Biography for
Jacqueline Susann More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

20 August 1918, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Date of Death

21 September 1974, New York City, New York, USA (breast and lung cancer)

Nickname

Jackie

Height

5' 7" (1.70 m)

Mini Biography

Jacqueline Susann was an extraordinarily successful writer who turned her dynamic charm, chutzpah, and personality into a formidable marketing machine. Despite a less than spectacular career as an actress, singer, and playwright, she never lost confidence in herself. Blessed with sensual looks and unbounded confidence, Susann went from unknown to the best selling author of the 1960s. Her marriage to public relations/publicity guru Irving Mansfield was a a union of great advantage. Their only child, Guy, was born autistic. Despite a stormy life together, marked by her constant affairs, Mansfield was devoted to his wife. Her scandalous private life included passionate involvement with Ethel Merman, the basis for Helen Lawson in "Valley," and numerous actors and writers. After her mastectomy, she apparently ended her philandering, but became even more determined to find fame. By the time of her death, she had become one of the cultural icons of the 1960s and had set numerous publishing records.

IMDb Mini Biography By: bpeace98@aol.com

Spouse

Irving Mansfield

(2 April 1939 - 21 September 1974) (her death) 1 child

Trivia

Born at 7:25pm-EST

Was Arlene Francis' understudy in the original Broadway production of Clare Boothe Luce's "The Women".

Measurements: 34-27-35 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)

Referenced by name in Los Angeles punk band X's song "Adult Books".

Her first novel, "Valley of the Dolls", was the top selling novel of 1966. It has sold over ten million copies to date.

Was so disappointed by the movie Valley of the Dolls (1967), an adaptation of her best-selling book of the same name, that she referred to it as a "piece of shit".

Her only child, a son named Guy, was diagnosed as severely autistic and was institutionalized most of his life

Is portrayed by Bette Midler in Isn't She Great (2000)

Godmother of Phoebe Cates.

Personal Quotes

[when told not to be upset upon news of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963] What do you mean don't be upset? My tour's been canceled!

Way back then, they didn't think [William Shakespeare] was a good writer. He was the soap opera king of his day.

When Somerset Maugham wrote a book everyone would say, 'Oh, God, who is Willie writing about now?' When Flaubert wrote 'Emma Bovary' twenty women said they were Emma. I start writing with a theme in my mind. Then I start asking, what kind of a personality? And because I have a good ear, I unconsciously pick up certain people. But that doesn't mean those people have led that life. Going back to Shakespeare's time, there was a Hamlet, but not such as he wrote it.

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