1. Barbi Benton appeared in Playboy magazine, as a regular on the comedy series Hee Haw, and recorded several moderately successful albums in the 1970s.
20 Facts About Barbi Benton
1. 2.
Barbi Benton was born Barbara Lynn Klein in New York City to a Jewish family.
3.
Barbi Benton's father was a gynecologist and her mother worked as an investment counselor.
4.
Barbi Benton grew up in Sacramento and was childhood friends with journalist Joan Lunden.
5.
Barbi Benton did tearoom modeling of department store clothes while in school.
6.
Barbi Benton intended to study to be a veterinarian at UCLA, but decided against that career option after realizing she had an aversion to the sight of blood.
7.
Barbi Benton began as an extra on the show, but after host Hugh Hefner fell in love with Benton, her role was quickly elevated to co-host.
8.
Barbi Benton is credited with persuading Hefner to buy the Playboy Mansion in Holmby Hills in 1974.
9.
Barbi Benton had additional nude photo layouts in the December 1973 and January 1975 issues.
10.
Barbi Benton soon landed a spot on television's Hee Haw doing short comedy sketches and often appeared as a dancer in some of the episodes of Season 5 and 6 of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In.
11.
Barbi Benton left Hee Haw after four seasons to concentrate on a more Hollywood-oriented career.
12.
Barbi Benton became a featured repeat performer on a number of popular 1970s American television series, including The Bobby Vinton Show, The Love Boat and Fantasy Island.
13.
Barbi Benton appeared in the 1970 West German comedy film The Naughty Cheerleader and in the slasher film Hospital Massacre in 1982.
14.
Barbi Benton lived with Hefner from 1969 until 1976 and is known for discovering the Playboy Mansion West, where Hefner resided until his death in 2017.
15.
Barbi Benton achieved some success as a recording artist, hitting the country charts in the mid 1970s.
16.
Barbi Benton's final country album Ain't That Just the Way was released only in Scandinavia; the title track was a number one hit in Sweden for five weeks.
17.
Barbi Benton dated Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner from 1969 to 1976.
18.
Hefner asked Barbi Benton to marry him four times, but he was unfaithful during their relationship.
19.
When Barbi Benton pursued a singing career, their relationship deteriorated further as she spent more time on the road touring.
20.
Barbi Benton married real estate developer George Gradow on October 14,1979.