ritsox Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 As a big Mamie Van Doren fan I am happy to see that TCM is devoting the night of June 20th to showing seven of her movies. A big thank you to TCM, although I think it is long overdue. I am such a big fan of the Hollywood classics but am always saddened when a star of the past passes away like Esther Williams did recently. The good news is that Mamie is still very much among the living, , and still much active in the community . She can often be seen at autograph signings of her most excellent autobiography- Playing the Field. Mamie at 82 is still most attractive and most vibrant. I still think she must have a portrait of herself in an attic somewhere. Above all else she loves her many fans who adore her like me. Mamie would make an outstanding Guest Programmer on TCM. I would be thrilled to see her pick four movies and then sit down with Robert to discussed them. I am sure Mamie's stories would be wonderful and the whole experience watching her be one for the ages at TCM. So please Robert Osborne make Mamie Van Doren a guest programmer soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibi Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Sounds like a fun evening. Am surprised to hear she made that many movies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepiatone Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Imagine a day filled( no pun intended) with movies by Monroe, Mansfield and Van Doren! NOT for the lactose intolerant! Sepiatone Edited by: Sepiatone on Jun 11, 2013 6:29 PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkeee Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 LOL :^0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swithin Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 ROFL! Don't forget Diana Dors! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tikisoo Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 I'm a big Mamie Van Doren fan too and was thrilled to see the line up of her films being shown on TCM. Too bad they couldn't get the rights to show my favorite GIRLS TOWN though. It has the added bonus of Mel Torm? and super goofy story line. At least they are showing UNTAMED YOUTH, another pretty good one. While MVD is still around and kicking, I doubt she'd be a good guest host on TCM. From the comments on this thread you can see that many view her as a joke and she hasn't done much to dispel that image. Cher, even with her knowledge and true love of classic film is scoffed by many TCM viewers....I could foresee MVD would get even less respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougieB Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Mamie did intros for a series of 50's bad girl movies for Rhino home video back in the late 80's/early 90's. Her credibility and stature as a serious "actress" aside, who better than Mamie to comment on these movies and the time in which they were made? She also had a few brushes with "legitimacy" such as "Teacher's Pet" with Clark Gable and Doris Day, so i'm sure her stories would be far-ranging. I remember her telling in her book about Universal's "bullet bra", which was swapped around among it's actresses as needed, to help "get their point across" on screen. To me, she seems like she was always in on the joke, which makes her perfect for commenting on her subgenre of exploitation movies. It seems a shame to ignore such a valuable link to movie history while she is still able to share her stories with us. Personally, I cringe when people take such cheap shots at her. Please, TCM, sit her down with Robert pronto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scsu1975 Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 I am really looking forward to an evening of Mamie movies. Sure, the films are mostly trash, but her presence makes them watchable. I mean, no one watches Girls Town to see Maggie Hayes dressed as a nun. No one watches College Confidential to hear Steve Allen quote from Hamlet. No one watches The Navy vs The Night Monsters for the special effects. (Hey, TCM, how did you miss this one? Mamie in color!!!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darb Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Watched "Untamed Youth" a while back, I enjoyed it. The TCM review rates it as a "bomb", but I disagree. I'm looking forward to a fun night of '50's schlock.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibi Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 And there's nothing like 50s schlock! I'm in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepiatone Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Wasn't there once a big-chested copycat actress who called herself "Maimie Van VOORAN"? Seems I remember something like that, but my sparse iNet search proffered no results. Sepiatone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibi Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 There was a singer called Monique Van Vooren or something like that. Unsure if she acted. I remember seeing her on the Tonight show in its NY days with Johnny.......Too bad Mamie is on a weeknight. I dont have much room on the dvr to record anything........Monique was a buxom blonde also....... Edited by: Hibi on Jun 12, 2013 11:29 AM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scsu1975 Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 > {quote:title=Hibi wrote:}{quote}There was a singer called Monique Van Vooren or something like that. Unsure if she acted. I remember seeing her on the Tonight show in its NY days with Johnny.......Too bad Mamie is on a weeknight. I dont have much room on the dvr to record anything........Monique was a buxom blonde also....... Yes, she acted sporadically. She is still around, as far as I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougieB Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Monique Van Vooren was also a wannabe actress. Her big claim to fame was that Andy Warhol recruited her for his 3-D "Andy Warhol's Frankenstein", which featured lots of bloody organs being thrust at the camera. As usual with Warhol, no acting skill required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrence1 Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 I'm also a Mamie Van Doren fan, although I acknowledge that most of her movies were not classics. In fact, I think "Teacher's Pet" was her only A-movie production. But she did work with some great talent, especially while at Universal. One movie that I haven't seen in years is "Ain't Misbehaving", one of her Universal movies with Rory Calhoun and Piper Laurie. She really wanted to play the lead in that one, especially since it was a musical. But, alas, it went to Ms. Laurie, who, by the way, claims that she was terribly miscast in the movie. Anyway, I'm also looking forward to "Untamed Youth", which she made with another former Universal actress, Lori Nelson. It will be fun. Terrence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibi Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Yeah, I looked her up after. Her resume is even less compelling than Mamies'! (LOL) Her face is all stretched out of shape. Another Joan Rivers........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markfp2 Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 > {quote:title=DougieB wrote:}{quote}Please, TCM, sit her down with Robert pronto. You're assuming that TCM hasn't asked her. My guess is that the first thing they did when it was decided to do her films was to ask her to co-host them. There have been various stars that TCM has been trying to get for years and their requests have been turned down numerous times simply because those stars didn't want to do it. Perhaps that's the case with Mamie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibi Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Yeah, who knows? Maybe she felt she'd be the butt of jokes or isnt looking her best. How old is she anyway? She must be in her 80s... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tikisoo Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 >Markfp suggested: their requests have been turned down numerous times simply because those stars didn't want to do it. Perhaps that's the case with Mamie. I'd speculate that she'd jump at the chance to be on TCM, she's never been a modest wallflower type. A friend does artwork for MVD and he's in contact with her pretty regularly. From what he says, she's still a very outgoing lady and thrilled to know she has fans out there wanting to see her. Any TV appearance would be good promotion for her & her autobiography. (there's a ton of contemporary photos on mamievandoren.com) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lzcutter Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Hey Mark, And don't forget that she may have had other commitments (she does a number of public appearances throughout the year) and been unable to rearrange her public appearances to accommodate the shooting schedule of TCM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepiatone Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 The TCM newsletter offered links to clips of a few of Mamie's old films. I clicked on one, forgot which clip I was watching. She was dancing and singing in some sort of women's prison. I was impressed by the lack of total cheapness, as the clip looked clean and sharp, not grainy as the use of inexpensive film stock would look, and that the girl playing the guitar was playing a MARTIN HD-28! NOT a cheap axe even in 1957. Even the "A" list, big name productions go the cheap route and have a non-guitarist pretending to play some 4th rate Sears Silvertone with electrical tape over the name on the headstock. Don't worry, though. I ALSO noticed Mamie slinking about in that slip... Sepiatone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibi Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 A prison musical???? I cant wait! I hope that's one of the films being shown......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrence1 Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 I'm wondering if the prison musical could be "Untamed Youth", which is scheduled on TCM . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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