Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

Why Patty Duke Is Grateful to Gay Community, Garth Brooks/Teen Star Victoria Justice Says She's Not Overworked

Patty Duke gives a big thank-you to gay fans for helping her get over her decades-long feelings of humiliation over her performance in the 1967 film "Valley of the Dolls." The esteemed, Oscar-winning actress will reign o'er "Valley of the Dolls" special screening festivities at Chicago's Music Box Theatre this Saturday (11/20) — festivities complete with a costume parade and "Valley of the Dolls" singalong.

"I've come to enjoy that movie — not that it's not still embarrassing. But thanks to the gay community, I can see it in a different way and have a good time with it," she says.

Still, the memories linger all these years later of the critical drubbing meted out for the adaptation of Jacqueline Susann's novel of pill-poppin' show business gals with unfortunate love lives, in which Duke starred along with Barbara Parkins and Sharon Tate.

Comparing her journey to that of the recent stranded Carnival cruise ship Splendor in terms of lack of fun, she recalls, "'Valley of the Dolls' premiered on the maiden voyage of the Princess line, and there were all these press people aboard who hated it." She laughs. "I had the choice of swimming back or taking my lumps."

This is quite a month for Duke. Come Nov. 29, she'll be seen as the mother of Samantha Mathis in Lifetime's original movie, "Unanswered Prayers," based on the Garth Brooks song about a married man who re-encounters the high school girlfriend he thought he'd love forever. Eric Close and Mathis play the husband and wife, with Madchen Amick as the former flame who threatens to turn their world upside down. Although Duke's role is small, she and the movie's director worked out ways to subtly give it depth, including the fact she's often seen holding a cocktail.

"It turned out to be one of the best experiences I have had in these 56 years of doing this," says the one-time child actress, now 63 (who has no plans for retirement any time soon). "The people on the set, the other performers were just a delight ... We liked each other so much, we decided to start a rumor that this is a back-door pilot."

She also liked Brooks — whom she met when both were on hand for an evening at the Virginia governor's mansion during location shooting.

"The governor (Bob McDonnell) was lovely, and Garth Brooks was as down-to-earth as you'd ever want him to be," she says. "He was so witty, but never with that underpinning of cynicism. I laughed all evening."

FROM THE INSIDE LOOKING OUT: With Disney Channel star Demi Lovato's recent breakdown and all the subsequent talk about young stars overworking, 17-year-old Victoria Justice's schedule is enough to raise eyebrows. She has not only her "Victorious" Nickelodeon series chores, but outside acting assignments, music and charitable activities.

But she insists, "Even though I've been really busy, I kind of don't even realize it. People say, 'I feel bad for you. You have no days off. But I don't even notice it. I'm always really excited to go do my thing."

In fact, Justice would like to be doing even more — specifically, working in films. "It's a major, major goal of mine," she says. "I've loved movies since I was little. I'd love to do independent films, anything I can."

She tells us that she's currently writing her own music and has an album in the works for release once the "Victorious" soundtrack album has played out a bit.

And as far as charitable endeavors, she makes it clear she's particularly pleased to be part of the United Nations' Girl Up campaign — which promotes girls in developed countries helping girls in the world's most impoverished areas.

"I'm really proud to be involved and to help spread the word to as many girls as possible. Sometimes when people hear about donating to a charity, it seems like such a chore, but when you see videos of these girls and how much $5 can do for them, it's something you want to do, to help."

Justice reveals that she expects to be making a trip to either Malawi or Guatemala in support of the campaign — when she can find the time.

INDUSTRY BITS: Considering her spotty track record in the medium, you might not have expected Roseanne Barr to turn up on the big screen again, but it appears she will. She's about to make a low-budget independent film called "Nate and Margaret" in Chicago.

Casting is under way for a biopic of Welsh film star Gareth Hughes, to shoot in California, Nevada and South Wales the end of next spring. In addition to Hughes himself, casting forces on the picture have been scouting about for the right actress to play Hollywood columnist Hedda Hopper.

UGH: Warner Bros. has a "new media" pilot in the works for "Aim High," a series about a kid who "appears to be an ordinary 16-year-old high schooler, but is really a hit man for the U.S. Government." Speaks for itself, doesn't it?

To find out more about Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith and read their past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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