Bettie Page (1923-2008)

I wanted to post a quick tribute to legendary 1950s pinup model Bettie Page, who passed away on Thursday at age 85. Bettie was an early Playboy Playmate (January 1955, to be exact), and a well-known fetish model, known for an extensive body of work that included spanking, bondage, and domination-themed photography and film. Even if you haven't heard the name, you've undoubtedly seen one of her famous pinups or are familiar with her as a pop cultural icon. And if you've somehow missed out on Bettie Page on that level, I'm certain you are familiar with one of the celebrities, artists or photographers who were inspired by her.

After a career which saw her pose for an estimated 20,000 photos, Bettie Page fell out of the spotlight in 1958. Her reclusive nature in the years since then was the subject of fan speculation, and she developed a strong cult following. The look of Batman villainess Poison Ivy was inspired in part by Page, and she was the unwitting basis for the love interest in Dave Stevens' comic series The Rocketeer (and to a lesser extent its 1991 film adaptation). Her image graced the covers of comic books and fanzines. Her original photo shoots were reprinted.

Then, in the early 1990s, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous featured a telephone interview with Page wherein she confessed ignorance over her resurgence in popularity. Living in poverty and squalor in Los Angeles, Page realized that she stood to make a lot of money from the various individuals profiting from her likeness. She hired an agency and began receiving residual payments, ensuring financial stability in her waning years.

In 1996, author James L. Swanson published an authorized biography entitled "Bettie Page: The Life of a Pinup Legend." Page did a single television interview to promote the book, but refused to allow her face to be shown. The following year, author Richard Foster published "The Real Bettie Page: The Truth About the Queen of Pinups", a tell-all that revealed many shocking details about Page's disappearance from the limelight. The definitive dramatization of Bettie Page's 1950s heyday can be found in 2005's The Notorious Bettie Page, starring Gretchen Moll in the title role.

A recent article at mtv.com nicely sums up her influence:

Katy Perry's rocker bangs and throwback skimpy jumpers. Madonna's "Sex" book and fascination with bondage gear. Rihanna's obsession with all things leather, lace and second-skin binding. Uma Thurman in "Pulp Fiction." The Suicide Girls' Web site. The Pussycat Dolls. The entire career of Marilyn Manson's ex-wife Dita Von Teese. Without Bettie Page, it's likely none of these women would look the way they do.

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1601231/20081212/story.jhtml

-Jack