In June of 1964 I turned 17 and it proved to be the best of times and worst of times for me.
This gives you an idea of what I'm talking about. Gizmag.
I entered Patricia Stevens Modeling School, where I learned to stand up tall with a big smile, looking sexy, at car shows and conventions. When that got old fast, I decided being an actress was more my style and found a private drama coach from MGM, where my grandfather, Andy Mac Donald had worked for 50 years... as boss over seven departments. When a new series was in development at the studio,
called Room 222.
Thinking I needed a quick tan, I stupidly baked in the sun from 9 to 5 and suffered a serious burn on my face, under my arms and in the tender part of my inner-thighs. Barely able to wear anything on my skin, I was forced to go to the audition in extreme pain, with a beet red face. Not very attractive I can assure you.... and worst of all, I couldn't remember my lines and failed the audition....
Here I am with my dad, Bill Williams, wearing the dress, Dec. 1965,
I died my hair black and I looked like I was 35.
My dad knew the director at M.G.M. and asked him how I did. Not wanting to be unkind...I'm sure... he told my dad that I looked to mature to play a high school kid, even though I was a high school kid..... He said, because I was under age, I'd have to have special tutors and the producer didn't want to pay for it. They were looking for girls who were over 18 and looked younger.
I must admit I did look pretty mature, with my eyes overdone with Maybelline, and wearing a sexy black sheath with a low cut neckline, that Nana and my mom picked out for me. I may have looked 35 on the outside, but inside I was immature, insecure and unprofessional... and sadly, I didn't get the part. But the good news was the show was shelved for 5 years, so I guess the producers had a hard time funding it or finding the right talent. However, it finally aired in 1969 and became a very popular show.
Room 222 Theme song and opening video with
Karen Valentine
The announcement in the paper about the Miss Culver City Contest, I'm in the middle, # 5, the only blonde.. My friend Sandy Block #6, won when I was disqualified.
After that my ego was deflated further when I was disqualified during the finals of the Miss Culver City Beauty contest, for being a professional actress..... Just because I was going to auditions...It was humiliating, but, I leaned... the more beautiful you are, the more privilege you come from and the harder you try to develop a dramatic career, the less breaks you get.
It hurt me to be cut out of Room 222 and the Beauty Contest, but it taught me why my great uncle Tom Lyle Williams, founder of the Maybelline Company, wanted us kids to remain hidden from the world for our own protection and just be normal kids, with normal lives.
