Picture this: Sandra Dee walks into The Polo Lounge at the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel, beaming with that radiant smile that once lit up the silver screen. Former Hollywood Reporter columnist Sue Cameron recalls the moment vividly, "We sat at a table in the back, and she looked absolutely beautiful." But as the evening unfolded, Sandra ordered not just one martini but another, painting a picture of a woman trying to escape something more than just the pressures of fame.
A Star is Born
Back in the late '50s, Sandra Dee was crowned the "No. 1 Star of Tomorrow," a title well-deserved thanks to her charming portrayals of wholesome young women in films like Gidget and A Summer Place. Her star shone brightly, but beneath the surface, there was a storm brewing. By the '70s, when she met Sue Cameron, Sandra's life had taken a dramatic turn. She was no longer married to singer Bobby Darin, the father of her son Dodd, and Universal Pictures had let her go. It was during this time Sandra confessed, "Sometimes I feel like a has-been that never was."
The Dark Side of Stardom
It wasn't until two decades later that Sandra opened up about the painful truths of her life. Born Alexandra Zuck in Bayonne, New Jersey, Sandra's childhood was far from the idyllic image she projected on screen. Her biological father, a heavy drinker, disappeared, leaving Sandra in the care of her overprotective mother, Mary. But things took a dark turn when Mary remarried Eugene Douvan, a wealthy man with sinister intentions. By the time Sandra was 11, she knew something was terribly wrong, yet she felt trapped. "But what could I do, tell my mother? I figured she knew," Sandra revealed.
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Like many victims of trauma, Sandra turned to an eating disorder as a way to regain control over her life. "My mother tried to get me to eat. We had screaming, tortured fights," she recalled. It was a battle she fought privately, even as her career soared.
Escape Through Acting
Days after her stepfather's death in 1956, Sandra auditioned for a producer who would bring her to Hollywood. Acting became her sanctuary, the one place where she felt truly free. "Sandra loved acting," Cameron says. "When she was in front of the camera was the only time she felt free." Despite her success, Sandra's struggles with anorexia persisted, leading to multiple hospitalizations.
Love and Loss
Ironically, it was Sandra's mother who forced her to accept a date with Bobby Darin, her co-star in Come September. Initially wary of the confident New Yorker, Sandra soon found herself falling for him. Their whirlwind romance led to marriage in 1960, though not without resistance from Mary. "Sandra married Bobby in defiance of her mother and her mother did everything to kill it," Cameron explains. Issues like Bobby's jealousy, late nights, and Sandra's drinking eventually led to their divorce in 1967. Yet, their love never truly faded. "They both always wanted to get back together," Cameron adds. Tragically, Bobby's health issues cut their plans short. He passed away at just 37, leaving Sandra heartbroken. "A lot of her died the day he died," their son Dodd recalls.
Final Chapter
Even in her later years, Sandra's life was overshadowed by her mother's influence. "She was the mother from hell," Cameron says, describing how Mary would always be present during their visits. But Sandra found the strength to confront her mother about the past before Mary's death in 1988. "My mother erased the abuse from her own mind. It didn’t exist, so she didn’t have to feel guilty," Sandra said. Despite her battles, Sandra found joy in her son Dodd. "She was so grateful to Dodd. She really loved him," Cameron notes. Sandra's life ended in 2005, but her legacy lives on through Dodd's unwavering love.
