Mia Farrow Reacts with Heartbreaking Words Over Death of Her 'Peyton Place' Co-Star
“Peyton Place” ran from 1964-69, and is fondly remembered to this day for making stars of Mia Farrow, Ryan O’Neal, and Barbara Parkins.
The show was based on Grace Metalious’s novel of the same name, and was also made into a movie in 1957 that was the second highest grossing film the following year.
That’s a pretty impressive resume for Metalious’s original story. Becoming a movie and a TV show all before the internet? What a crazy concept.
But all our hearts are saddened today, as Constance MacKenzie’s actress, Dorothy Malone, has passed away.
She was in an assisted living center in Dallas, and died just days before her 94th birthday. Her daughter, Mimi Vanderstraaten, confirmed her passing to the media.
Before appearing on “Peyton Place,” Malone was a well-loved actress who started her career by playing “loving sweethearts and wives.” She was convinced, however, that “shady dames” were the real “winners in this business.”
And so she took a risk by firing her agent and hired a publicist. A risk that would most definitely pay off.
The change would earn her the Oscar-winning role in the 1956 film “Written on the Wind,” which also starred Lauren Bacall and Rock Hudson.
Her career began to fade once she turned 40 — the aging magic of modern movies and technology wasn’t quite there yet — but was revitalized with her starring role on “Peyton Place,” where she made $7,000 a week.
She could have made $10,000, but she agreed to the lower amount so that she could spend time her daughters and leave set by 5 p.m.
“Peyton Place” was a risk for ABC, but it certainly paid off to put “what was essentially a soap opera in prime time three times a week.” It was a smash hit!
But with her passing comes waves of mourning stars, paying their respects and sharing memories of their time with her. Mia Farrow tweeted, “RIP Dorothy Malone, my beautiful TV mom for two amazing years.”
RIP Dorothy Malone, my beautiful TV mom for two amazing years pic.twitter.com/XYn4dpejqZ
— Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) January 20, 2018
Other than her TV-daughter, Malone is survived by her biological children, Mimi Vanderstraaten, Diane Thompson, and a retired US district judge, Robert Maloney. They are all from Dallas.
Malone was married three times, though if she were here, she would correct that to two and a half. Her marriage with Jacques Bergerac ended in divorce, her marriage to Robert Tomarkin was annulled soon after their wedding day — she claimed he only married her for her money — and her marriage to Huston Bell also later ended in divorce.
“I don’t have very good luck in men,” Malone said during an interview. “I had a tendency to endow a man qualities he did not possess.”
In her life, Malone won an Academy Award in 1956 — and also gave the longest speech of the night — and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which was dedicated in 1960.
Rest in peace, Dorothy Malone. We’re sending our thoughts and prayers to her family and friends in these sad times, and also to all those she’s touched throughout her life.
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