<P> Over the course of twenty eventful years (1945--1965), each of the women strives to ascend the Mount Everest of her dreams, only to find herself back in the valley of the dolls . </P> <P> Susann had apparently been thinking about the novel for some time . Some years earlier, she had begun a show business novel, Underneath the Pancake, with her friend, actress Beatrice Cole (c. 1910--1999). Later, she considered writing a novel about drug usage in show business to be called The Pink Dolls . </P> <P> Valley of the Dolls is widely considered to be a roman a clef, with its characters based on such famous figures as Judy Garland, Carole Landis, Dean Martin, and Ethel Merman . In 1973, after publication of her third novel, Susann said, "They can keep calling it that (roman a clef). It'll only make my books sell, I don't care ." Susann insisted that she began each book with a theme: "Then I start asking, what kind of a personality? And because I have a good ear, I unconsciously pick up certain people ." </P> <P> Susann dedicated the book to her poodle, Josephine, and to her husband, Irving Mansfield . </P>

Who are the characters in valley of the dolls based on
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