Jacqueline Susann Jacqueline Susann Jacqueline Susann (August 20, 1918 – September 21, 1974) was an American writer and actress. Her first novel, "Valley of the Dolls" (1966), is one of the best-selling books in publishing history. With her two subsequent works, "The Love Machine" (1969) and "Once Is Not Enough" (1973), Susann became the first author to have three consecutive #1 novels on "The New York Times" Best Seller List. Jacqueline Susann was born on August 20, 1918, in Philadelphia, a single daughter to a Jewish couple: Robert Susan (1887–1957), a portrait painter, and Rose Jans (1892–1981), a public schoolteacher. As a
Jacqueline Susann seller list, and was the third highest-selling novel of its year. Reviews were not favorable; one reviewer in the "New York Times" compared the book to "popcorn... a kernel of an idea... exploded into bite-sized nothingness," while "Time" magazine complained that the book "lacks Valley's primitive vigor. Film rights were sold to Columbia Pictures for a then-record $1.5 million. Directed by Jack Haley, Jr., the film adaptation was released in 1971, starring Dyan Cannon, Robert Ryan, and John Phillip Law. Despite the fact that Irving Mansfield was executive producer, the movie was a critical and commercial flop. Susann, who had