Barbi Benton

Barbi Benton (born Barbara Lynn Klein; January 28, 1950) is an American former model, actress, television personality, and singer. She appeared in Playboy magazine, as a regular on the comedy series Hee Haw, and recorded several moderately successful albums in the 1970s. After the birth of her first child in 1986, Benton retired from show business.

Early life

Benton was born Barbara Lynn Klein in New York City to a Jewish family. Her father was a gynecologist, and her mother worked as an investment counselor.

Benton grew up in Sacramento and was a childhood friend of journalist Joan Lunden. Benton and future Warhol superstar Jay Johnson were junior high school sweethearts. While attending Rio Americano High School, she pursued many interests, including scuba diving and playing piano. She also did tearoom modeling of department store clothes while in school. She 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.

Career

Benton began to model at age 16. She took a job with Playboy at age 18 while attending UCLA to appear on their entertainment show Playboy After Dark. She began as an extra on the show, but host Hugh Hefner fell in love with her, and her role was quickly elevated to co-host. Hefner asked her for a date, and she reportedly demurred: "I don't know, I've never dated anyone over 24 before." (Hefner was 42 at the time.) Hefner allegedly replied, "That's all right, neither have I." The two began a relationship that lasted several years and placed Benton in the center of the Playboy enterprise. Hefner persuaded her to change her name from Barbara Klein to the more "marketable" Barbi Benton. She is credited with persuading Hefner to buy the Playboy Mansion in Holmby Hills in 1974.