and here is part 2: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/adimrJt1xteXf30.html

The interviewer was like "How do you sleep at night knowing you're a terrible writer?" And she was like "I roll over on my big pile of money and close my eyes."

You did not just drop a +1 hour documentary on a classic, to then title it "Part 1"... Words like "amazing" can't describe the work you do anymore! 🎉 Bravo!

The fact you got to interview THE LEE GRANT!! Enormous for someone who's been watching since the beginning.

I can't believe how rude that interviewer was to Jacqueline Susanne 🤦🏽‍♀️

"Paul Burke, Tony Scotti and Alexander Davion are all in the movie". 😂😂😂 The SHADE!!!

The way we just skipped over the men was iconic! Sit down fellas, this is about the ladies 💚

I never knew that Patty Duke had such an awful childhood. My heart goes out to her. And of course it's not her fault, but I have a hard time even looking at Sharon Tate because of the horrific way her life ended.

For some reason, the segment about Patty's abrupt transition from juvenile material to more "mature" adult orieted work reminded me of Zendaya's rather aburpt transition in her career. Euphoria premiered the year after her DISNEY SITCOM, K.C. Undercover, had ended lol

I ADORED the ending when Babrara Parkins' character goes back home, to beautiful Vermont, where she belongs, and people are real. I cried when she ran into the arms of her grandma. That scene alone was worth the price of admission.

How many KZfaq content creators are getting ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS to contribute to said content?!? Another fabulous installment. Looking forward to Part 2!

My poor father had to take his fifteen year-old son to see VOD because on Long Island, minors had to be accompanied by an adult to see this flicker. Dad left pretty quickly, but I stayed on to watch it twice, I was mesmerized. Great insights on the Judy playing Helen creepiness and you got to interview Lee Grant! I believe I read in "Dolls, Dolls, Dolls." that Julie Christie was asked to play Anne. Can you imagine? Bravo!!

never has a video topic been more up my alley than this!!! always loved this camp classic, and thought tate’s final scenes in the film were genuinely beautiful acting.

Oh Jesus, I feel so bad for all 4 of these women. Part 2 cannot come soon enough, bravo for every single minute of this.

You’re back!! And talking about Valley of the Dolls! Ugh, we don’t deserve you 💖 Edit: YOU GOT INTERVIEWS WITH LYPSINKA AND LEE GRANT?!?! Queeeen

Sharon Tate seems like she was such a sweet woman, and from what I have read about her behind the scenes, she really was ❤️.

God, I love Lee Grant. Thank you for introducing me to her, and I'm delighted she's back! I love that she said frankly, "I needed the money." She's a real one 💛

I happened upon this film at a sleepover in high school after everyone else had already gone to bed. I was captivated. How had noone told me about this film before? I'd heard about the book from my Nana, in passing, no real details- just the fact that it had some cultural significance. This film is such a gem, especially to happen upon at 1am when you're 15 years old.

OMG VALLEY OF THE DOLLS is one of my favorite movies ever!! I adored the book as well. This is all I ever wanted. I’m gonna watch it asap ❤ Edit: an interview with Lee Grant?? This is what dreams are made of!!

Just the title excited me. When I was 8 yrs old my grandfather, who had English as his second language, found a copy of Valley of the Dolls and gave it to me to read. The title made him think it was a book for little girls. I devoured it. It wasn't long after that NYC's 4:30 movie featured Valley of the Dolls, and I fell even more in ove with the movie version.

If ‘Mommie Dearest’ was a Citizen Kane of camp, does that make ‘Valley of the Dolls’ the Gone With The Wind of camp? 7:42 I got my answer lmao

Good Lord - another example of spectacular story telling - bravo BKR. You can tell sad stories with respectful and even witty style that uplifts our memories of women who deserved better than they received. I'm looking forward to part 2

Patty Duke should have got an Oscar nom for VOTD. She was beyond fabulous!

Rest In Peace Sharon.

No one else in the world can make me watch and enjoy a video about something I don't care about at all like you can. I've never seen Valley Of The Dolls and most likely never will but right now I know more about it than I ever imagined. You have a serious talent.

Congrats on getting Lee Grant, one of your favorite actress on your interview about this camp classic! P/S: I actually believe Judy Garland CAN play Helen Lawson than playing Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun. There’s some kind of divaness in Judy that makes me believe she can pull it off.

Gosh Tate was beautiful. What a tragedy. She deserved so much better. She also deserved a better husband

I am always amazed that the orignal Peyton Place TV show is not on some rerun channel. It's hard to express how compelling and popular the show was in the 60s.

I never knew all of Patty's background. It is sad. Judy remindes me of Marilyn in that they both were considered difficult but when they were on they were pure magic.

Rona Jaffe's The Best of Everything and its 1959 movie version is probably the closest ancestor to Valley of the Dolls which is almost suspiciously similar in its format, almost like the formula was copied and pasted from the office setting of a publishing house to a show business setting. It almost lines up too perfectly character wise with Hope Lange's protagonist being similar to Barbara Parkins' Ann (and both rumored to be based on the authors themselves), Joan Crawford as Amanda Farrow basically being the Helen Lawson of paperback book publishing, Suzy Parker's and Sharon Tate's characters also line up although there's some similarity to Patty Duke/Neely in there as well. I personally find Best of Everything to be a little more "watchable" but that might just be because navigating office politics is just more relatable to be LOL EDIT: I wrote this before getting a full look at the vid's tying Peyton Place to Dolls - in a literal sense Peyton definitely has the strongest link to Valley of the Dolls, although I still think that The Best of Everything is the prototype that most closely resembles the story structure and characters in VotD

Grace Kelly was already rail thin. She didn’t even have 10-15 lbs to lose. Insane remark. As for Raquel Welch, I had forgotten what a goddess she was. Wow.

I grew up in the 60s. I love this movie. I read all of Jacqueline Susann‘s books. They are not literature. But they are a very entertaining look into that era. Lee Grant is a legend. 🥰 When I worked at UCLA Medical Center, I worked with Martin Ransohoff’s son that was a doctor there. One of the nicest and best doctors I ever worked with. 🥰 This was an amazing video. I am now a new subscriber. 🙏🏻🥰💕

The fact that they wanted Barbra Streisand to make her film debut in VOTD is hysterical. She could’ve directed the whole film. Judy Garland avoided a catastrophe by not being in the film. I think she knew how closely this role was to her. She was already fragile and doing the film would’ve killed her earlier

Judy singing I’ll Plant My Own Tree is one of my absolute favorite tracks of hers. A queen.

YES YES YES OMG I just opened KZfaq and my jaw dropped when I saw this, I’m so excited! I literally love anything Valley related and just researching more about the making of the film ahh. I finished reading Stephen Rebello’s book, “Dolls! Dolls! Dolls!” over the summer so this is such a good follow up video for me. Your research is always so insightful 💕💊

We need a Todd Haynes HBO miniseries adaptation of Valley of the Dolls. Imagine it being faithful to the period in the book and with quality actors and a strong vision behind it all.

Not only another Lipsinka collab, but LEE GRANT HERSELF, I am in awe! Can’t wait!!! ❤

Barbara Parkins was absolutely gorgeous and that voice ❤❤

I looked at this and thought, it's more than an hour, it's only part one. . . it's going to seem longer than the movie. Then it went by in about TEN MINUTES. I didn't want it to end - so I'm glad it didn't and there's a Part 2!💜

All your documentaries have been outstanding, but this trip through the pre-production on VALLEY OF THE DOLLS is, unlike the film, a masterpiece! Part Two will be great as well, I will wager.

I remember my sister being a fan of singer Dionne Warwick, and Dionne sung the theme for Valley of the Dolls.

I discovered this movie through a documentary on “Concluding Chapter of Crawford” and knew I had to see it for myself. Ngl, I adore it. Sharon Tate has such an ethereal quality to her, which makes it harder to think about what happened later. The film itself is an utter train wreck but an endearing train wreck with a few truly sad moments (that duet Tony does with Neely still makes me misty lmao). Great video! I look forward to part 2

I'm working on homework and decide I deserve a little a break and suddenly BKR posted a video 39 seconds ago! The angels are good to me

A very good look into "Valley Of The Dolls". I still love the movie and will watch it any time it's on TV. Never have these women looked so beautiful. This IS a classic !

consider myself an expert about this and miss susann as a whole. thank you for shining a light on this backstory. one of my favorite books and movies. Ms Grant is suchan underrated legend to me, such a great star. ty for featuring the thames interview, one of the great ones.

as a Sharon fan I am so excited fro you to dive in full into this, especially in part 2 when you get into the nightmare that was shooting this movie for all of them...much love! x

I grew up watching The Patty Duke Show on Nick at Nite in the 1980s when the programming was only B/W sitcoms from the 50s and 60s. We loved that show and I'm such a fan of Anna's. I read her biography years ago, and this awesome video has me wanting to reread her story...I'm looking for the happy ending, of course.

What a great birthday present! Happy 39th to me! Just finished Judy Garland's book "Be Happy"...must read for anyone that is curious of her dominance from birth to her untimely death. Again , Thank You!! 🤗💜

I grew up in Nigeria and went to boarding school there.. in the 80s/90s When i tell you Valley of the Dolls was such a popular book that we all desperately shared and passed around...😊

Can we talk about the eerie scene where Jennifer's body was wheeled from her house after her suicide and how there are pics of Sharon's body being taken in the same manner after her death. I remember thinking the suicide scene was very eerie

Wow. You got Lee Grant!!!! Thanks for another outstanding video. 👏🎬

This was marvellous. Patty Duke was my childhood icon but I was only 7 1/2 when the movie came out. The network television debut (heavily edited of course) was in the early 70s and I just was mesmerized watching it and thought Patty Duke was brilliant! I read the book when I was 13 and couldn’t get over how different it was in that it spanned 20 years (1945-1965) and how much more in depth the characters and storylines were. All through my teens and early twenties when I would get my hands on the new TV Guide the first thing I would do was go through the whole week to see if Valley of the Dolls was on the late show and if it was I’d be watching it. I also read all of Jacqueline Susann’s books and was old enough (15) to see the first run release of Once is not Enough. Sweet memories and I’m looking forward to part 2 ❤

They were still talking about this book when I was a child in the 70s. It was huge.

Hooray! A new video! You probably have 9000 planned that you can’t get to but if I might throw another on the pile I’d love a deep dive on the character actresses of Clue. Or just a whole Madeline Kahn piece

I cannot even begin to comprehend how you manage to put these videos together. I am amazed. Thank you for your work, I've learned so much. You are truly the best film KZfaqr ever.

I so enjoy your videos. Each one is like a mini doco; meticulously researched and presented with clarity, intelligence. I especially like it when I'm surprised by a nugget of information that somehow escaped even a die hard Hollywood maven like myself! Keep up the great work!

The last thing Judy garland should have been doing was performing. She needed to go into intense therapy and lay low for ten years. The very nature of how she chose to earn a living in the 60s was the antithesis of what she needed. ❤️

I really liked Remmick she was a good actress

I saw Barbra Streisand in the thumbnail and immediately had to watch. I already knew Streisand was one of the big names back then they originally thought of getting for the film (she was a megastar even before the movie version of Funny Girl), but I still wanted to hear the whole story again. Great video. Looking forward to part 2! PS: Love that you got to interview Lee Grant!

Boomer Patty Duke fan here. Thanks for a terrific first half.👍

All of your video essays are insightful and interesting. Thanks for casting your gaze to this absolute camp classic!

I got so excited when I got a ding from BKR, and saw this subject. It took me four days, but I love this, and cannot wait for part 2! I had no idea Patty Duke's backstory, and this gave me interest to read her memoir. I actually think her Neely O'Hara is one of her best dramatic performances, regardless of the film's campy legacy. Camp can be good. Also, congrats on your Lee Grant interview! I'm so glad she is still with us and I got a sense that when her social media liked and shared your video on her, that was coming. Eagerly awaiting part 2!

I love it so much when you do huge historical retrospectives like this about a single actor, award, or movie. I can already tell that these will be two of my very favorite documentaries of yours.😊

The cut to Patty Duke turning her head after all the background dancers were working up a storm was too funny.

Patty killed Neely. She was perfect.

The quality of the editing and your narration on this video are at a extremely high standard.

I’ve come back to this set of videos several times, they are masterpieces ❤

The comments have made me look forward to checking this out. Thanks for your hard work, BKR. And, on a separate note: does anybody remember MAD Magazine’s spoof at the time: “Valley of the Dollars”? (featuring Jackpot Suzanne, Ninny O’Horror, Juniper Nock, et al.) It was hysterical.

LEE GRANT? OMG THE WOMAN, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND! The cultural significance of this moment is for the OGs. “S**tty, honey. Really s**tty.” is still one of my favourite quotes 😂

I love the book, the film and the theme song. What a combo! 😊

I hope Part II (when will it drop?) makes some mention of one of the most important aspects of the film's success, the soundtrack. The Dionne Warwick song and the one Nick sings, Come Live With Me, really brought the emotion to a high pitch and brought some serious gravitas. Memorable tunes for sure!

Now that you have done Mommie Dearest, and are in the process of covering Valley of the Dolls, you have to complete the camp trilogy and cover Showgirls.

Lee Grant was one of the few actors and actresses admit to taking a role for the money , while most other lied about how the role interested them, or were artistically fulfilling 😛 After she got out of the blacklist, she took just about everything that was offered to her to make up for lost time and for financial security. She admitted that the money from Damien Omen II, Airport 77 and Visiting Hours built the house that she and her partner eventually sold for a lot of money.

When I was a very sheltered 12 year old, I would have sleepovers at a similarly sheltered friend's house. Her whole family would usually sit with us as her mother showed us movies or shows on VHS like Little House on the Prairie. Then one night this stern traditional woman announced we would watch a movie I'd never heard of. She stoically sat us through the entirety of Valley of the Dolls in silence as we nervously glanced between her and the TV and it was one of the most surreal evenings of my life. No one dared to ask her why on Earth she picked that film and the next sleepover was back to our usual family friendly material. I still laugh when I remember the strangeness of that experience! My dad mused maybe she was trying to warn us about drug use in a round about way but I'll never really know, haha. This video was so interesting and convinced me to rewatch the movie as an adult. What a film! It's hard to imagine what it would have been like with Barbara Streisand or Judy Garland. Thank you for this in depth look into the history and actresses of such an iconic piece of cinema! (Also I cackled at your "segment" on the male actors lol)

I absolutely adore the first part of "The Valley of the Dolls" documentary! The storytelling and insights into the making of this iconic film are simply captivating. I can hardly contain my excitement for the second part 🎬😃

“Patty should become a bubblegum pop girlie” this took me OUT But her Folk Songs album from 1968 that went unreleased is probably her best vocal work that she’d ever give.

VOTD is a Classic!

"Valley of the Dolls," released in 1967, is a timeless classic that has captivated audiences for decades. This film, based on Jacqueline Susann's novel, is a poignant and beautifully crafted exploration of the highs and lows of Hollywood fame and the human spirit. The performances in "Valley of the Dolls" are truly remarkable. Susan Hayward, Patty Duke, and Sharon Tate deliver powerful and emotive portrayals of their characters, making us empathize with their struggles and aspirations. The film's depiction of the entertainment industry's underbelly is both engaging and thought-provoking. Beyond its compelling narrative, "Valley of the Dolls" boasts a memorable soundtrack with songs like "Theme from Valley of the Dolls" that have become iconic over the years. The film's glamorous 1960s aesthetic is a feast for the eyes, transporting viewers back in time. What makes this film truly special is its ability to resonate with audiences on a personal level. Its exploration of ambition, addiction, and the pursuit of dreams is both relevant and enduring. "Valley of the Dolls" is not just a movie; it's a cultural touchstone that continues to inspire and entertain, making it a must-see classic for cinephiles and casual viewers alike.

I read the book about 5 times! The movie was definitely popular enough that The Carol Burnett Show did a skit during the first season. I forgot to mention that Lee Grant won an Emmy for her portrayal of "Stella Chernak".

Fun comprehensive video so far on a camp classic! The Patty Duke section in particular is fascinating and she would make an interesting biopic subject one day. Never knew she joined the movie only to shed her innocent & pure image. Judy Garland signing up to do this film only because it was her last resort was so sad to hear. And the Sharon Tate bits in part 2 will be hard to hear. Another great video!

I loved the snippet of Jacqueline Susann's interview with Barbara Frum, an exemplar of the uniquely Canadian brand of condescension.

This is as riveting as it is brilliant. Thank you for your meticulous research and very committed work.

I love VOD. All the actors were awesome and the story engaging !

You got me to watch the HBO version of Mildred Pierce (I already loved the Joan Crawford classic). You got me to revisit The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Now Im looking for the Valley of the Dolls movie everywhere!! 💖💖

Fascinating video! I'm eager to see Part 2! --- This is just a small points, but something I've noticed more than once is the similarity between Sharon Tate's and Jayne Mansfield's speaking voices when you hear the two actresses in conversation in interviews. I don't notice the similarity when hearing the two when acting in movies, but when they are simply themselves talking in their natural voices with an interviewer Sharon Tate and Jayne Mansfield sound remarkably alike.

BRAVO!!!! Your work is pure perfection!!! I have been a HUGE Barbara Parkins fan ever since I first saw Peyton Place on the USA Network years ago!

I loved all Jacqueline Sussann books as a teen/young adult, Valley of the dolls was my favourite, all her books were in the bookshelf in my home and when my daughter was a teen she discovered Valley on the bookshelf on her own loved it too. Her husband wrote a book about her "My life with Jackie" and it was great, seems she had a wicked sense of humour and a whiplash tongue to accompany it. Thanks for this video, AWEsome !

Anxiously looking for PT 2 only to finally figure out that it's not yet available. Something to look forward to. Also, have you ever thought about doing a Diana Ross documentary? Specifically one that features my two favorite Ross movies, Mahogany and Lady Sings the Blues. I remember when Ross was nominated for the academy award for best actress along with Liza Minelli for Cabaret, all of us were rooting for Ross. And when Liza won we all felt cheated and that it was more of a "mercy" award since her mother Judy Garland had recently passed. Anyways, just a thought to add to your list of hundreds of amazing stories of amazingly talented women.

BKR videos are always exceptional; this is Next Level Brilliant. Can not wait for Part 2, wherein one presumes the elision of Martin Milner from the inspired summation of the male actors will be addressed. Brava bravissima, mille grazie, bis.

I have never thought the character of Nelly OHara was based on Judy Garland But it was Betty Hutton,who worked with Ethel Merman and she had Betty's big songs removed from her while in a Broadway show ,Hutton was known for her pill and alcohol abuse which led to her fall from superstardom ...Judy and Ethel were close friends .

i've watched that episode of judy on "what's my line" multiple times, and am charmed each and every time. for anyone who hasn't seen it, please do, it's here on youtube

I love all your documentaries and assessments. Your research always surprises! I love your diving into favorites and forgotten treasures. I know you have a full list of projects to investigate for us but wanted to add my wish list here if I may. 1. The making and casting of The Women movie. 2. Any new research or insights you can provide for Somewhere In Time, a movie the mainstream wishes to forget but those who discover this gem fall in love with this romantic film as their all time (or near all time) favorite. 3. The making of All That Heaven Allows and why so many including film historians including the Criterion Collection, consider this film one of the best ever made. 4. The making and casting of Imitation of Life, 1959 version with Lana Turner and Juanita Moore and the dramas on and off screen, and how the glamour pops so much in this Hollywood vehicle. 5. The making and casting of Pillow Talk and why it is important that it is one of the few comedies to win an Academy for best picture. 6. Any new research or insights into the making of The Towering Inferno, The Poseidon Adventure, and Earthquake. 7. Any new research into the making of Funny Girl, how it is sometimes compared to The Sound of Music for its dramatic and lush visuals, album worthy songs and perfectly cast stars, and why Funny Lady was done and is not placed on the same level, although a very good film in itself. 8. Any research on the making of New York, New York and why this movie failed in many ways to entice despite the lavish expense. 9. Any new research on the creation of Grease and why this movie has become an epic, comparable to The Sound of Music and other great musicals despite having almost zero budget. 10. Any new research on The Fountainhead and the drama but off and on screen and how this may have caused the exile of its great star, Patricia Neal, from Hollywood, and if her love for Gary Cooper was coveyed in her acting in the film, the controversial book and why it was made at the time it was (WW2 era and propaganda or great storyline?) and why the wealthy in America despised this film while other classes loved it. 11. The 1957 melodrama An Affair to Remember - any new research on why this film was created a second time, why the movie was done in a relaxed beautifully visual format until the stark ending with huge shock appeal that it is almost impossible not to shed a tear when watching. (and if you consider this one of Cary Grant's best performances as well as Deborah Kerr). 12. Any new insights and research on the creation of Gentleman Prefer Blondes - was it really created to propel Marilyn Monroe into superstardom or did it just happen out of chance and good casting and production (and great costume designs!) with glamorizing the Hollywood film to the max. 12. The making of the film Sense & Sensibility and how this low budget period melodrama was beautifully shot, beautifully created and with a perfect cast. 13. Not really a theater film but an immensely well done part series - the 1990s Pride & Prejudice - why this film was voted by the British as best film ever made surpassing Gone with the Wind in a British poll, how it was cast and why, and why many feel this is the best version when compared to the many movie versions done before and after its creation - is most aligned accurately with Jane Austen's version? Many Thanks in advance if you plan to do any of the above!

This is FANTASTIC! Can’t wait for part two. Now I have to go rewatch “VoD”. Sparkle, Neely, sparkle!

Never clicked on a vid so fast!! Where have you been BKR??!! What's interesting -- the 3 main actresses' life & careers went the same way as their characters in the film

I aspire to be as good at ANYTHING in my life as you are at these documentaries. I recommend your work to everyone

The Men: Yes they were all in the movie 😂😂😂. That was perfection!

The Jacqueline. Susann biopic "Isn't She Great" is actually on yt! Not quite as campy as votd, but it's based on her often tragic real life. Can't wait for part 2. Thank you.

What a great job you did with this doc. I watched Valley as a young adult in a cinema in Montreal and loved it. Thanks for splaining why, and all the background. I had no idea about.

I’m gonna have to go and read Duke’s memoir after this. I have to wonder when her kids wanted to be actors if she was extra protective not just as a mother but as someone that’s been through the system. Holy crap. Also this is an amazing series. I love how you focus on the actresses and not just one you really let them all shine

can’t wait to watch part 2!