Pinup Model Bettie Page Dies at 85

A pinup favorite whose photos helped revolutionize the 1960s sexual revolution has died in Los Angeles.Bettie Page was 85.Her agent says Page suffered a heart attack last week and never regained consciousness. She died Thursday night.Page attracted national attention with magazine photographs of her sensuous figure in bikinis and see-through lingerie that were tacked up on walls in military barracks, garages and elsewhere. Her photos included a centerfield in the January 1955 issue of then-fledgling Playboy magazine.Gretchen Mol portrayed her in the 2005 film "The Notorious Bettie Page" and Paige Richards had the role in 2004's "Bettie Page: Dark Angel." Page herself took part in the 1998 documentary "Betty Page: Pinup Queen."

Her most acclaimed photographs were taken in 1955 by fashion photographer Bunny Yeager. They included shots of a nude Page lounging with leopards, frolicking in the waves and deep-sea fishing, and a January 1955 Playboy centerfold of her winking under a Santa Claus cap while placing a bulb on a Christmas tree.During her brief career, she became the obsession of thousands of men -- a fact that mystifies her to this day: "I have no idea why I'm the only model who has had so much fame so long after quitting work."

Read more...

Pinup Model Bettie Page Hospitalized After Heart Attack

Bettie Page, a 1950s pinup known for her raven-haired bangs and saucy come-hither looks, was hospitalized in intensive care after suffering a heart attack, her agent said Friday."She's critically ill," Mark Roesler of the Curtis Management Group told The Associated Press.He said the 85-year-old had the heart attack Tuesday and was hospitalized Friday in the Los Angeles area.

A family friend, Todd Mueller, said Page was in a coma. When asked to confirm, Roesler said, "I would not deny that," but he would not comment further on her condition.Page, a secretary turned model, is credited with helping set the stage for the sexual revolution of the rebellious 1960s. She attracted national attention with magazine photographs of her sensuous figure that were tacked up on walls across the country.

Her photos included a centerfold in the January 1955 issue of then-fledgling Playboy magazine, as well as controversial sadomasochistic poses.Page later spent decades away from the public eye, and during that time battled mental illness and became a born-again Christian.After resurfacing in the 1990s, she occasionally granted interviews but refused to allow her picture to be taken.

Read more...