The 50s sex symbol | Source: Getty Images
This actress was a blonde bombshell who steamed up the silver screen in the 1950s, captivating audiences with her sultry looks, rebellious attitude, and undeniable talent.
The '50s sex symbol circa 1953. | Source: Getty Images
Her journey to stardom began in the Midwest, far from the glitz of Hollywood. Born in South Dakota, she spent her early years dreaming of a life far removed from her small-town upbringing.
The blonde bombshell photographed in 1953. | Source: Getty Images
That dream began to take shape when she moved to California as a teenager and was scouted by Howard Hughes. Her striking looks and natural charisma quickly turned heads, and by the late 1940s, she found herself on the beauty pageant circuit.
The actress circa 1953. | Source: Getty Images
In 1949, she was crowned Miss Eight Ball by the Los Angeles Press Club, succeeding the previous year’s winner, Marilyn Monroe. That victory set the actress from a small town on a trajectory that led straight to Hollywood.
The actress circa 1954. | Source: Getty Images
She quickly realized that her curvaceous figure and sultry appeal set her apart from other aspiring actresses. “I didn’t look like a normal woman — I was filling out in all the right places,” she admitted. “I realized that I was probably meant to be a movie star.”
The famous actress photographed in 1954. | Source: Getty Images
And a star she became, appearing in a string of films that cemented her status as a sex symbol. Titles like “Teacher’s Pet,” “High School Confidential!” and “The Private Lives of Adam and Eve” showcased her talent and undeniable on-screen magnetism.
The blonde star at the movie premiere of "A Star is Born" in 1954 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
Unlike many of her peers, she embraced the “bad girl” roles that studios offered. “Those roles had a lot of pizzazz,” she said. “The married, Goody Two-Shoes girls didn’t go very far.”
The '50s sex symbol in the 1950s. | Source: Getty Images
The blonde star’s beauty and confidence made her a favorite among Hollywood’s elite, and she quickly gained a reputation for her high-profile relationships.
Over the years, she was linked to some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Carson.
The famous blonde star photographed sharing a kiss with orchestra leader and her husband at the time, Ray Anthony, in 1955. | Source: Getty Images
However, when reflecting on her favorite leading man, it wasn’t one of her many famous lovers — it was her “Teacher’s Pet” co-star Clark Gable.
“He was the king of all kings!” she gushed. “I shared his arms with Carole Lombard, Vivien Leigh, and Jean Harlow — along with his lips and little mustache. That lives in my mind all the time.”
The actress posing for a portrait for the film "The Second Greatest Sex" in 1955. | Source: Getty Images
But despite the whirlwind of fame, she was never one to conform to expectations. She exuded an independence that was rare for women in Hollywood at the time, unapologetically owning her sexuality.
The blonde actress circa 1955. | Source: Getty Images
“[…] I like being sexy. […] I think I was born with it. I certainly opened a lot of doors during a postwar time when things were very conservative,” the actress reflected. “I didn’t know what the women’s movement was, but I was there living it.”
The blonde actress circa 1956. | Source: Getty Images
Despite the glitz and romance, her personal life took a significant turn when she became a mother. Her second husband, bandleader Ray Anthony, fathered her only child, Perry, in 1956. Becoming a mother reshaped her priorities and, ultimately, her career.
As Hollywood evolved and the era of the blonde bombshell began to wane, she made a bold decision — she left. “The days of the blondes started coming to an end after Marilyn died and then Jayne [Mansfield] died five years later. I was the only one left,” she recalled.
The actress photographed at an event on April 23, 1984, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
“I had a son growing up, and there were a lot of drugs [in Hollywood]. I didn’t want Perry to grow up like that,” the actress added, noting that the 1960s were a tumultuous time in Hollywood. Drugs were rampant, and the industry was shifting.
The blonde bombshell photographed in her southern California home in March 1999. | Source: Getty Images
“People were doing a lot of LSD and walking around naked on Sunset Boulevard,” she said. “I didn’t want my son to be around all that.” So, she moved to Newport Beach, California, trading the chaos of Hollywood for the tranquility of the ocean.
The actress at the Hollywood Walk of Fame's 50th Anniversary Celebration on November 3, 2010, in Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images
“I love the ocean and the fresh air. Perry and I came down and got interested in boats. It worked out just fine,” she said. Though she stepped away from the silver screen, she didn’t disappear.
The actress at the 7th Annual Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival on May 3, 2012, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images
She continued to make selective appearances and even pursued writing. In 1987, she penned “Playing the Field,” a memoir that detailed her adventures in Hollywood. But even after sharing her story, she wasn’t done yet.
The actress at The Hollywood Show on April 20, 2013, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
Decades later, in her late 80s, she embarked on a new literary project. “A lot has happened between 1987 and 2020,” she explained. “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.”
The actress at the MAC Pro to Pro Los Angeles Event on June 1, 2017, in Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images
The book also allowed her to include stories that had been left out of her first memoir. “My book publisher was very conservative, and a lot of stories were taken out. So I’m putting a lot of those stories back in,” she shared.
Romantically, the famous blonde actress finally found stability after years of short-lived marriages and whirlwind affairs. Though she had been married five times, it was her final marriage that endured.
In 1979, she wed dentist-actor Thomas Dixon, and the two have been together ever since. “None of my marriages lasted long, except the one I’m in now,” she admitted.
In February 2023, she shared a heartfelt message on Facebook, “Thomas, my hubby of almost 50 years. How did he put up with me? Sometimes I wasn’t the perfect wife.”
This actress is none other than Mamie Van Doren, who, now 93, continues to live life on her own terms. “I love life,” she said. “I got away from all the bad stuff that was going on. This was around the ’60s when I left. […] I just thought it was time to leave Hollywood. It just wasn’t agreeing with me.”
She has no regrets about stepping away from the industry, adding, “I made over 40 movies all over the world. I didn’t just travel in the United States— I worked in South America, Brazil, Spain, London, and Rome — even in Yugoslavia during the communist reign. I’ve got a lot to be thankful for.”
In addition to being grateful for her incredible career, Van Doren has also received praise for her timeless beauty. “Beautiful as always,” one social media user commented on one of the actress’s Facebook posts.
“My junior high school dream girlfriend,” another added. “Wow, she looks fantastic!” another social media user shared while a fourth typed, “Mamie Van Doren is still alive?!?”
“Mamie Van Doren, can you believe she’s 93 years old in these pics??? She looks like she’s in her 50s!” another person remarked.
After a career filled with fame, love, and reinvention, Mamie Van Doren has lived the kind of life that Hollywood movies are made of. “It surprises me that I’ve lived this long,” she said.
“I’m grateful for every morning I wake up,” the blonde star added. Her legacy is proof that reinvention, resilience, and knowing when to walk away can lead to a long and fulfilling life.
