”Mamie Van Doren is an American actress, model, singer and sex symbol who is known for being one of the first actresses to recreate the look of Marilyn Monroe. Van Doren is perhaps best remembered for the rock ‘n’ roll, juvenile delinquency, exploitation movie Untamed Youth (1957), and other films of this calibre.
Van Doren went to star in several bad girl movies that later became cult films. She also appeared in some of the first movies to feature rock ‘n’ roll music and became identified with this rebellious style, and made some rock records.
Some of Van Doren’s more noteworthy movies include Teacher’s Pet (1958) at Paramount Pictures, Born Reckless (1958) at Warner Brothers, High School Confidential (1958) and The Beat Generation (1959), the latter two at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. But Van Doren was just as well known for her provocative roles. She was in prison for Girls Town (1959), which provoked censors with a shower scene where audiences could see Van Doren’s naked back. As Eve in The Private Lives of Adam and Eve (1960) she wore only fig leaves, and in other films, like The Beautiful Legs of Sabrina (1959), Sex Kittens Go to College (1960) and Vice Raid (1960) audiences were clued in as to the nature of the films from the titles.” [wiki]
Ooh Ba La Baby!
Don’t know if she invented R’n’R but this Rhino rec. collection of Mamie’s 1957-67 recordings is a real cool mix of rockers, ballads, exotica and calypso with tittyshakin’ flavor. First tunes I’ve heard were from ’64 single ”The Bikini With No Top On The Top/So What Else Is New” with Mamie and another 60’s bombshell June Wilkinson, great summer beach fun exploatation [my fav]. Other cool stuff is ’67 ”The Boy’s Catchers Theme” and colaboration with rock legend Eddie Cochran in ”The Beat Generation”, ”Ooh Ba La Baby!”, ”Rollin’ Stone”, ”Salamander” and ”Go Go Calypso!”. Say… Mmmm Mamie!
SURFADELIC 