Jacqueline Susann of her own books. "Valley of the Dolls" spans twenty years (1945–1965) in the lives of three young women: Anne Welles, the New England beauty who liberates herself from her staid small town by coming to New York, where she falls in love with the dashing Lyon Burke; Neely O'Hara, an ebullient vaudevillian who becomes a Hollywood star and self-destructs; and Jennifer North, a showgirl with little talent but a gorgeous face and figure, who becomes a friend to both. All three women fall prey to the "dolls," amphetamines and barbiturates, a euphemism which Susann coined. The book was published
Jacqueline Susann actress. Be a people watcher." In New York, in 1937, Susann landed a small role in the Broadway company of "The Women", the caustic comedy by Clare Boothe which had opened on December 26, 1936, and would run for 657 performances. She subsequently appeared in such Broadway shows as "The Girl from Wyoming" (1938), "My Fair Ladies" (1941), "Blossom Time" (revival, 1943), "Jackpot" (1944), and "A Lady Says Yes" (1945), which starred Hollywood siren Carole Landis. Only one of her shows following "The Women" was a hit: "Banjo Eyes" (1941), starring Eddie Cantor, ran for 126 performances. Together with her