Mamie Van Doren Reveals ‘Teacher’s Pet’ Costar Doris Day ‘Didn’t Like’ Her: ‘Perhaps Female Jealousy’

Mamie Van Doren was one of Hollywood’s first sex symbols — and is the last living member of “The Three M’s,” a group of blonde bombshells that included Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield. Ahead of the release of her new memoir, You Thought I Was Dead, Van Doren, 95, spoke exclusively with Closer to dish on everything from working with the iconic Clark Gable, what made her step away from acting and more.

You’ve written memoirs in the past — what inspired you to pick up the pen again for You Thought I Was Dead?

I had a birthday with a zero in it. It was time to get down to work. For quite a while I had felt that I had another book in me. I wanted a sassy, honest book with stories that didn’t pull any punches. I wanted to give my readers the laughter and tears that are the reality of life in Hollywood. I think I did it. But my fans will be the judge.

Looking back, is there a movie you were in or a specific moment you view as career-defining for you?

Teachers Pet, I think. I did that movie right after I did Untamed Youth. Clark Gable saw me in the Warner Bros. commissary and said he wanted me for the role of the night club singer, Peggy DeFore. That was like a dream come true. I sang “The Girl Who Invented Rock and Roll.” That song has stuck with me, along with the moniker, “The Girl Who Invented Rock and Roll,” though you could hardly classify it as rock and roll. Listening to it now it sounds more like a stripper number. In Untamed Youth, I sang and danced real rock and roll, as I did in my other teenage movies. I was the first woman to perform rock and roll on the silver screen, and I was the first woman to wear blue jeans on screen too.

What was it like working with Gable and the iconic Doris Day in Teacher’s Pet?

Gable was the king. A complete professional, always on time and always knew his lines. At lunchtime every day, a waiter from the commissary brought him two double martinis. I was barely dry behind the ears, but he was a tremendous help to me. Just his presence in a scene was a steadying influence. On more than one occasion he deliberately blew a line so they would have to do a retake. He would wink and whisper, “Do it again, kid. You can do better.” Doris Day on the other hand didn’t like me. Perhaps female jealousy of older star of young upstart. It was a disappointment to me, as I idolized her when I was growing up. I always admired her work with animal rescue in her later years. I’ve done promotions for her organization.

What made you decide to take a step back from acting?

Acting was taking a step back from me. Hollywood is notorious for its scarcity of good female roles. The scripts that were coming my way were less interesting. After the deaths of Marilyn and Jayne, glamorous blondes became a sort of embarrassment. And Hollywood in the 1960s was changing rapidly. Hippies were wandering the streets and drugs were everywhere. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against hippies. I married one 52 years ago. But at the time I was a single mom raising a young son, and Hollywood was like a foreign country to me. I decamped to Orange County. I live by the water, as you’ll see in my new documentary. The ocean is very restorative for my soul.

You, Marilyn and Jayne were, of course, known as the “Three M’s.” What was your reaction to that nickname?

I like it fine as long as I get top billing.

Do you have a favorite memory with Marilyn or Jayne? What would you say you learned from them, and what did they learn from you?

Hollywood columnist Sidney Skolski once asked me if I had received a call from a young girl the night before. I said yes. She sweetly asked me in a tiny voice if she could have an autographed picture. I told her sure, just send a note to my publicist, and said goodnight. “Well,” Sidney said, “that was Marilyn playing a prank on you.” All three of us learned in our separate ways the hard lesson that no matter the obstacles in your life or the troubles that come your way, marriage is not a solution.

Are there any beauty secrets from your old Hollywood days that have stuck with you?

Yes, how to take care of my face.

You’re one of the original blonde bombshells. Do you think any stars today embody traits of a blonde bombshell?

Sydney Sweeney, for sure. Margot Robbie, close second. Margot’s a very good actress, trying, I think, to move in another direction.

What does life look like for you these days?

I treasure every day because I never expected to live this long. I’d like to live long enough to drive a flying car over the L.A freeways. When I dated Buzz Aldrin, he told me what it was like in space. I thought what a thrill it would be to live long enough to go there. It seems unlikely now, but I always keep my eyes on the stars