Hollywood tends to choose looks over character. And blondes for characters that identify as ethnically Jewish (recent example - Swede Catholic Malin Akerman as Polish Jew Laurie "Jupiter" Juspeczyk in Watchmen), especially in the wake of McCarthyism.
Kathy Kohner, upon whom the original novel was based, addressed their differences in an interview:
"How did you feel about being played by Sandra Dee in the movie?
She was very sweet. I was probably much more of a tomboy than she was. I also wasnt that sweet and had a mouth on me. I told things the way they were and never learned the Protestant way of being reserved or not asking too many questions."
http://www.jwmag.org/page.aspx?pid=799#sthash.YtREyvSI.KOAWfLhZ.dpbs
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