Doris Lilly

American newspaper, magazine and book writer, she wrote columns on high society for the New York Post between 1968 and 1978, and the New York Daily Mirror. The title of Lillys first book, How to Marry a Millionaire (1951) was adapted for a 1953 film of the same name starring Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall. Lilly published an updated version of the book in 1984 as How to Marry a Billionaire. Lilly was a contract player for film producer Cecil B. DeMille in her youth, before dating actor Ronald Reagan in the 1950s after his divorce from Jane Wyman. Two letters that Reagan sent her during their relationship were auctioned at Sothebys by Lilly in 1988 while Reagan was serving as President of the United States; the letters were bought by Malcolm Forbes and given to Reagans wife, Nancy. Lilly was a socialite and wrote several books about people of great wealth including Glamor Girl (1977; with co-author Robin Moore) and Those Fabulous Greeks: Onassis, Niarchos and Livanos (1970). Lilly has been cited as, and claimed herself, that she was an inspiration for Holly Golightly, the lead character in Truman Capotes novella Breakfast at Tiffanys. Doris Lilly died from cancer on 9 October 1991 at age 69 in New York Citys Beth Israel Hospital. Link to Wikipedia biography Read less