This book details the film careers of 50 B-movie starlets in the heyday of their youth, searching for self expression and recognition.
Some of these young women only appeared in one or two films, while others continue their careers in TV, film, real estate, music and writing.
"A Galaxy of B-Movie Starlets of the Sixties Drive-in Dream Girls," speaks of the Oomh Girl, and school aged girls learning ballet, tap dancing, singing, piano, acrobatics and horse back riding during their movie careers. All 50 women in this book appeared or starred in 60s features such as "Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine," "Pajama Party," "How to Stuff A Wild Bikini," "Switchblade Sisters," "Spider Bady," the Elvis musicals and the Beach Party films starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello. I'm merely tinging the surface of cool information Tom Lisanti admits in his 2012 book.
Some women in this book strived for fame while others left Hollywood in their prime. One of the actresses said she didn't want to be famous because she didn't want to lose her privacy.
"The press always reported where we were going, whom we were dating and what we were wearing. Our lives were consistently scrutinized. It was like living in a fish bowl," Carole Wells said. Wells began her acting career when she was 12-years-old. Her career in TV and films lasted 25 years.
Death and sorrow will be the companions of our journey, hardship our garment, constancy and valor our only shield. This a quote from Winston Churchill in 1939. At birth, Valora Noland's mother named her daughter Valora because of this quote. Valora was in many of the Beach Party flicks during the 60s. She left Hollywood on her own accord, and on a high note, cast as a futuristic Nazi in Star Trek's "Pattern of Force."
Brief tinges of the harsh reality of life such as the above quote harbor in this book, but mostly "Drive-in Dream Girls..." is a pleasant escape from tragedy and the lame behavior of the human race. This book makes me laugh and fills my heart with positive vibes, it's a fantastic break from the real world.
The quote-unquote drive-in delight or disaster, "Spider Baby" was made for $65,000 and Beverly Washburn, a featured woman in this book and actress in the movie jokingly said "Spider Baby" was made for $65.00. The movie "In the Year 2889" was made for $28.89 joked its female star, Quinn O' Hara.
Gail Gilmore was in two of Elvis's movies before 1967. Word around the campfire is that Gilmore was a fantastic dancer, and dances erotically in "Harum Scarum," staring the king himself. Gail left Hollywood at the peak of her career in 1966 and married screen-writer Terry Southern where the two lived in New York and Connecticut for several decades until Southern's death in the 1990s. Gail said Southern wrote "Easy Rider," and Dennis Hopper took full credit and thus Southern was duped out of millions.
Gorgeous Gail Gilmore, a true Drive-in Dream girl who left Hollywood in her prime on her own accord.
Nineteen of these women appeared in at least one Elvis musical and not a single one had a negative word to say about him.
"I thought Elvis was very nice and very very polite...I enjoyed working with him, and can't say one thing bad about him, Sue Ane Langdon said. Langdon is the cover girl for this book and was in two of the Elvis musicals, "Frankie and Johnny" and "Roustabout."
"Drive-In Dream Girls" contains detailed quotes from all 50 women who appeared in various 1960s drive-in cult films. Negative and positive gossip about various stars insights interest and intrigue. I hate to speak ill of the dead, but Lee Marvin was not a nice man, he was as crude as crude could be, Sue Casey said.
Rod Serling, the creator of "The Twilight Zone" was brilliant warm and real, the alluring Arlene Martel said.
Hit movies in the 60s included "Easy Rider," "Paint Your Wagon" and "The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming." Hit TV shows in the galaxie of their stardom included "The Monkees," "The Twilight Zone," "Bewitched," "Love American Style," "The Dating Game" and "Star Trek."
Beverly Washburn was in "When the Line Goes Through," an early Martin Sheen filmed shot in West Union, West Virginia. The actors had fun Washburn said. The actors lived in peoples houses with the people still there because there was no public lodging.
"Drive-in Dream Girls" eases my tension of today's political turmoil. I've seen some of the films mentioned in this book. Some of the movies are totally lame in my opinion, but others were clever and funny, and many of the films mentioned in this book are a great escape from all the hate and unfriendliness that dominate the work place and life in general.
This book is illustrates the pop art fantasy of powerful women and I look forward to watching "The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini" and "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini."
Sue Ane Langdon said the parts she played in the 60s and 70s were fun. There just isn't that kind of humor around anymore... there is no gentle humor anymore, it's all harsh, brash and fast with absolutely no set up and no timing, its not funny! Everything is so real, seems like we've totally forgotten the goofy, zany, happy side of life, Langdon said.
Four stars easy for "Drive-in Dream Girls A Galaxy of B-Movie Starlets of the Sixties."
Mark Izzy Schurr
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