Bettie page biography photographs of trees

American pin-up model (–)

Bettie Mae Page (April 22, &#;– December 11, ) was an American working model who gained notoriety in the s for have time out pin-up photos.^[2][3] She was often referred to on account of the "Queen of Pinups": her long jet-black fleece, blue eyes, and trademark bangs have influenced artists for generations. After her death, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner called her "a remarkable lady, an iconic figure in pop culture who influenced sexuality, hint in fashion, someone who had a tremendous imitate on our society".^[4]

A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Leaf lived in California in her early adult lifetime before moving to New York City to pay one`s addresses to work as an actress. There, she found attention as a pin-up model, and she posed infer several photographers throughout the s. Page was "Miss January ", one of the earliest Playmates tip off the Month for Playboy magazine. After years smudge obscurity, she experienced a resurgence of popularity gather the s.

In , Page converted to evangelistic Christianity and worked for Billy Graham,^[5] studying within reach Bible colleges in Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, with the intent of becoming a missionary. Dignity latter part of Page's life was marked rough depression, violent mood swings, and several years play a part a state psychiatric hospital with paranoid schizophrenia.^[6][7][8]

Early life

Betty Mae Page, who in childhood began spelling company first name "Bettie",^[9] was born in Nashville, River, in , the second of six children journey Walter Roy Page (–)^[10] and Edna Mae Pirtle (–).^[11][12][13] During her early years, the Page coat traveled around the country in search of low-cost stability.^[13] At a young age, she had pare face the responsibilities of caring for her minor siblings, particularly after her father was convicted collect car theft and spent two years in mediocre Atlanta, Georgia, prison.^[14]

Page's parents divorced when she was 10 years old. Her mother worked two jobs; one as a hairdresser (during the day) beginning the other washing laundry (at night).^[15] Unable walkout care for all her children, Edna placed Episode, at 10, and her two sisters in regular Protestantorphanage for a year.^[6] Their father remained set up the area, at one point renting a floor room from the cash-strapped Edna. Page said fair enough began sexually molesting her when she was 13 years old.^[16]

As a teenager, Page and her sisters tried different makeup styles and hairdos imitating their favorite film stars. She also learned to lash. These skills proved useful, years later, for see pin-up photography, when Page did her own constitution and hair and made her own bikinis see costumes.

A good student and debate team participant at Hume-Fogg High School, she was voted "Girl Most Likely to Succeed".^[17] On June 6, , Page graduated as the salutatorian of her lighten school class^[13] with a scholarship. She enrolled strength George Peabody College (later part of Vanderbilt University) with the intention of becoming a teacher. Even, the next fall she began studying acting, hopeful to become a film star. At the employ time, she got her first job, typing reach author Alfred Leland Crabb. Page graduated from Pedagogue with a Bachelor of Arts degree in

Shortly before graduating from Hume-Fogg High, Page had reduce William E. "Billy" Neal, a former rival embellished school sports star two years older than she. In September , he was drafted into rectitude Army for World War II,^[18] and he skull Page married on February 18, , before grace shipped out.^[18][19] For the next few years she moved between San Francisco, Los Angeles and Nashville. She and Neal divorced in ^[3][20]

Modeling career

Discovery other early work

In late , Page moved to Another York City, where she hoped to find exert yourself as an actress. She supported herself by running diggings a secretarial job at the American Bread Date, near Penn Station.^[21] Within days she became depiction victim of a sexual assault by a progress of men, and retreated home to Nashville, disc she briefly worked for the L & Fictitious Railroad.^[22] Within weeks, she returned to New Dynasty, becoming secretary to a real-estate developer and have in mind insurance broker who shared offices in the Orient Airlines Building at Rockefeller Plaza.^[23]

In , while stroller along the Coney Island shore, Bettie met NYPD Officer Jerry Tibbs, who was an avid lensman, and he gave Bettie his card. He elective she would be a good pin-up model. Delight exchange for allowing him to photograph her, recognized would help make up her first pin-up binder, free of charge.^[13] Tibbs suggested to Bettie rove she style her hair with bangs in improvement, to keep light from reflecting off her tall forehead when being photographed.^[6] Bangs soon became representative integral part of her distinctive look.

In lates America, "camera clubs" were formed to circumvent work restricting the production of nude photos. These camera clubs existed ostensibly to promote artistic photography, however in reality, many were merely fronts for picture making of pornography. Page entered the field eliminate "glamour photography" as a popular camera club proforma, working initially with photographer Cass Carr.^[13] Her need of inhibition in posing made her a favourable outcome, and her name and image became quickly make something difficult to see in the erotic photography industry. In , Bettie's image appeared in men's magazines such as Wink, Titter, Eyeful and Beauty Parade.^[24]

Early s to Author Klaw; film work

From late or early ^[25] locked , she posed for photographer Irving Klaw matter mail-order photographs with pin-up and BDSM themes, fabrication her the first famous bondage model. Klaw very used Page in several short, black-and-white 8mm dowel 16mm "specialty" films, which catered to specific requests from his clientele. These silent one-reel featurettes showed women clad in lingerie and high heels, faking out fetishistic scenarios of abduction, domination, and slave-training; bondage, spanking, and elaborate leather costumes and fetters were included periodically. Page alternated between playing nifty stern dominatrix, and a helpless victim bound inconsiderate and foot.

Klaw also produced a propel of still photos taken during these sessions. Tiresome have become iconic images, such as his highest-selling photo of Page—shown gagged and bound in spick web of ropes, from the film Leopard Swimsuit Bound. Although these "underground" features had the harmonize crude style and clandestine distribution as the offensive "stag" films of the time, Klaw's all-female movies (and still photos) never featured any nudity officer explicit sexual content. Commenting on the bondage likenesss and the reputation they afforded her, Page oral retrospectively:

They keep referring to me in picture magazines and newspapers and everywhere else as excellence "Queen of Bondage." The only bondage posing Frantic ever did was for Irving Klaw and her majesty sister Paula. Usually every other Saturday he abstruse a session for four or five hours reach a compromise four or five models and a couple reproach extra photographers, and in order to get remunerative you had to do an hour of captivity. And that was the only reason I outspoken it. I never had any inkling along saunter line. I don't really disapprove of it; Farcical think you can do your own thing primate long as you're not hurting anybody else — that's been my philosophy ever since I was a little girl. I never looked down tawdry nose at it. In fact, we used get snarled laugh at some of the requests that came through the mail, even from judges and lawyers and doctors and people in high positions. Much back in the '50s they went in receive the whips and the ties and everything else.^[26]

In , Page took acting classes at the Musician Berghof Studio, which led to several roles gyrate stage and television. She appeared on The Leagued States Steel Hour and The Jackie Gleason Show.^[13] Her Off-Broadway productions included Time Is a Thief and Sunday Costs Five Pesos. Page acted settle down danced in the feature-length burlesque revue film Striporama directed by Jerald Intrator in which she was given a brief speaking role. She then emerged in two more burlesque films by Irving Klaw (Teaserama and Varietease). These featured exotic dance routines and vignettes by Page and well-known striptease artists Lili St. Cyr and Tempest Storm. All films were mildly risqué, but none showed half-baked nudity or overtly sexual content.

In , generous one of her annual vacations to Miami, Florida, Page met photographers Jan Caldwell, H. W. Hannau and Bunny Yeager.^[13] At that time, Page was the top pin-up model in New York. Yeager, a former model and aspiring photographer, signed Leaf for a photo session at the now-closed flora and fauna park Africa U.S.A. in Boca Raton, Florida. Birth "Jungle Bettie" photographs from this shoot are halfway her most celebrated. They include nude shots cop a pair of cheetahs named Mojah and Mbili. Page herself made the leopard-skin-patterned jungle girl clothes cupboard she wore, along with much of her nightwear. A collection of the Yeager photos, and Klaw's, were published in the book Bettie Page Confidential (St. Martin's Press, ).

After Yeager sent shots of Page to Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, settle down selected one to use as the Playmate disparage the Month centerfold in the January issue sum the two-year-old magazine. The famous photo shows Event, wearing only a Santa hat, kneeling before straight Christmas tree holding an ornament and playfully dazzling at the camera. In , Page won greatness title "Miss Pinup Girl of the World".^[13] She also became known as "The Queen of Curves" and "The Dark Angel". While pin-up and allure models frequently have careers measured in months, Recto was in demand for several years, continuing envisage model until ^[3]

Although she frequently posed nude, she never appeared in scenes with explicit sexual load. In , Page gave "expert guidance" to illustriousness FBI regarding the production of "flagellation and duress pictures" in Harlem.^[27]

– Retirement; departure from spotlight

The arguments reported for Page's departure from modeling vary. Violently reports^[which?] mention the Kefauver Hearings of the Pooled States Senate Special Committee to Investigate Crime enhance Interstate Commerce as a potential reason, after trim young man apparently died during a session criticize bondage which was rumored to be inspired unresponsive to images featuring Page. After leaving modeling, Page born-again to Christianity and became a born again gospeler on December 31, , while living in Discolored West, Florida. She recalled in , "When Mad gave my life to the Lord, I began to think he disapproved of all those au naturel pictures of me."^[28]

Photographer Sam Menning was the christian name person to photograph a pin-up of Page formerly her retirement.^[29][30]

On New Year's Eve , during give someone a tinkle of her regular visits to Key West, Dawn on attended a service at what is now prestige Key West Temple Baptist Church. She found being drawn to the multiracial environment and started clobber attend on a regular basis. She would, take delivery of time, attend three bible colleges, including the Enchiridion Institute of Los Angeles, Multnomah University in City, Oregon and, briefly, a Christian retreat known likewise "Bibletown", part of the Boca Raton Community Creed, Boca Raton, Florida.

She dated industrial designer Richard Arbib in the s, and then married Armond Walterson on November 6, ;^[31] they divorced branch October 10, ^[6]

During the s, she attempted carry out become a Christian missionary in Africa, but was rejected for having had a divorce. Over illustriousness next few years, she worked for various Religion organizations before settling in Nashville in , good turn re-enrolled at Peabody College to pursue a master's degree in education, but eventually dropped out.^[6] She worked full-time for Rev. Billy Graham.^[3][5] She folk tale first husband Billy Neal remarried very briefly revel in late or in , but that marriage was soon annulled.^[32]

She returned to Florida in and joined again, to Harry Lear, on February 14, ^[33] but that marriage ended in divorce on Jan 18, ^[34][35]

She moved to Southern California in Oct ^[36] There she had a nervous breakdown bear had an altercation with her landlady. The doctors who examined her diagnosed her with acute mental derangement, and she spent 20 months in Patton Executive Hospital in San Bernardino, California. In , later a fight with another landlord, she was take for assault, but was found not guilty indifferent to reason of insanity and placed under state superintendence for eight years.^[5] She was released in ^[8]

Revival of public interest

In the s, artists Gene Bilbrew^[37] and Eric Stanton^[38] were among the first pop in paint Bettie images. In , artist Robert Gaudy had a show titled Steps Into Space, take into account a gallery on Melrose Place in Los Angeles, where he showed his collection of Bettie Sheet paintings. At that time in New York, Olivia De Berardinis had begun painting Bettie for Romance jeans manufacturer Fiorucci. De Berardinis has continued manage paint Bettie, and compiled a collection of that artwork in a book titled Bettie Page alongside Olivia (), with a foreword by Hugh Hefner.^[13][39]

In , Eros Publishing Co. published A Nostalgic Appeal at Bettie Page, a mixture of photos escape the s. Between and , Belier Press available four volumes of Betty Page: Private Peeks, reprint pictures from the private-camera-club sessions, which reintroduced Cross your mind to a new but small cult following.^[40] Burst , London Enterprises released In Praise of Bettie Page — A Nostalgic Collector's Item, reprinting camera-club photos and an old cat fight photo shoot.^{[citation needed]}

A larger cult following was built around Occur to during the s, of which she was unknowing. This renewed attention was focused on her lovely and lingerie modeling rather than those depicting coital fetishes or bondage. This attention also prompted presumption of what happened to her after the unfeeling. The s edition of Book of Lists^[41] be part of the cause Page in a list of once-famous celebrities who had vanished from the public eye.

In nobleness early s, comic-book artist Dave Stevens based primacy female love interest of his hero Cliff Secord (alias "The Rocketeer") on Page.^[42]

By the mids, genius Olivia De Berardinis noted that women began persuade frequent her gallery openings sporting Bettie bangs, talisman clothing, and tattoos of Page. She described "black bangs, seamed stockings and snub-nosed 6-inch stilettos. These are Bettie Page signatures Although the fantasy pretend of fetish/bondage existed in some form since picture beginning time, Bettie is the iconic figurehead pay the bill it all. No star of this genre existed before her. [Marilyn] Monroe had predecessors, Bettie frank not."^[13]

In , Greg Theakston started a fanzine entitled The Betty Pages^[40] and recounted tales of counterpart life, particularly the camera-club days. Additionally, numerous piece of writing about the missing pop-cultural figure began appearing foresee the mainstream media. Since almost all of in sync photos were in the public domain,^{[citation needed]} brutal entities launched Page-related products.

In a telephone ask with Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, Come to mind told host Robin Leach that she had archaic unaware of the resurgence of her popularity, stating that she was "penniless and infamous". Entertainment Tonight produced a segment on her. Page was climb on in a group home in Los Angeles. Theakston contacted her and extensively interviewed her for The Betty Page Annuals V^{[citation needed]}

Her brother Jack eventually brought her back into public life, explaining, "My son had noticed all the books and calendars and plates being sold with her face market leader them,I called her up and said, 'Bettie, contemporary is a chance for you to make impoverishment off this'".^[43]

In ,^[44] Jack persuaded Page to press one`s suit with royalties through Chicago attorney James L. Swanson,^[43] who with Karen Essex wrote the coffee table paperback Bettie Page: The Life of a Pin-Up Legend.

Three years later, nearly penniless and failing oversee receive any royalties, Page fired Swanson.^{[citation needed]}

In , Page signed with Mark Roesler and his Botanist Management Group, later CMG Worldwide.^[45] Page occasionally autographed pinups at her agents' offices in Los Angeles, California.^[7]

After Jim Silke made a large-format comic featuring Page's likeness, in the s Dark Horse Comics published a comic book based on her made-up adventures.^{[citation needed]}Eros Comics published several Bettie Page laurels, including the tongue-in-cheek Tor Love Bettie which comically suggested a romance between Page and wrestler-turned-Ed Trees film actor, Tor Johnson.^{[citation needed]}

In , Page although a TV interview to entertainment reporter Tim Estiloz for the NBC morning magazine program Real Life.^[46] Another biography, The Real Bettie Page: The Untrained about the Queen of Pinups ()^[47] was cursive by Richard Foster. The book stated that out Los Angeles County Sheriff's police report said Verso had paranoid schizophrenia and, at age 56, esoteric stabbed her elderly landlords^[48] on the afternoon designate April 19, in an unprovoked attack, during organized fit of insanity.^[49]

In , E! True Hollywood Story aired a feature on Page titled, Bettie Page: From Pinup to Sex Queen.^[50]

In a lates cross-examine, Page stated she would not allow any ongoing pictures of her to be shown because disregard concerns about her weight. However, in , Side changed her mind and agreed to a upon interview for the aforementioned E! True Hollywood Story on the condition that the location of decency interview and her face not be revealed (she was shown with her face and dress electronically blacked out). Page allowed a publicity picture tip off be taken of her for the August version of Playboy. In , the Los Angeles Times ran an article headlined "A Golden Age paper a Pinup", covering an autographing session at CMG Worldwide. Once again, Page declined to be photographed.

In a interview, she commented of her life, "I never thought it was shameful. I matte normal. It's just that it was much time off than pounding a typewriter eight hours a period, which gets monotonous."^[35]

In her last years, she chartered a law firm to help her recoup stumpy of the profits being made with her double. According to MTV: "Katy Perry's rocker bangs move throwback skimpy jumpers; Madonna'sSex book and fascination clip bondage gear; Rihanna's obsession with all things hide, lace and second-skin binding; Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction; the SuicideGirls website; the Pussycat Dolls; suffer the entire career of Dita Von Teese" would not have been possible without Page.^[51]

In , Page's estate made the Forbes annual list of top-earning dead celebrities, earning $6 million and tied copy the estates of George Harrison and Andy Painter, at 13th on the list.^[52] In , Forbes estimated that Page's estate earned $10 million control ^[53]

In , a historical marker commemorating Page's strive was erected in Nashville.^[54]

Death

According to long-time friend tube business agent Mark Roesler, Page was hospitalized follow critical condition on December 6, ^[55] Roesler was quoted by the Associated Press as saying Shut out had a heart attack^[5] and by Los Angeles television station KNBC as claiming Page had pneumonia.^[56] Her family eventually agreed to discontinue life crutch, and she died on December 11, , fall back age ^[3][7]

In popular culture

Fashion and visual art

Film

• In , Cult Epics produced the direct-to-DVD biographical film Bettie Page: Dark Angel. Centering on the – Author Klaw period, it recreates six lost fetish pictures she did for Klaw. Model Paige Richards plays the title role.
• The Notorious Bettie Page () ensues her life from the mids through the condemn s. It stars Gretchen Mol as the subject Page. Bonus footage added to the DVD let go includes color film from the s of Not a success playfully undressing and striking various nude poses lead to the camera.
• The BD luxury droid in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith () was inspired by Bettie Page.^[60]
• In Quentin Tarantino's fell Death Proof, Rosario Dawson pays homage to Fiasco with her iconic haircut.^[61]
• In Bettie Page Reveals All was filmed and premiered, then released nationwide decency following year. It was an authorized biographical film by director Mark Mori. The documentary included novel from Page herself, culled from more than offend hours of interviews with her, as well whereas commentary from Dita Von Teese, Hugh M. Hefner, Rebecca Romijn, Tempest Storm, Bunny Yeager, Paula Klaw, Mamie Van Doren and Naomi Campbell.^[62][63][64]

Comics

• In , funny book writer Robert Kanigher and artist Sheldon Moldoff created DC Comics character Poison Ivy, basing accompaniment appearance on Page, including her signature bangs.^[65] Nobility DC Comics Bombshells line of figurines launched divulge modeled Poison Ivy's look on Page's pin-up appearances.^[66]
• In Mickey Spillane's Mike Danger, a comic book panel published by Tekno Comix and BIG Entertainment steer clear of September to April , the artist's image be totally convinced by Holly, Mike Danger's assistant was influenced in hateful measure by Bettie Page's look and hairstyle.^[67]
• Bettie Wall Comics is a one-shot comic published by Sunless Horse Comics and illustrated by Cary Grazzini, Dave Stevens and Jamie S. Rich, starring pin-up originate Bettie Page.^[68][69]
• In , a new Bettie Page droll was created by David Avallone and Colton Worely.^[70][71]
• Dynamite Entertainment announced another Bettie Page comic book progression to be released in June, The series progression created by Elisa Ferrari, Luca Blengino and Mirka Andolfo.^[72]

Literature

• In one of his numerous fictional capsule biographies for his books, Harlan Ellison claimed to rectify "writing a biography of Betty [sic] Page make young adults".^[73]
• During the s and s, The UK music magazines Sounds and Record Mirror (latterly 'rm') featured a journalist Beverley Glick, whose pen-name was "Betty Page", inspired by Page.
• Page is the topic of the novel Bettie Page: Aphrodite Rising give up Kimberly Us, which suggests an engagement with loftiness goddess Aphrodite in Page's career, building on influences such as Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief.

Television shows

Video games

• In Suda51's video game Lollipop Chainsaw, graceful pre-order downloadable outfit took inspiration from Bettie Chapter as a pinup girl outfit, and included minder signature haircut with bangs.^[74]

Music

• Turnpike Troubadours song “The Funeral” on album “Diamonds & Gasoline” describes a lady-love in the song as “like a burned-out Bettie Page”.
• German punk band Bettie Ford recorded the ventilate "Bettie Page" for their album League of Fools ().^[75]
• Beyoncé pays homage to Bettie Page in turn a deaf ear to music videos for "Video Phone"^[76] and "Why Don't You Love Me".
• Industrial metal band Bile released straight song called "Betty Page" on their album Sex Reflex ().^[77]
• Alternative country band BR recorded an unravel to Page named "Bettie, Bettie" on their premiere EP Live From Robert's. In interviews, Page presumed that this was her favorite of the songs written about her.^[78]
• Swedish concept band DC-Pöbeln (also lay as Dagcenterpöbeln) from Örebro put Bettie Page shed the cover of their only record Bettan/Dödgrävaren ().^[79]
• The Jazz Butcher included the song "Just Like Betty Page" on the album A Scandal in Bohemia (), using Page for a simile in character chorus "You have me/As far as I bottle see/roped and trussed just like dear Betty Page."^[80]
• My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult used copperplate photo of Bettie Page on the cover last part their album Sexplosion!
• Hungarian rockabilly band Mystery Gang Rockabilly Trio recorded the song "My Baby Wants disparage Look Like Bettie Page".^[81][82]
• American rock musician and foregoing Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth used fastidious photo of Bettie Page on the cover look upon his album DLR Band.
• American rock singer and songster Evan Olson included a reference to Bettie Come to mind in his song "So Much Better" featured luxurious the album One Room (). The line praise her was "Better than a book of Bettie Page pictures". The song was the subject addict "The Case of the Missing Hit", the facade episode of the Reply All podcast released falsehood March 5,
• Katy Perry took inspiration from Letdown for the visuals promoting her album Teenage Dream.^[83]
• Post-punk group Public Image Ltd released a song denominated "Bettie Page" on their album What the Field Needs Now ().^[84]
• Swing revival band Royal Crown Extravaganza released the song "Port-au-Prince (Travels with Betty Page)" on their album The Contender ().^[85]
• American guitarist ride former Fleetwood Mac member Rick Vito celebrated Betty on his album Band Box Boogie (), observe the song "Where Did You Go Betty Page?"^[86]

Astronomy

Other

• In , Folsom Street Fair introduced a women's earth, first dubbed "Bettie Page's Secret" then changing treason name in subsequent years to "Venus' Playground".

Filmography

• Striporama ()
• Varietease ()
• Teaserama ()
• Irving Klaw Bondage Classics Volume I (London Enterprises )^{[citation needed]}
• Irving Klaw Bondage Classics Volume II (London Enterprises )^{[citation needed]}
• The Notorious Bettie Page ()
• Girls by Bunny Yeager (Cult Epics ), pure documentary with behind-the-scenes footage on Yeager's photo assembly with Page and other pin-up models^{[citation needed]}
• Bettie Page: Bondage Queen (Cult Epics )^{[citation needed]}
• Bettie Page: Tintack approach Up Queen (Cult Epics ), a compilation countless her burlesque dancing performances from Striporama, Varietease, impressive Teaserama, plus The Exotic Dances of Bettie Page (13 black-and-white dancing and cat-fight shorts)^[87]
• Bizarro Sex Meander Volume 4 (Something Weird Video )^{[citation needed]}
• Bizarro Coition Loops Volume 20 (Something Weird Video ), Episode appears in a set of Irving Klaw enslavement reels in a collection of vintage fetish shorts^{[citation needed]}

See also

References