Valley of the Dolls is widely considered a roman à clef, a thinly veiled story about real people. Articles and reviews often try to link book characters to their real-life inspirations, and Susann namedrops a few in the text. Aside from being salacious, these mentions of real celebrities become a motif in the text that creates an authentic atmosphere and foreshadows the three protagonists’ fates. For example, Neely’s agent compares her to Judy Garland, a household name known for her meteoric rise to fame, multiple marriages, and drug addiction. Creating this association early allows the reader to anticipate Neely’s arc, from her bright start to her first fall from grace and eventual comeback.

Likewise, comparing Helen to Ethel Merman establishes Helen’s arc as a talented, bawdy actress who is used by producers before being discarded for younger talents. Finally, when a receptionist describes her ideal future to Anne, she compares herself to Carole Landis, who died by suicide at the age of 29. The circumstances of her life and death parallel Jennifer’s. Carole was nicknamed “The Chest” due to her curvy figure, similar to how Winston calls Jennifer’s breasts his “babies.” Likewise, Carole died of a drug overdose and left two suicide notes: one to Rex Harrison, her lover who abandoned her, and one to her mother, though Jennifer leaves her second note to Anne.