Playing the Field

by Mamie Van Doren

The popular actress, and singer, of the fifties and sixties, recounts her adventures and misadventures from her South Dakota childhood to the movie studios of Hollywood

Genres: Biography, Autobiography, Nonfiction, History

Mass Market Paperback

First published September 21, 1987

About the author

Mamie Van Doren (born Joan Lucille Olander) is an actress, singer and pin-up model. She became famous as a "blonde bombshell" in the 1950s. She wrote her autobiography, Playing the Field, in 1987.

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great trash wallow.The title doesn't begin to prepare you for what's inside.The woman who did'em all.

[Nick Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Equal parts dizzy and deadpan, Van Doren is a surprisingly likable memoirist, despite the fact that she indulges in some truly wretched behavior (blackmail, adultery, fundraising for Nixon, etc.).

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read! Mamie Van Doren is hilarious, dishy, honest, and unapologetic in her autobiography. This book did not disappoint in the least. I highly recommend if you need a nice break from all the gloom and doom we are surrounded by these days.

[Lois Dengrove · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this when I was about 18. I needed to escape via some premium trash. It couldn't have worked better if I had rolled it up and smoked it.

[Jerry Baird · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a fun read from one of the three Ms during the 50s. Mamie, Marilyn, and Jane Mansfield.. Gee, I could not believe how much she ran around, and did I mention she ran around..... There is nothing here that reminds me of the #metoo movement. Mamie did this all by herself and became a classsic icon of the sex in the 50s.. Soooo many relationships and even comparing the lovers from Jack Dempsey, to Steve McQueen, Clark Gable, Warren Betty, Johnny Carson, Joe Namath, Ray Anthony (bandleader husband and father to her son Perry) and others. I was amazed at the lax attitude of sleeping around during that period before the AIDS virus came to town.
Oh, did I mention some of her followers like Henry Kessinger and Nixons VP Spiro Agnew... Ha, and you thought only the Kennedy's had an up on the blond bombshells.
Interesting and in another time and generation. It did bring back old memories of some of the great stars of the period. If you want to see how a sex goddess acted during the heyday, Mamie will give you lots to remember.

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having declared Mamie Van Doren my sepia toned fantasy wife after discovering her on a little show called "Mystery Science Theater 3000," I was anxious to get my wolf paws on her 1987 autobiography. Now I can say she has certainly lived up to her status as among the Three Ms (the others being Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield) of 1950s-60s sex symbol singing, flaunting pin up girls. From her graphic opening account of getting it on with Rock Hudson to her poignant decision to flee movie stardom before it was too late, Ms. Van Doren's book serves as a mostly-tell-all of flirtings and fumblings with Golden and Silver Age Hollywood elite, as well as a cautionary tale about escaping Tinseltown while you are alive and still got it. My only contention is the feeling she held back a little, and that there is plenty of dirt she left off the page.

[Michael Karr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book from a last living Classic Hollywood star Blonde Bombshell. There is, of course, Talk about Marilyn and lots of juicy true-life stories from Ms. Van Doren's film career. Most of these stories are great and entertaining. She did leave me with my jaw slack and eyes open while more than a few times. Recommended and on my re-read list.

[Deena Dietrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book! Yes it was a tell-all but not just about sex and her conquests but more about old Hollywood and stars like joan crawford, Marilyn Monroe, jayne Mansfield, etc BTW mamie turned down sex with JAMES DEAN and ELVIS PRESLEY just because she was married to someone she wasn’t really in love with who treated her terribly!

[Eric Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun read if you at all enjoy learning about celebrity foibles. Particularly enjoyed Mamie's descriptions of lovemaking with much older former heavyweight champ Jack Dempsey.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah, I read it. What of it!

[Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.3

[Marc Bohm-Klotzek · Rating 5 out of 5]

M-M-Mamie...
In my humble opinion, it is still one of the best 'tell-all ' autobiographies ever written.

[Fred Andersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mamie was with everyone from Jack Dempsey to Warren Beatty!