Pin-Up Goddess Bettie Page Dies at 85
Notorious 1950s Model Felled By Heart Attack in L.A. Hospital
Bettie Page: April 22, 1923 - December 11, 2008
The death of famous pin-up model Bettie Page (also known as Betty Page) occurred at a Los Angeles hospital after the former vixen was removed from life support. Page's agent, Mark Roesler, confirmed that the removal was made at the request of Bettie Page's family.
Soon after she returned home after enduring a prolonged hospital stay to treat pneumonia, Bettie Page suffered a severe heart attack. The former pin-up model never regained consciousness before her death almost one week later.
Career of a Pin-up Goddess
Noted and notorious due to her sexy photo shoots wherein she posed in bathing suits and lingerie, Bettie Page was a truly vanguard model during the 1950s. She quickly became a pop culture icon, especially following her famous centerfold spread in the then-nascent Playboy Magazine in 1955.
After learning of the model's death, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner spoke kindly of the former pin-up model. "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 Hefner. "She was a very dear person."
Bringing a playful tastefulness to her modeling, Bettie Page often posed in sadomasochistic gear, sometimes bound and gagged while gazing with mock surprise at the camera. In a generally conservative, mid-century public, Page was the first model to gain mainstream notoriety through such controversial photographic maneuvers.
The Later Years of Bettie Page
Although Bettie Page was undoubtedly popular amongst both men and women, she did not always find it an easy task to defray negative feedback concerning her modeling style. Critics accused Page of diminishing the moral standard of many Americans and corrupting otherwise upstanding citizens. During a 1998 interview with Playboy, Page commented on her view of the pin-up work that had made her famous.
"I never thought it was shameful. I felt normal. It's just that it was much better than pounding a typewriter eight hours a day, which gets monotonous," said Page. The model had been working as a secretary when she was discovered by photographer Jerry Tibbs.
The Playboy interview followed several years of self-imposed exile from the public eye by Bettie Page, during which the former pin-up model became a staunch adherent to Christianity while reportedly battling mental illness.
Films chronicling the unusual career of Bettie Page include the 1998 documentary Bettie Page: Pinup Queen and the 2004 feature starring Gretchen Mol in the title role, The Notorious Bettie Page.
Betty Page Dies at 85
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