Pinup icon Bettie Page dies at age 85

[tuvor]

Source: CBC

Bettie Page, a 1950's pinup model who helped set the stage for the 1960's sexual revolution, has died. She was 85.

Her agent, Mark Roesler, said Page died Thursday night at a Los Angeles hospital after suffering a heart attack nine days ago. He said she never regained consciousness.

Page attracted national attention with magazine photographs of her sensuous figure in bikinis and see-through lingerie that were quickly tacked up on walls across the country.

Her photos included a centrefold in the January 1955 issue of then-fledgling Playboy magazine, as well as controversial sadomasochistic poses.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2008/12/11/page-obit.html

---

:(

[jaysunb]

1. RIP

Lovely Lady...

[debbierlus]

2. I tell yeah - she made me feel better about my body

I would have done great in that era...

Pin up girl curvy. Now, I am just big.

I loved her. What a look!

[Withywindle]

29. No, I have to say, if you have a body like hers, that's just hot in any era.

:D


(I have one of those hourglass shapes too. Modern fashion tells me I'm too fat but I still get random motherly "do-gooder" types asking if I have an eating disorder. 40s and 50s vintage clothes fit me way better than ANY modern styles.)

[enlightenment]

37. Did you know there are 'Betty Page' clothing stores?

http://www.bettiepageclothing.com/

I went to the one here in Las Vegas. Fantastic, fun clothes!

[Sebastian Doyle]

3. RIP Betty

:(

[Mojambo]

4. I wonder if we can get a good Bettie Page Death Flamewar going?

I hope so!

[GoneOffShore]

8. I hope not.

I know that some members of the order of the "Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Outrage - Katherine McKinnon Anti-Sex Brigade" will no doubt show up to pee on her grave fairly soon, but I hope that they have either missed this post or taken a big dose of STFU pills tonight.

Bettie Page was a sex positive icon for many people.

[Quantess]

26. As in: No, she wasn't fat! Yes she was at the time!

sounds fun.

Bettie Page had some photos where she was smoking a cig.

[Mojambo]

28. There's something there for everyone.

If only Olive Garden's were around back then.

[Double T]

5. Bettie will be sorely missed. Bettie Page was the greatest.

[GoneOffShore]

6. Very sad.

As a child of the 50's I'll miss her.

[AnnieBW]

7. I've got "The Notorious Bettie Page" from Netflix

here at home. We'll have to watch it over the weekend in her honor.

[ixion]

31. it's a pretty good movie

I though Gretchen Mol did an excellent job of playing Paige, and that the subject matter was handled very well.

[LostinVA]

35. Very good movie -- if controversial about some of the events portrayed

Gretchen Mol and Lily Taylor are especially standouts.

[Ohio Joe]

9. RIP - nt

[Third Doctor]

10. damn

That was one fine lady! RIP Bettie.

[blogslut]

11. I made some Bettie art right after she went in hospital

May be too risque for the board so I'll post a link.

http://floatygirl.com/?p=55

I loved Bettie.

[Lautremont]

14. A very nice tribute.

RIP Bettie.

[blogslut]

17. Thanks

:hi:

[martymar64]

44. That's a cool style you have there

I might just have to do my own pic in tribute. . . Hmmmm

[intheflow]

12. Betty Page looking wholesome:

http://www.testriffic.com.nyud.net:8090/resultfiles/22969page-bettie-betty-am-strand-3700882.jpg

Well... sorta.

You'll be missed, Betty Page. :(

[Vektor]

13. She really set a whole new, daring standard for beauty...

And God bless her for it - she was lovely.

RIP, Bettie.

[Wilber_Stool]

15. Just my $0.02

[hunter]

16. Here, I'll help you out with that "No Hot Links"

Nobody like Bettie Page.

[KakistocracyHater]

18. Vampira & now her

2008 has been a difficult year, so many unexpected deaths.

[illuminaughty]

19. My best friend of 25 years was Bettie's closest friend over the last fifteen years

He and his wife are one of a handful of people who spoke with her on a regular basis and spent time with her. As I said in a post last week, nobody has told Bettie's real story yet. It is an amazing one. More than just that of a pin-up queen.

Steve was interviewed by CBS last week in anticipation of her passing. He was not only friends with Bettie, but also her brother Jack, her sister, her niece and her former husband. His wife and I have pleaded with him over the years to write her story....the real story. Maybe now he can. Because Bettie has been greatly wronged over the years. That's all that can be said for now.

Here's a beautiful pic off Steve's "Bettie Scouts of America" website from today. I apologize, I can't get the picture to copy.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bettiescoutsofamerica/

[Ikonoklast]

20. Here ya go.

RIP Betty. You were one of a kind.

[illuminaughty]

27. Thank you so much.

I thought I copied the URL correctly, but my computer is doing weird things. It's such a lovely picture of her.

[intheflow]

38. I've never seen that shot of her before.

Beautiful!

[superconnected]

21. RIP Bette. Very sad to hear of your passing.

[Skittles]

22. she took the primpy delicacy out of beauty

one of a kind

[girl gone mad]

23. Poor thing..

molested by her own father, schizophrenic, chewed up and spit out in show business...

I hope she finally gets peace.

[Starry Messenger]

24. Goodnight Bettie.

:cry:

[Norrin Radd]

25. Heaven just got a little hotter. Peace to Bettie.

[Withywindle]

30. R.I.P., Bettie.

As I said in another thread, I"m almost 50 years younger, but I and almost all of my female friends of my generation have tried to emulate her style and charisma in one way or another.

I admire her most of all for her intense presence. There are misogynists and "feminists" alike who want women who pose sexily to just be objects because it furthers their respective agendas. Bettie, like our President-Elect, had a smile and Presence that says, "I'm the smartest MF in the room. You want to touch it, don't you? I don't blame you. If I wasn't me, I would want to touch me too. Good night and good luck."

[Le Taz Hot]

32. May the goddess wrap you in her love, Bettie.

Believe it or not, an important figure in the Women's Liberation Movement. She showed us how to celebrate our sexuality and have fun with it. Girls, DO just want to have fun!

Requiem en pace.

[HughBeaumont]

33. Bettie Page - influential in so many ways.

RIP.

[LostinVA]

34. She seemed like a really sweet lady -- Godspeed

[NYCGirl]

36. Bettie was an original. She radiated such a sense of joy and playfulness

in front of the camera.

[underpants]

39. Oops I duped you-I did look first

RIP Betty

[SpookyCat]

40. So sad...

Never met her, so it seems irrational to say but I loved her. Such an influence on me and so many women I know. The world is a little darker for her not being her.

Having said all that, though, 85 years is a good run.

RIP beautiful lady. Thanks for the joyous sexual fun and freedom! :hug:

[illuminaughty]

41. It isn't irrational at all to say you loved her.

If you look at her fan sites today, that is exactly what is being expressed by many. And they don't even understand their emotions, they've never met her, but love her and feel like they've lost a close friend.


I never had heard of Bettie Page until I became friends with Steve Brewster and his wife back in 1983. He created "Bettie Scouts of America" fan club in 1992 and by 1994 through Bettie's brother Jack, Steve began to receive phone calls from Bettie and they have retained almost like a son/mother relationship since then. Bettie even sent presents to their children for birthdays and Christmas.

So, this is a little surreal at the moment. There is a conservatorship (CMG) that currently controls where Bettie is laid to rest, even if it is not the family's wishes, which makes a sad situation even sadder. I'm glad she had such a positive influence on you and so many others. Whatever has been written about her or portrayed in movies, I can tell you, she was a kind and lovely woman.

[SpookyCat]

42. TY...

That was nice illuminaughty, thank you.

I always felt like Bettie was mis represented for whatever reasons people had to do so, not to mention her being swindled out of her royalties and her own image. I suppose I should have paid her royalties on my haircut! :-)

If you can get a message to her brother, out of the thousands I'm sure he's already getting, please let him know that Bettie was so much more to so many people than just cheesecake. Seeing her glowing smile and dancing eyes in her photos and films gave me "permission" to explore the world I wanted to and not take it or myself too seriously.

If you think about it, let us know or PM me when her real story can come out. I would like to hear that.

[illuminaughty]

43. Your welcome and I can definitely get a message to her brother

There's only her brother, her sister and neice that survive. All in Tennessee. I know Steve will be gathering messages and condolences for them. I told him that there were some wonderful comments here.
He reads DU frequently.

I'll PM in a couple of days...just to give you and idea of what I'm talking about. What I can say is that the truth only puts Bettie in an even more favorable light. "Swindled out of her royalties" lets me know you have an idea, although no one will believe to what degree this was done.

Thanks for your kind words about her.