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From the flap (summary) : Former beauty queen and gorgeous blonde Mandy
and her life-battered friend,Diane, want nothing more than to reach
the heights of success in show business. Their journey to
self-discovery and stardom during the turbulent 1960s and '70s takes
them from New York City to Las Vegas andHollywood.'
Author background : Hollenbeck's character Mandy is based on her own
life. She was born and brought up in they city of Newburgh and is a
graduate of Newburgh free Academy.
She was a model and former beauty pageant contestant who travelled to
Hollywood to become a movie star. When she arrived in hollywood, She
changed her name to Carol Holland.
A few weeks into her journey to stardom, She was discovered while
walking down Hollywood Boulevard with her model portfolio for a
commercial because an actress never showed up for it. So her first job
was a commercial for Sky Bar candy where she played Miss Vanilla
beside comedian Arte Johnson. Holllenbeck went on to become a Las
Vegas showgirl in "Irma La Douce" at the Riviera Hotel. She also acted
in small soap opera roles and as an extra bikini beach movies. In
1967, She starred in the movie "Eden Cried." The Ritz Theatre in
Newburgh paid homage to her by holding a premiere and temporarily
renaming a street near the theatre after her. Soon her career would
hit a bump because she was treated like a dump blonde on the casting
couch. Hollywood was trying to make her into the next Marilyn Monroe.
She thought she was the next Kim Novak. "I was just another number and
i couldn't take it," said Hollenbeck. She performed in "Hello
Burlesque" In New York and that is where she met a friend whom
Hollenbeck based the character of Diane on. Hollenbeck now writes
one-act plays. Three of them were nominated in the Samuel French
contest."Hometown Premiere" is based on the Newburgh premiere, which
will be a workshop in New York City.
Family background : Her cousin Mary Kay Hollenbeck,a singer West Point
choir and is related to the Crawford family, Who own Goshen Jewelers.
Author's view from the flap(why they write) : "Blondes are set up in a
way to really think they are special, "Hollenbeck said. "There is a
myth with...blondes that always fasinated me, from Jean Harlow to
Carol Landis to Marilyn...."
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