- Lynn Redgrave, The Happy Hooker, 1975. Bold as ever, Valerie was keen until advised that playing the famous hooker could ruin her chances of an Oscar for her role in Lenny. As if it could hurt. Her Lenny role was… a bisexual stripper on drugs!
- Raquel Welch, Mother, Jugs & Speed, 1975. The new Fox production chief, Alan Ladd Jr, declared: “This is about the most offensive script I’ve ever read in my life. There is no group you don’t insult in this move. Can you make this for three million bucks?” Bill Cosby (Mother) and Harvey Keitel (Speed) took deferred money. Valerie, hot after Slaughterhouse 5 and Lenny, would not. That was unfair for Bill and Harvey said writer-producer Tom Mankiewicz – who knew Valerie from her bit in Diamonds Are Forever. (She was later in his Superman script). “Raquel Welch, her tongue hanging out to play Jugs, would defer money. She arrived wjth five women working for her: make-up, hair, wardrobe etc. Tom, called them The Raquettes. called the them. The Raquettes.
- Jessica Lange, King Kong, 1976. Like all Italians, producer Dino De Laurentiis likes them plump and felt Jessica too gawky, skinny. “It was the cameraman who really wanted me,” she remembered.
- Jill Clayburgh, Gable and Lombard, 1976. That summer, movieland bios were in (the toilet) and Valerie preferred Carlotta Monti opposite Rod Steiger in WC And Me. “And I never liked WC Fields.
- Deanne Lund, Hardly Working, 1979. For his first movie in eight years, Jerry Lewis’ budget could only afford a TV face as his gal. During the 90s, Deanne was the lover of CNN’s Larry King. And Valerie was always a great lady.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 5