She Was a 50s Sex Symbol Who Left Hollywood for Her Son – at 93, She Still Proves That Age Is Just a Number
This blonde celebrity had the luxurious life that many people envisioned, complete with sexy leading roles and high-profile romances.
However, she left when Hollywood’s heyday ended. Social media users are now amazed by how “fantastic” she looks at 93.
This actress, a blonde beauty, dominated the 1950s film industry with her seductive appearance, defiant demeanor, and indisputable talent.
Far from the glamour of Hollywood, in the Midwest, she started her path to fame. She was born in South Dakota and dreamed of a life very different from her small-town childhood.
When she relocated to California as a teenager and Howard Hughes scouted her, that ambition started to take shape. She soon became well-known due to her remarkable appearance and innate charm, and by the late 1940s, she was competing in beauty pageants.
The Los Angeles Press Club awarded her Miss Eight Ball in 1949, replacing Marilyn Monroe, the previous year’s victor. The actress from a tiny village went straight to Hollywood after that victory.
She soon discovered that she stood out from other would-be actresses due to her voluptuous shape and seductive charm. “I didn’t look like a normal woman — I was filling out in all the right places,” she said. “I realized that I was probably meant to be a movie star.”
She also rose to fame, starring in a number of movies that solidified her reputation as a sex icon. Films such as “Teacher’s Pet,” “High School Confidential!” and “The Private Lives of Adam and Eve” demonstrated her skill and unquestionable charisma on screen.
She accepted the “bad girl” parts that studios provided, in contrast to many of her contemporaries. “Those roles had a lot of pizzazz,” she remarked. “The married, Goody Two-Shoes girls didn’t go very far.”
A favorite of Hollywood’s elite due to her beauty and self-assurance, the blonde star soon became known for her high-profile partnerships.
She has been associated with some of the biggest names in entertainment over the years, such as Johnny Carson, Elvis Presley, and Frank Sinatra.
She did, however, mention her “Teacher’s Pet” co-star Clark Gable as her favorite leading man, not any of her other well-known lovers.
She said, “He was the king of all kings!” “I shared his arms, lips, and small mustache with Jean Harlow, Vivien Leigh, and Carole Lombard. I think about that all the time.
She was never one to fit in, though, even with the hectic pace of celebrity. She unabashedly owned her sexuality and radiated an independence that was uncommon for women in Hollywood at the time.
“[…] I enjoy being seductive. […] I believe I have it from birth. During a fairly conservative postwar period, I undoubtedly opened a lot of doors,” the actress thought. “I didn’t know what the women’s movement was, but I was there living it.”
Her personal life changed significantly when she became a mother, despite the glamour and romance. Perry, her only child, was born in 1956 to her second husband, bandleader Ray Anthony. Her goals and, eventually, her career were altered by becoming a mother.
She made the audacious choice to leave as Hollywood changed and the days of the blonde bombshell started to fade. Following the deaths of Marilyn and Jayne [Mansfield] five years later, the blondes’ days began to fade. She remembered, “I was the last one left.
“Drugs were common [in Hollywood] when I had a son growing up. Noting that the 1960s were a turbulent period in Hollywood history, the actress continued, “I didn’t want Perry to grow up like that.” The industry was changing, and drugs were widely available.
“People were doing a lot of LSD and walking around naked on Sunset Boulevard,” she stated. “I didn’t want my son to be around all that.” She therefore relocated to Newport Beach, California, choosing the peace and quiet of the seaside above the bustle of Hollywood.
“I adore the fresh air and the seaside. When Perry and I arrived, we were interested in boats. “It went really well,” she remarked. She moved away from the big screen, yet she remained there.
She kept up her selective appearances and even went on to write. She wrote a memoir titled “Playing the Field,” which described her experiences in Hollywood, in 1987. She wasn’t finished yet, though, even after telling her story.
She started a new literary endeavor in her late 80s, decades later. “A lot has happened between 1987 and 2020,” she said. “So now I’m writing about what it’s like getting older and appreciating life a little more, as well as getting smarter as you get older.”
She was also able to add stories to the book that had not been included in her previous memoir. Because my book publisher was so conservative, several of the stories were removed. She said, “I’m adding a lot of those stories back in.”
The well-known blonde actress at last achieved romantic stability following years of erratic relationships and brief marriages. It was her last marriage that lasted, despite the fact that she had been married five times.
She married dentist-turned-actor Thomas Dixon in 1979, and they have remained together ever since. “None of my marriages lasted long, except the one I’m in now,” she said.
She sent an emotional remark on Facebook in February 2023, saying, “Thomas, my husband of nearly 50 years. How could he tolerate me? I wasn’t always the ideal wife.
The actress in question is Mamie Van Doren, who is currently 93 years old and still lives her life as she sees fit. She declared, “I love life,” “I left all of the negative things that were happening behind. When I left, it was in the 1960s. […] I simply believed it was time to go out of Hollywood. It simply didn’t agree with me.
She said, “I made over 40 movies all over the world,” and said she has no regrets about leaving the business. I worked throughout South America, Brazil, Spain, London, Rome, and even Yugoslavia during the communist era, so I didn’t simply travel within the United States. There are many things for which I am grateful.
Van Doren has gained recognition for her ageless beauty in addition to gratitude for her amazing career. One social media user wrote, “Beautiful as always,” in response to one of the actress’s Facebook posts.
Another said, “My dream girlfriend from junior high school.” One social media user remarked, “Mamie Van Doren is still alive?!?” while another posted, “Wow, she looks fantastic!”
Can you believe that Mamie Van Doren is ninety-three years old in these pictures? She appears to be in her fifties. Someone else said.
Mamie Van Doren has experienced the kind of life that Hollywood films are about after a career full of love, celebrity, and reinventing herself. “It surprises me that I’ve lived this long,” she stated.
The blonde actress continued, “I’m thankful for every morning I wake up.” Her legacy serves as evidence that living a long and satisfying life may be achieved through perseverance, reinvention, and understanding when to give up.
