.

It was adapted into film twice. The first adaptation, in 1967, starred Barbara Parkins, Patty Duke, Sharon Tate, Paul Burke, Martin Milner, and Susan Hayward, and was [[CriticalDissonance hated by critics yet was a huge box-office hit]]; today it's seen as a SoBadItsGood CultClassic. The second adaptation was a MadeForTVMovie in 1981. It also had a parody pseudo-sequel, ''Film/BeyondTheValleyOfTheDolls'', in 1970 that was made by '60s/'70s schlockmeister Russ Meyer.

* [[spoiler: BetterToDieThanBeKilled: Jennifer commits suicide when she finds out that she has cancer and needs a mastectomy.]]

* [[spoiler: DownerEnding]]
** The FilmOfTheBook changed this to a [[spoiler:BittersweetEnding -- Jennifer is dead, Neely continues in her downward spiral and will likely die in the near future, but Anne renounces the pills and the showbiz life and goes back to her beloved hometown to start over.]]
* GoldenAgeOfHollywood
* [[spoiler: HappilyFailedSuicide: Neely, three times.]]

** Neely O'Hara is JudyGarland. Her [[spoiler: time in the sanitarium is based on the experiences of Frances Farmer]].

** Tony Polar was inspired by Music/DeanMartin, but isn't supposed to actually be him.

* StepfordSmiler: Anne.
----

** Neely O'Hara is JudyGarland. Her [[spoiler: time in the sanitarium is based on the experiences of FrancesFarmer]].
** Helen Lawson is EthelMerman.
** Jennifer North is CaroleLandis with a dash of MarilynMonroe.
** Tony Polar was inspired by DeanMartin, but isn't supposed to actually be him.

* AcceptableTargets: Fat women.