Starlet! (1969)

This above-average exploitation film from director Richard Kanter stars Deirdre Nelson as Carol Yates, an aspiring actress appearing in a stag film for producer Phil Latio (John Alderman). Carol and her roommates (Shari Mann, Chris Mathis) catch the eye of studio big-wig Kenyon Adler (Stuart Lancaster) and begin their initiation into the sleazy world of Hollywood in ways reminiscent of Valley of the Dolls. Kathi Cole plays an aging lesbian named Maxine who goes after Mann, eventually getting her electrocuted. Carol gets spanked by Phil and has a rough time of it, but eventually becomes a big star after appearing in a nudie film called A Youth in Babylon (a title later used for producer David F. Friedman's wonderful autobiography). Carol soon changes her name to Starliss Knight and marries the co-star from her first stag film (Joe Gardner), living happily ever after. Fairly tame as far as its plot, Starlet! still contained enough skin to ensure it becoming one of the more successful films of its type. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi