Bettie Page

Bettie Page Biography:

Bettie Page (April 22, 1923 – December 11, 2008) was the most photographed American fetish and pinup model during the 1950s. She was also one of the earliest Playmates of the Month for Playboy magazine.

Page’s reputation as a cherished pinup model cultivated various monikers. She’s been labeled Queen of Hearts, The Queen of Curves, Queen of the Pin-Ups, The Tease of Tennessee, and Miss Pin-Up Girl of the World. As an incomparable fetish model, she was dubbed The Queen of Bondage and The Dark Angel. Having appeared in more than 1,000 magazines during the 1950s, Bettie walked away from modeling after roughly seven years — during the end of 1957.

Bettie's Second Life

A new life path began on New Year's Eve, 1958. In her words, Bettie was "saved by the Lord," leading her to spend several years in Bible school. As time passed, she battled depression and violent mood swings associated with delusional thought processes. This necessitated commitments (voluntary and involuntary) to mental institutions in Florida and California.

Following ongoing obscurity, the 1980s were marked by the resurgence of Bettie’s popularity. A significant cult following grew, which continued to mushroom during the 1990s, as young people discovered her images on the Internet. Today, Bettie's official web site gets more hits than Marilyn Monroe's. Her look, including her jet-black hair and trademark bangs, has been iconic within the gay, fetish, comic book, rockabilly and tattoo subcultures. It even influenced many artists and designers in fashion, film and photography.

The Bettie Effect

Bettie turned the world on its ear by restructuring the mundane act of having her photo taken into timeless images, the likes of which have yet to be created by anyone else. In the process, she took the tawdry pin-up photography of 1950s America and infused it with a compelling aesthetic, raising it to the level of art.

Bettie has become a symbol of sexual rebellion, of "the outsider," a kind of Che Guevara of sexuality. With her utter naturalness and trailblazing fetish imagery, she has become an iconic transformative figure, giving many people confidence in expressing their own sexuality — a unique pinnacle.

"I think that she was a remarkable lady, an iconic figure in pop culture who influenced sexuality, taste in fashion — someone who had a tremendous impact on our society," said Playboy founder, Hugh Hefner.

Another engaging film by Mark Mori, our director, is about the Kent State shootings when 4 students were shot by the Ohio National Guard. Kent State: The Day the War Came Home is being re-released in time for the 40th Anniversary on May 4, 2010. Watch the trailer below and buy the dvd here.