Travilla & Valley of the Dolls Part 5 - La Premieres

Valley of the Dolls has the distinction of having the World's most extended movie premiere, traveling 20,000 miles over twenty-eight days aboard Princess Italia's maiden voyage. The film's first premiere was held before departing Venice, Italy. Local journalists and dignitaries attended other premieres during stops in the Canary Islands, Miami, Florida, Nassau, Bahamas, Kingston, Jamaica, Columbia, the Panama Canal, and Acapulco, Mexico, before arriving in Los Angeles.

American journalists aboard included Virginia Graham, Entertainment columnist Gerald Nachman, and Jeanne Miller from the San Francisco Examiner. Nachman commented on how everyone had repeatedly interviewed Tate, Duke, Burke, and Susann because aside from eating or drinking, there wasn't much else to do as the onboard activities of lectures, dance class, and bridge tournaments, interested no one, including the other passengers interested in star gawking.

Miller interviewed Susann, who said of the film: "Years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Ernest Hemingway. He told me, 'Write your novel, sell it to the movies, but stay away from the theater when the film is released." She continued. "Actually, that's excellent advice [the author probably wishes she had taken]. I don't mean this as a put-down of our film, quite the contrary. It's just that my book was like my baby. Therefore, the omissions of some of my favorite characters were like seeing my child dismembered before my eyes."

"I realize that the medium is different. I also understand that a great deal of material had to be left out, or else the film would have run eight hours. However, it's hard for an author to be objective about her own creation."

"I think that the movie is well done. It proves that Hollywood is coming of age. The film depicts the cut-throat life behind the scenes in show biz with relentless honesty – something that would have been played down in the past.

Footage shot during the cruise producers edited into a television special to promote the film Valley of the Dolls: A World Premiere Voyage. It came across as an extended commercial because it featured more footage of the exotic locations and shipboard amenities rather than interviewing the film's stars.

Travilla is interviewed poolside on the Lido deck for a few minutes about his designs and seen in a few fleeting appearances, including one where he is shown wiping off the lens of his camera used to take [these] photographs that sold at the Estate's auction in 2013.

Miami

Patty Duke explained how Neely's role would differ from her television comedy series, The Patty Duke Show, or Helen Keller, the Miracle Worker. "I wanted to prove myself in this movie so that producers wouldn't keep regarding me as a sweet child. If they realize that I'm versatile, I'll be considered for more vehicles, and I can decide whether a given offer fits in with our plans. I wanted a strong, memorable role so that if I decide to relax and be a housewife for a year or two, I won't entirely be forgotten...My need is for a happy home where I can spend maximum time with Harry." [Harry Falk was Duke's new husband. A television director] The couple were making the cruise part of their honeymoon.

Travilla, Duke, Harry Falk Jr. (Duke's husband), and Irving Mansfield (Jacqueline Sussan's husband.)

Sharon Tate lamented on being typecast as a sex symbol. "I've never understood how girls can say that they object to being a sex symbol, or, in other words, every man's dream girl. As long as it's done with taste, I have no objection. I'm only 24, and I've made four films. But as yet, I don't really know who I am or what I can do. I think that sexy dramatic roles are probably more right for me. As far as I know, I have no flair for comedy and no desire to play it. But time will tell."

Jacqueline Sussan, Irving Mansfield, and Harry Falk Jr.

Director Mark Robson and wife.

Acapulco

Director Mark Robson's wife.

Two shots of Tony Scotti.

"The Bills", Sarris and Travilla at breakfast.