BARBI BENTON

Barbi Benton was a sensation during her career in the 1970s. While studying at UCLA for her veterinarian degree, she started to work for Playboy, with her first job being appearances in the show Playboy After Dark. Playboy founder Hugh Hefner then took an interest in her and the two began a relationship in 1969, which lasted until 1976. During that time, she changed her name to Barbi Benton and became the face of Hefner’s enterprise.

She appeared on the cover of Playboy four times. Benton became successful in her modeling career with modest success in singing and acting. She appeared in TV shows like Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, and Hee Haw. The now 71-year-old Benton eventually retired from the industry in the 1980s to focus on her family. The model has two children with her husband, real estate developer George Gradow.