Betty Page known as the pin up queen was born on April 22, 1923 in Nashville, Tennessee. Her parents were Walter Roy and Edna Mae Pirtle. Betty had one older sister and one younger sister. Childhood was not easy at all for Betty and her sisters. Her parents divorced in 1933 and in 1936 her father was imprisoned Betty later accused her father of molesting her. Betty and her sisters were separated from their mother and taken to an orphanage in which they stayed for a year. In the orphan they learned different skills to help them later in life. One of the skills learned was sewing which helped Betty in designing her future outfits. Despite all the drama in her life Betty was a very bright student in High School she got good grades and was voted most likely to succeed. After graduating from Hume- Fog- High School with a scholarship she enrolled in George Pea Boy Collage with the hope of becoming a teacher. After a year in collage her goals changed and she decided to peruse acting. In 1944 she graduated with a Bachelor of art degree. Prior to her graduation in 1943 she married her first husband Billy Neal shortly before he was drafted into the US Navy for World War 2. There marriage didn’t last she divorced in 1947.
Soon after her divorce Betty moved to New York to peruse her acting carrier where she worked as a secretary. It was in 1950 when police officer Jerry Tibs who enjoyed photography noticed Betty walking on the beach in Coney Island New York during her break. He asked if she would be interested in taking pin up pictures she agreed to it and that’s how her first pin up portfolio was put together. Soon after this Betty entered the field of glamour photography where she became a popular camera club model working with photographer Cass Carr. Her lack of inhibition in posing made her a hit. Her name and image appeared in then popular men’s magazines Wink, Titter, Eyefull, and beauty parade.
In 1952 and through the rest of her carrier she worked with Irving-Klaw for mail ordering photography with pin up, bondage or sadomasochistic themes making her the first bondage model. Klaw also used Betty in dozens of short black and white specialty films which catered to specific requests from his clients. These silent films showed woman clad in lingerie and high heels acting out fetishistic scenarios of abduction, domination and slave- training with bondage elaborate leather costumes and restraints. Klaws best selling picture of Betty comes from the film Leopard Bikini Bound this picture features Betty gagged and bound in a web of ropes. Even thought these underground features had the same crude style and clandestine distribution as the pornographic stage films of the time, Klaws all female films and still photos displayed no nudity or explicit sexual content. This is why Betty is considered a sex symbol and a model and never a porn star.
In 1953 Betty attended acting classes at the Herbert Berghof Studio this led to several roles on stage and television. Two big appearances for her were on the shows United States Steel Hour and The Jackie Gleason Show. She also did Off Broadway productions like life is a Thief and Sunday Costs Five Pesos. She also acted and danced in the film Striperama by Jerald Intrator she was also given a brief speaking role this is the only time her voice was ever captured on film.
In 1954 Hugh Hefner received some photo shots of Betty Page called The Jungle Bettie photographs. The photo Shoot took place in the wild life park Africa USA in Boca Raton, Florida. In this specific photo shoot Betty took pictures with two cheetahs Moja and Mibili completely undressed. Her beauty and other pictures taken there caught his attention and he decided to schedule a photo shoot. In 1955 Hugh Hefner decided to make Betty Playmate of the Month her picture was put on the center fold of January’s issue. Later that year she won the title Miss Pin Up of the World. She also became known as the Queen of Curves and The Dark Angel.
Her success didn’t last much after 1956 since she retired in 1958 when she took interest in Christianity. Her career didn’t only come to an end but so did her spot light. Betty isolated herself from any press and dedicated her life to the Christian community by working full time with Christian organizations. Though little is known about Betty after her sudden disappearance it is known she married to Armond Walterson in 1958 and divorced him in 1963. She also remarried first husband Bill Neal this helped her out in entering missionary work in which she had been denied due to her divorce to him. There second marriage didn’t last long they divorced shortly after getting married. After her divorce she returned to Florida in 1967 and married Harry Lear but divorced him in 1972. It seems like Betty just couldn’t keep a steady relationship.
In 1976 Betty started to gain popularity once again when Eros Publishing co. published A Nostalgic Look at Betty Page. Private Peeks, reprinting pictures of the private camera club sessions which reintroduced Page to a new line of fans. Betty went unaware of her new fame for years . During these years she would struggle with financial and emotional problems. It was 1979 and Betty was living in Southern California when she was arrested for having an altercation with her landlady after having a nervous breakdown. Betty was diagnosed with acute Schizophrenia and spent 20 months in a California state mental hospital in San Bernardino. Soon after her release she was once again arrested for the same thing with the exception of facing charges of assault in which she was found not guilty by reason of insanity and placed under state supervision for 8 years. She was released in 1992.
In 1993 Betty spoke with Robin Leach the host of Lifestyles of the Rich
and the Famous. She told her how she was unaware of her comeback and explained her financial problems. Soon after the interview she spoke with agent James Swanson to help her manage and collect her royalty payments but after seeing no money for three years she fired him and signed with Curtis Management Group. After signing with them her finical situation was secured. Betty had caught the attention of the media during the 90s books where made about her and her lost years. Her story came out on E True Hollywood Story she had several interviews all in which she refused to show her face and body so they were blurred out. Betty said the reason for her not wanting to be shown publically was her old age she rather the public remember her when she was thin and young. The only picture Betty allowed to get taken of her for publicity was in 2003 for Playboy.
On December 6, 2008 Betty was hospitalized in critical condition some said it was a heart attack others say it was a pneumonia. Betty went into coma and had to be put on life support. Her family decided to disconnect her on December 18, 2008 and died shortly after
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