Jacqueline Susann facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jacqueline Susann
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Susann in 1951
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| Born | Jacqueline Susan August 20, 1918 Wynnewood, Pennsylvania U.S. |
| Died | September 21, 1974 (aged 56) New York City, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1937–1974 |
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Irving Mansfield
(m. 1939) |
| Children | 1 |
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Jacqueline Susann (born August 20, 1918 – died September 21, 1974) was a famous American writer and actress. She wrote Valley of the Dolls (1966), which became one of the best-selling books ever.
Jacqueline Susann made history with her books. She was the first author to have three novels in a row reach the top of The New York Times Best Seller list. These books were Valley of the Dolls, The Love Machine (1969), and Once Is Not Enough (1973).
Contents
Early Life and Dreams
Jacqueline Susan was born on August 20, 1918, in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. Her father, Robert Susan, was a portrait painter, and her mother, Rose, was a teacher. Her mother added an extra "n" to their last name to make it easier to say. Jacqueline used this spelling for her own name.
As a child, Jacqueline was very imaginative. Her teachers noticed she was sometimes distracted but very smart. In fifth grade, she scored very high on an IQ test. She was her parents' only child and wanted to make her family proud. She decided to become an actress. A teacher once told her, "Jackie should be a writer. She breaks all the rules, but it works." In 1936, after finishing high school, she moved to New York to start her acting career. Her father gave her good advice: "If you're going to be an actress, be a good actress. Be a people watcher."
Stage Career Highlights
In New York, Jacqueline started acting on Broadway. In 1937, at age 18, she got a small part in a play called The Women. She then appeared in other Broadway shows like The Girl from Wyoming (1938) and Banjo Eyes (1941). Banjo Eyes was a success, running for 126 performances.
Jacqueline also tried writing plays. With her friend Beatrice Cole, she wrote a comedy called The Temporary Mrs. Smith. It was later renamed Lovely Me and opened on Broadway in 1946. Even though audiences seemed to like it, the play closed after 37 shows. Four years later, they wrote another play, Cock of the Walk, but it was never produced.
In 1970, Jacqueline returned to the stage for a short time in an off-Broadway play. A reviewer from The New York Times mentioned that she looked "a great deal prettier" than her book cover photos.
Television Appearances
From 1948 to 1950, Jacqueline was on The Morey Amsterdam Show, a comedy series. She played Lola, a cigarette girl. In 1951, she hosted her own show called Jacqueline Susann's Open Door, which helped people find jobs. She also appeared in other TV shows like Danger and Suspense.
Jacqueline also did many commercials. For six years, she was the spokesperson for the Schiffli Lace and Embroidery Institute. She wrote, produced, and starred in these commercials. Sometimes, her pet poodle, Josephine, even joined her on screen! She worked hard to promote the product. One night, someone recognized her and shouted, "There's the Schiffli girl!" Jacqueline felt a bit discouraged, realizing that after 25 years of hard work, she was mostly known for commercials. Later, in 1971, she appeared in an episode of the crime show Mannix.
Her Famous Books
Early Writings: Yargo and Every Night, Josephine!
In the mid-1950s, Jacqueline wrote a science-fiction novel called The Stars Scream. This book was later published after her death as Yargo.
In 1962, she started writing a book based on letters she had written about her beloved poodle, Josephine. This book, Every Night, Josephine!, was published in 1963. It sold many copies and even appeared on Time magazine's best seller list. Jacqueline went on her first book tour for Josephine!, with Josephine often joining her. Jacqueline always said this book was her favorite.
Valley of the Dolls
Valley of the Dolls tells the story of three young women from 1945 to 1965. Anne Welles moves to New York and falls in love. Neely O'Hara becomes a Hollywood star. Jennifer North is a showgirl who becomes friends with both. The book was published in 1966 and quickly became very popular. People thought some characters in the book were based on real-life celebrities.
Even though many reviewers didn't like the book, it sold incredibly well. In May 1966, it reached number one on The New York Times Best Seller list and stayed there for 28 weeks. It was the best-selling novel of 1966. By the time Jacqueline died in 1974, it was in the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling novel ever, with over 17 million copies sold. By 2016, it had sold more than 31 million copies.
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In 1967, the book was made into a movie. Jacqueline herself made a small appearance in the film as a reporter. The movie also received negative reviews but was a big success at the box office. Jacqueline, however, did not like the film version of her book.
The Love Machine
Jacqueline's second novel, The Love Machine, came out in 1969. It's about Robin Stone, a powerful TV executive, and the three women in his life. Many believed Robin's character was based on a real TV network president.
The book was an instant hit. It spent 32 weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list, with 13 weeks at number one. It was the third highest-selling novel of 1969. Like her first book, reviewers were not very kind.
The film rights for The Love Machine were sold for a record $1.5 million. The movie came out in 1971. Jacqueline thought this movie was even worse than the Valley of the Dolls film.
Once Is Not Enough
Jacqueline's third novel, Once Is Not Enough, was published in 1973. It tells the story of January Wayne, whose father is a famous film producer. January returns home after being in a hospital in Switzerland for three years. She finds New York City has changed a lot.
Again, reviews were negative, but sales were amazing. The book spent 36 weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list, with eight weeks at number one. It was the second highest-selling novel of 1973. With this book, Jacqueline Susann became the first writer to have three novels in a row hit number one on the Times list. The book was made into a movie in 1975. The film was a commercial success.
Books Published After Her Death
Jacqueline's last finished work was a short novel called Dolores. It was about Jacqueline Kennedy, a famous public figure. It was first published in a magazine in 1974 and then as a book in 1976. Even without Jacqueline to promote it, the book sold very well and was a best-seller.
Yargo, her science fiction novel from the 1950s, was published in 1979. It was very different from her other famous books. Jacqueline had plans for more books, including a story about brothers in show business and her own life story. Her books were even mentioned in the movie Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, where Spock called her one of the "giants" of 20th-century literature.
Her Success and Public Image
Jacqueline Susann loved being famous because of her books. She was known for being "confrontational, sassy, [and] entertaining" and often appeared on TV talk shows. When asked what another famous person thought of Valley of the Dolls, Jacqueline joked, "We didn't speak before the book came out. Let's just say that now we're not speaking louder."
Not everyone was a fan of her writing style. The writer Gore Vidal once said, "She doesn't write, she types."
Personal Life
On April 2, 1939, Jacqueline married Irving Mansfield, a press agent. They were very devoted to each other and stayed married until her death in 1974.
On December 6, 1946, Jacqueline gave birth to their only child, a son named Guy. When Guy was three years old, he was diagnosed with autism and later needed to live in a special care facility. Jacqueline and Irving visited their son almost every week.
In 1954, the Mansfields adopted a black poodle they named Josephine. Josephine became the subject of Jacqueline's first published book, Every Night, Josephine!. Josephine passed away in 1970, just before her sixteenth birthday.
In 1962, at age 44, Jacqueline was diagnosed with cancer and had a major operation.
Death
Jacqueline Susann passed away on September 21, 1974.
Her Impact on Book Publishing
Jacqueline Susann is seen as the first "brand-name" novelist. This means her books sold well because of her name, not just because of good reviews. With her husband, Irving Mansfield, she completely changed how books were promoted. They are given credit for creating the modern-day book tour. Before Jacqueline, publishing was seen as a quiet, "gentleman's profession." She brought a lively, show business energy to it.
She traveled a lot to promote each book, visiting bookstores and appearing on many TV and radio shows. Her books were advertised in the entertainment sections of newspapers. She even served coffee and donuts to the truck drivers who delivered her books. She also sent thank you notes to booksellers and bought copies of her books for bookstore clerks. She famously said, "A new book is like a new brand of detergent. You have to let the public know about it. What's wrong with that?"
Stories About Jacqueline Susann
After her death, Jacqueline Susann's life was shown in several films and plays. In 1998, actress Michele Lee played Jacqueline in a TV movie called Scandalous Me: The Jacqueline Susann Story. In 2000, a movie called Isn't She Great was released, starring Bette Midler as Jacqueline and Nathan Lane as Irving Mansfield. The movie was not well-received by critics and did not do well at the box office. Film critic Roger Ebert wrote, "Jackie Susann deserved better." In 2001, a play called Paper Doll opened in Pittsburgh, with Marlo Thomas playing Jacqueline. The play was popular with audiences. Jacqueline was also the subject of a one-woman play called See How Beautiful I Am: The Return of Jackie Susann.
Works
Play
- Lovely Me (1946, with Beatrice Cole)
Memoir
- Every Night, Josephine! (Bernard Geis, 1963) ISBN: 0-14-303434-0
Novels
