Barbi Benton Galleries 1

  Barbi Benton was born Barbara Klein in New York on January 28, 1950. By 1952, her family had moved to Sacramento, California when her father, a military doctor, was assigned new duties there. Benton attended Rio Americano High School in Sacramento before heading for Los Angeles at age 16, where she began modeling to supplement her allowance.

By the time she met Hugh Hefner in 1968, she was getting regular work on television shows as diverse as Hee Haw, The Love Boat as well as Playboy After Dark which filmed A-list entertainers performing in Hugh Hefner's mansion surrounded by lovely women. Benton said she pretended to be Hefner's girlfriend for a couple of episodes and soon found herself living the role full time. She was on her way to becoming a multifaceted icon of 1970s glamor. Shortly after meeting Hefner, at his suggestion, she changed her name to the more showbiz-friendly Barbi Benton. When he asked me out, Barbi recalls, "I was 18 and he was 42. I said I'd never gone out with anyone older than 24, and he said, 'That's all right. Neither have I.' We hit it off right away, and it lasted for eight years!"

Benton was Hugh Hefner's own personal playmate throughout the 1970s, but she also became a recording star, a Las Vegas headliner and a movie actress, with credits including Deathstalker, The Naughty Cheerleader and Hospital Massacre.

Benton has recorded eight albums, the last of which she personally produced in 1979. She also composed the songs, sang them and played piano.

She left Hefner for she eventually realized that he was not really interested in starting a new family. Benton married George Gradow, a successful developer on October 14, 1979. The couple now has two children, 16 and 18 years old. Benton mostly concentrates on building and designing homes now.

  Barbarian (2003) (V) (uncredited) .... Stock footage from "Deathstalker"

"Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense"
- And the Wall Came Tumbling Down (1986) TV Episode .... Caroline Trent
"Riptide"
- Playing Hardball (1986) TV Episode .... Gina Potter
"Murder, She Wrote"
- Murder in the Electric Cathedral (1986) TV Episode .... Nurse Sue Beth
"Mike Hammer"
... aka Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (USA: complete title)
... aka The New Mike Hammer (USA: new title)
- Catfight (1984) TV Episode .... Susan Lancaster
And the Wall Came Tumbling Down (1984) (TV) .... Caroline Trent
... aka Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense: And the Wall Came Tumbling Down (UK: series title)
Deathstalker (1983) .... Codille
... aka Cazador de la muerte, El (Argentina)
"Matt Houston"
- The Purrfect Crime (1983) TV Episode .... Ava
Hospital Massacre (1982) .... Susan Jeremy
... aka Be My Valentine, or Else...
... aka Ward 13
... aka X-Ray
"Fantasy Island"
- House of Dolls/Wuthering Heights (1982) TV Episode .... Courtney/Miss Winslow
- Devil and Mr. Roarke/Ziegfeld Girls/Kid Corey Rides Again (1981) TV Episode
- The Man from Yesterday/World's Most Desirable Woman (1981) TV Episode .... Marsha Garnett
- The Love Doctor/Pleasure Palace/Possessed (1980) TV Episode .... Molly Delahanti
- PlayGirl/Smith's Valhalla (1980) TV Episode .... Erica Clark
(3 more)
"CHiPs"
... aka CHiPs Patrol (USA: syndication title)
- Ponch's Angels: Part 2 (1981) TV Episode .... Sal
- Ponch's Angels: Part 1 (1981) TV Episode .... Sal
"The Love Boat"
- Lady from Sunshine Gardens/Eye of the Beholder/Bugged (1981) TV Episode .... Cathy Somms
- Not Now, I'm Dying/Eleanor's Return/Too Young to Love (1979) TV Episode .... Lucy
- Marooned: Part 1 (1978) TV Episode .... Kiki Atwood, Spoiled Rich Girl
- Marooned: Part 2 (1978) TV Episode .... Kiki Atwood, Spoiled Rich Girl
- Computerman/Parlez-Vous/Memories of You (1978) TV Episode .... Brigitte
"Charlie's Angels"
- Island Angels (1980) TV Episode .... Toni Green
For the Love of It (1980) (TV) .... Anita
"When the Whistle Blows"
- Beauty Pageant (1980) TV Episode .... Miss Ironworker

"Vega$"
- Design for Death (1979) TV Episode .... Holly
"Sugar Time!" (1977) TV Series .... Maxx (1977-1978)
"McCloud"
- Park Avenue Pirates (1975) TV Episode .... Shannon Forbes
The Third Girl from the Left (1973) (TV) .... Melanie
The Great American Beauty Contest (1973) (TV) .... Miss Iowa
"Marcus Welby, M.D."
... aka Robert Young, Family Doctor
- We'll Walk Out of Here Together (1972) TV Episode (as Barbara Benton) .... Liz
Mir hat es immer Spaß gemacht (1970) (as Barbara Benton) .... Lynn Keefe
... aka How Did a Nice Girl Like You Get Into This Business?