Biography
"She was the Michael Jordan of modeling.
The best that there ever was the best there’ll ever
be." - Art Amsie, Photographer
Birth
Name: Bettie Mae Page Birthdate: April 22, 1923 Birthplace: Nashville, TN Occupation: Model Claim to Fame: Fetish pinup star of the 1950s; often
pictured in black leather, fishnet hose and animal skins Marriages: Married Billy Neal, February 15, 1943 and
divorced November 1947. Married Armond Walterson on November
26, 1958 and divorced 1963. Married Harry Lear on February
14, 1967 and divorced January 1972 Factoids: She disappeared from the public eye in 1957
after becoming a born again Christian. Her image became a
pop cult icon and she never knew it. She is still alive and
living in an old Victorian home somewhere in Southern California.
She doesn't like being old and has arthritis.
BETTIE
SPEAKS: " I was not trying to be shocking, or to be a
pioneer. I wasn’t trying to change society, or to be
ahead of my time. I didn’t think of myself as liberated,
and I don’t believe that I did anything important.
I was just myself. I didn’t know any other way to be,
or any other way to live."
The
E! Network BETTIE PAGE
True Hollywood Story
From
Pinup to Sex Queen:
Bettie Page
The Hollywood True Story
E! Network
Premiere: October 11, 1998
Rebroadcast: June 5, 9, 2001 and more.
Network
Synopsis: She was the most successful pinup of her time,
shocking society with her erotic attitude. She was also the
subject of a government investigation. And at the height
of her fame, Bettie Page vanished. Interviews with celebrity
fans Hugh Hefner, Todd Oldham and Debi Mazar and clips of
her famous burlesque films illustrate the controversy around
Page and why she left the limelight. What's more, Page herself
speaks, in her first onscreen interview in decades: "It just
surprises me...They keep saying I'm some kind of icon and
that I started the new generation's sex movement. All I did
was pose in the nude." An inside look at the life of an American
orginal.
--(c) E!
Bettie's
desire to dance led her to a Baptist church where she gave
her heart to the Lord.
The
E! Internet Video Clip leaves out
Bettie's Reference to God
The
E! Network Clip: "Despite dropping from the public
eye, Page claims to have no regrets about her days as a sexy
model" boasts E!. This Internet clip, however, was edited
by the E! network, and leaves out the fact that she regrets
the nude modeling and how she asked God to forgive her. In
the clip you will hear her as she sounds today.
No
regrets (E! clip) RealPlayer Windows
Media Video
clips are
(c) E! Network. All Rights Reserved
The
Full Unedited Clip of
Bettie's Act of Confession to God
The
Backstory: America's sexiest pinup queen made for one
of True Hollywood Story's strangest interviews, asking to
be filmed entirely in silhouette. Page had spent years posing
for cheesecake photos and acting in cult films when she abruptly
disappeared. Since then, her photos and films have attracted
collectors and spawned a cottage industry that continues
to thrive today. --(c) E!
THE
MEANING OF
BETTIE PAGE Visual Commentary By David Bruce
This
is an amazing and bizarre story. If it were not true it would
be totally unbelievable. This is the story of a woman who has
been serving the Lord since 1957. That's over 5 decades of dedication,
telling others about Jesus Christ. Suddenly one day she discovers
that she has impacted the world in a phenomenal way, but not
as she thought she would have as a Christian -rather in a very
different way. You see, prior to becoming a Christian in 1957
she had been a model for a mere seven years. Her work from those
years has made her the number one model of all time. Her image
now dominates the pop culture world and has changed it forever.
This
1949 photo of Bettie Page was taken in New York before her
modeling career began. Little did she know then how she would
impact the world.
In
the 50s she entered the world of modeling. Her specialty was
risqué pinup that was very cutting edge. God had gifted
her with blemish-free skin, perfect facial features and a perfect
10 body. Her particular and unique style, jet-black hair and
bangs became her unmistakable trademark.
A
fellow student at her acting school, Anomie Aryl, states, "Bettie
was a classy woman. She brought a wholesomeness to her work.
That’s probably what made her the icon she is."
Noted
glamor photographer Bunny Eager remarked that "Bettie Page was
number one. I have never known another model who had better knowledge
of her body or how to work with it to make it look so good. Her
skin was perfect, no blemishes. Perfect nose, beautiful straight
teeth, and gleaming, shiny black hair that was always in place,
always."
Bettie
grew in popularity. She specialized in lingerie, pinup, and bondage
photos that became favorites in men's magazines.
God,
however, had other plans for Bettie. In 1957, wanting to go dancing,
she passed by a Baptist church. She went in. And before she left
she had become a born again Christian. (RealVideo Clip:Bettie's
conversion). So profound and life changing was her conversion
that she totally left modeling and dropped completely out of
the public eye.
Accordingly,
she enrolled in a Los Angeles Bible College, Biola, and begin
helping various Christian causes. She was a volunteer worker
for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
She passed out Gospel literature in airports. She was totally
involved in the life of the church.
She
had completely dropped out of Pop Culture secular world and
had fully entered the Christian Evangelical world. No one ever
spoke to her about her former modeling career because no one
in her new spiritual world knew anything about the former world
of Bettie Page. Those were two very separate worlds. No connection
whatever.
Little
did Bettie know, but she was achieving legendary status in
the secular world she had left. Rumors abounded about her disappearance.
Some reports said she had died. Such rumors only enhanced her
in the popular imagination. Her image has become an icon and
guiding light for current generations. There are so many examples
of how she as impacted pop culture.
For
example, clothing with animal prints, that are so popular now,
she pioneered, as a model, 40 years ago. The popularity of
black leather, black underwear, kinky S&M, fetish, macro
bikinis, the list goes on and on, are all due in part to her
legacy. She
was so far ahead of her time, that it boggles the imagination
The fact that she is so widely imitated today gives testimony
to that fact.
Her
unmistakable image has become a standard in comic book art.
Comic book conventions worldwide feature numerous displays
of Bettie Page photos, comic art, books and videos.
Although
Bettie hasn't modelled for a pin up since the 50s, artists have
increasingly used her image in pin up art. An example of Philippe
Berthel's famous work is to the left. And, artist Jim Silke,
curiously used Bettie Page in a religious manner to illustrate
the Biblical women Delilah and Salome.
Far
left is Greg Theakston's depiction of Bettie in Mars Attack.
Next to it is Dave Steves' wonderful comic work. And, Olivia
De Berardinis' glamor portrait of Bettie to the right. The examples
are endless.
Again,
born again Bettie had no idea of the marketing frenzy surrounding
her name and image, until, that is, in 1992 when she accidentally
came across some of merchandise in a store bearing her name.
What a shock that must have been. She discovered a host of
porcelain statues, photos, comic art, posters, T-shirts, videos
and even a lunch boxes--all sporting her image and name! Bettie
had to now bring her two worlds together. What an amazing experience
and journey this must have been for her.
What
God has did was to put back those two very different worlds
of Bettie Page together. Now when people seek out the woman
behind the image they come into contact with her decision to
follow Jesus.
This
brings me to my point. And a point I hold to firmly. It is
a central issue with me in terms of my web site, Hollywood
Jesus. And that is: Spirituality should not separate a person
from the secular world.
There
is a motto, "Don't be so heavenly minded that you are
of no earthly good." I agree, because there is a danger
in spirituality that isolates.
Jesus
said that believers may not be "of this world" but,
they are certainly "in it." Jesus, as spiritual as
he was, did not separate himself from the secular world. Despite
his Orthodox Jewishness (spirituality) he hung with non-Jews,
with the dreaded Samaritans, with whores, with sell-out Jewish
tax collectors, with radical zealot terrorists, with the diseased,
impoverished and the very wealthy. He told stories to the masses
that revolutionized the material and secular universe on hill
tops (the mass media of the day). It is a known fact that Jesus'
worst enemies were the self righteous G-rated do-gooders of
his time. He spent little time with them.
All
to often being spiritual means checking out of the secular
world and limiting one's self in some sort of a "spiritual" isolationism
that has absolutely no connection with the ebb and flow of
the material universe.
The
Evangelical Christian world to which Bettie became a part of
was so isolated from the pop culture world that Bettie had
no idea of what was was happening out there with her image.
Pulp
Fiction writer-director Quentin Tarantino stunned the filmmaking
world by exploding into prominence as a cinematic heavyweight
contender. How did he do it? He understood the contemporary
world and was not afraid to combine aspects of the spiritual
universe with the secular (the same technique Jesus used, by
the way). Oh my gosh, in Pulp Fiction, he combines dialogue
about McDonalds hamburgers with Bible quotes and discussions
about theology. And in addition, he throws in a Bettie Page
type Uma Thurman. It is now a classic film with a huge following.
The
Spiritual Evangelical world has some lessons to learn here.
Yet,
sadly, the other day I attended a legalistic fundamentalist
Boomer church and quickly learned that (for them)...
...viewing R-rated movies was sinful;
...I had to close my eyes to the world;
...I had to quit listening to secular rock and roll;
...reading secular books was a waste of time;
...the Internet was not a good idea (due to porn);
...and that the greatest spiritual ideal is to separate myself from the
world. All of this, of course, is pure nonsense. I guess the big fear
is in regards to sexuality and nudity. Religious types are just going
to have to learn how to deal with it.
When
God says "Come out of her, my people" (Rev. 18:4)
he is referring to leaving the bankrupt religious system (Babylon),
not the world.
Although
we are not to love the things of the world (idolatry),
as the Bible warns, we are to love the people in the
world (John 3:16), and enter that world just as Jesus did (incarnationally).
There should never be an "us against them" mentality.
The spiritual battle is not with flesh and blood, rather it
is spiritual.
Perhaps
God is trying to speak through the experience of Bettie Page.
"Go
ye into all the world..." and have no fear!
A
WORD TO CHRISTIANS: I know, I know. I am outspoken.
And it maybe hard for you to deal with pin up Bettie
Page on a Christian site. But just so there is no misunderstanding
to any thing I have written: I am an Evangelical Boomer
Christian, which, I believe, gives me the right to speak
out. I also love the church and never miss a Sunday.
I believe that the Bible is the word of God and Jesus
is my Lord. I also enjoy Bettie Page and pop culture,
which for me is intregration (incarnational), and not
contradiction (worldliness).
A
WORD TO NON-CHRISTIANS: There is a big difference
between religion and Jesus Christ. Religion is a thing that
can be oppressive and judgmental. Jesus is about relationship with
God. Jesus is about freedom from past problems, additions,
and pain. If you would like to discuss the issue of Jesus
with me via email, I encourage you to do so (email me). Jesus is the best thing that ever happened to me.
The
Bettie Page types of the Bible. Fabulous book. Learn some lessons
in good living from the Bible's bad news belles. Women everywhere
marvel at the "good girls" in Scripture such as Sarah, Mary,
and Ruth. But on most days, when they look in the mirror they
see the selfishness of Sapphira or the deception of Delilah.
They catch a glimpse of Jezebel's take-charge pride or Salome's
misguided attempt to please her mother. What's a good girl
to do?
Pictures of Bettie Page
as two of the
Bad Girls of the Bible,
Delilah and Salome
This
is the book that the E! television bio is based on. It is the
definitive work on the life of Bettie Page. It covers her controversial
modeling career and her conversion to Jesus Christ. It is the
only biography in which Bettie Page herself is one of the authors.
It is the BEST BOOK on her life and her impact on the world.
If you are a pastor you may want it sent to the parsonage rather
than the church (joke).
2002 note: Since this page went
up in 2001 the $30 book has sold out, and the used copies
are going for over $100. Amazing investment. The 300% increase
in price demonstrates the popularity of her image. The used
book price continues to rise. Click the link and buy it if
you can.
I
will not post these comments. I
welcome your spiritual concerns and prayer needs. I will correspond
with you, usually within two weeks.
Email David Bruce
Birth
Name: Bettie Mae Page 
From
Pinup to Sex Queen: 
RealVideo
Clip
Again,
born again Bettie had no idea of the marketing frenzy surrounding
her name and image, until, that is, in 1992 when she accidentally
came across some of merchandise in a store bearing her name.
What a shock that must have been. She discovered a host of
porcelain statues, photos, comic art, posters, T-shirts, videos
and even a lunch boxes--all sporting her image and name! Bettie
had to now bring her two worlds together. What an amazing experience
and journey this must have been for her.
Bettie
Page: 