Queenie (miniseries)

"Queenie" was an ABC miniseries based on the eponymous Michael Korda novel.

Background

In April 1985 Michael Korda published "Queenie", a roman à clef about his aunt, the actress Merle Oberon, who had married his uncle Alexander Korda. Queenie Kelley (Oberon was known in early roles as Queenie Thompson) is an extremely beautiful girl of Indian and Irish descent, fair enough to pass for white. Growing up in Calcutta, however, Queenie is made all too aware of her "chi-chi" background by her enemies, including wealthy, jaded socialite Penelope Daventry.

Daventry, though racist, attempts to seduce Queenie's uncle, who steals Daventry's bracelet. After pawning the bracelet, Queenie and her uncle travel to London. Totally lost in London, Queenie soon finds a career as a stripper, Rani. Later, she makes her way to Hollywood, where she is renamed Dawn Avalon.

Avalon becomes one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, soon attracting many eligible suitors.

In May 1987, "Queenie" aired in two parts on ABC. Winston Beard and April Smith adapted the novel for television and Larry Peerce directed. The cast, headed by Mia Sara as the titular character, included Joss Ackland ("Sir Burton Rumsey"), Kirk Douglas("David Konig"), and Topol ("Dimitri Goldner").

External links

* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093808/ IMDb.com page]
* [http://www.aprilsmith.net/television/queenie.htm Writer April Smith recalls working on "Queenie".]
* [http://home.alphalink.com.au/~agilbert/queenie.html "Queenie: Smudging the distinctions between Black and White" by Mark Haslam]