Her centerfold - Page kneeling beneath a Christmas tree, dressed only in a Santa hat and winking playfully at the camera - was also one of her most popular shots. The series later wound up in the hands of Playboy creator Hugh Hefner, who selected Page to become the January 1955 Playmate. A photo shoot at a wildlife park yielded the "Jungle Bettie" series, which saw Page in - and out of - a leopard skin outfit of her own creation, as well as posed shots with a pair of cheetahs. Lasting fame in Hollywood proved elusive to Page, and she found greater screen time in a trio of burlesque films - "Striporama" (1953), "Varietease" (1954) and "Teaserama" (1955) - the latter two directed by Klaw the former, directed by Jerald Intrator, which was notable as the sole film to feature Page's speaking voice.On a visit to Florida in 1954, Page met Bunny Yeager, a former model-turned- photographer who would generate some of her most iconic images. She also broke into television with minor parts on "The United States Steel Hour" (ABC/CBS, 1953-1963) and "The Jackie Gleason Show" (CBS, 1952-1970). She studied under acclaimed teacher Herbert Berghoff, and eventually landed small roles in off-Broadway productions. Again, the image of her wholesome frame in such scenarios made her extremely popular among collectors and aficionados.As her fame in the underground adult market grew, Page continued to try and develop her career as a mainstream actress. Page starred in a number of Klaw's 8- and 16-mm films, which featured her in mild bondage scenarios but never in explicit sexual situations. She also began collaborating with Irving Klaw, a photographer and filmmaker who sold nude and fetish photos and films through a mail order service. ![]() Page's image - both busty and slender, with milky-white skin and coal-black hair, always flashing a bright smile - was soon gracing the pages of men's magazines and amateur photography journals. Tibbs took Page's first glamour photos and helped her compile a portfolio, which led to work with other photographers. While walking along Coney Island's shore in 1950, she met Jerry Tibbs, a police officer with a passion for amateur photography. When Neal was drafted by the Navy, she followed him across the United States to live at various ports of call.Page's marriage to Neal crumbled in 1947, and she relocated to New York, when she hoped to finally make her acting dream come true. After marrying her high school sweetheart, Billy Neal, in 1943, Page graduated from Peabody and began work as a typist for author Alfred Leland Crab. However, she harbored a deeper dream of becoming an actress Page was an avowed movie fan, and spent hours imitating the hairstyles and makeup of her favorite stars. Her grades earned a $100 scholarship to George Peabody College, where she intended to study education. The situation worsened when Walter and Edna divorced in 1933, forcing Page's mother to place her and her two younger sisters in an orphanage for a period of time.Despite such hardships, Page was an excellent student who graduated as salutatorian of her high school class. Money was in short supply in the Page household, and the family frequently moved across the country in search of work. ![]() Born Betty Mae Page in Nashville, TN she was the second of six children born to Walter Roy Page and his wife, Edna Mae Pirtle. By all accounts, Page's early life was a challenging one.
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