Jacqueline Susann a radical departure from the works which made her famous. During the 1970s, Susann had spoken of future works. They included a novel about brothers who have their show business start in vaudeville, to be called "The Comedy Twins"; a novel about a poetess, "The Heroine"; a continuation of the story of Neely O'Hara's sons; and her autobiography. Jacqueline Susann enjoyed the fame which her books brought. "Confrontational, sassy, [and] entertaining," she appeared frequently on television, especially on talk shows. When asked what Ethel Merman thought of "Valley of the Dolls", Susann responded, "We didn't speak before the book came
Jacqueline Susann friend, actress Beatrice Cole (c. 1910–1998), Susann wrote a play called "The Temporary Mrs. Smith", a comedy about a one-time movie actress whose former husbands interfere with her scheme to marry a man of wealth. Retitled "Lovely Me", the play, directed by actress Jessie Royce Landis, and starring Luba Malina (1909–1982) and Mischa Auer, opened on Broadway at the Adelphi Theatre on December 25, 1946. Said to be an "audience-pleaser," the play nonetheless closed after just 37 performances. Four years later, Susann and Cole wrote another play, "Cock of the Walk", which was to open on Broadway with Oscar-winning actor