Valley of the dolls tells the story of three remarkable women whose lives are affected by show-business celebrity. Neely O'Hara struggles to make it on the Broadway stage. Yet, when she's reached the pinacle of success in that arena, she finds the view from the top lonely, empty, and unfulfilling. Anne, a small-town New England girl, is unable to resist the temptation of the bright lights of New York. She finds a secretarial job with Lyon Burke -- a well-known entertainment attorney -- who numbers among his clients the creme de la creme of show-business elite (Neely O'Hara among them). After being asked by a photographer to "fill in" for a model who fails to appear for a job, Anne is suddenly catapulted into the role of super-model. Her face is everywhere -- magazine covers, billboards, and television. Soon Neely and Anne find themselves competing for the affections of Lyon. Meanwhile, struggling starlit Jennifer, is forced to make "B" movies in order to make a living for herself and her over-demanding mother.
New Englander Anne Welles arrives in New York City and accepts a secretarial job with a leading theatrical law firm. On her first day, she is present at a Broadway rehearsal when hard-boiled musical comedy star Helen Lawson discharges a talented newcomer, Neely O'Hara, because she threatens to steal the show. Lyon Burke, an associate in the law firm, gets Neely a spot on a TV show that leads to stardom in Hollywood. At the same time beautiful but untalented Jennifer North falls in love with nightclub singer Tony Polar and marries him despite the objections of his sister, Miriam. Eventually Anne and Lyon quarrel over his refusal to marry; Lyon quits the law firm to resume his writing; and Anne appears in a series of TV commercials. As time passes, Neely finds herself incapable of adjusting to fame: two unsuccessful marriages (to press agent Mel Anderson and costume designer Ted Casablanca) have led to both alcoholism and drug addiction. Neely is persuaded to enter the same sanitarium where Tony is dying of an incurable disease. Jennifer, who has been paying Tony's bills by making nudist films in Europe, learns she has breast cancer and commits suicide. After Anne and Lyon have reconciled their differences and then broken up again, Neely gets the chance for a comeback on Broadway; but she is still emotionally incapable of facing an audience. Too drunk to go on, she collapses in the theater alley after her understudy has scored an opening night triumph. By now Anne is back at her New England home. One day Lyon pays her a visit and pleads with her to marry him. Anne can only kiss him affectionately and reject his offer.
