Bondage Babe Bettie Page Dies at 85

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head><script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://www.time.com:80/time/arts/article/0,8599,1866059,00.html","20081214201020","https://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1229285420"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <title>Bondage Babe Bettie Page Dies at 85 - TIME</title> <meta name="description" content="The movies of Bettie Page, the actress-model who has died in Los Angeles after a heart attack, were sold under the counter, mailed in plain brown wrappers. Yet decades later she was elevated to the status of pulp goddess"/> <meta name="keywords" content="Bettie Page, pinup girl, bondage,"/> <meta name="byline" content="Richard Corliss"/><meta name="srce" content="/time Magazine"/> <meta name="head" content="Bondage Babe Bettie Page Dies at 85"/> <meta name="path" content="/time/arts/article/0,8599,1866059,00.html"/> <meta name="date" content="Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008"/> <meta name="word_count" content="2668"/> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020cs_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/rd/trunk/www/web/feds/c/main.css"/> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020cs_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/rd/trunk/www/web/feds/c/article.css"/> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020cs_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/rd/trunk/www/web/feds/c/thickbox.css"/>  <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://cdn1.sphere.com/widgets/sphereit/js?baseurl=http://cdn1.sphere.com/widgets/sphereit/&siteid=timecom_arts"></script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://img.timeinc.net/shared/static/js/tii_ads.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="/web/20081214201020js_/http://www.time.com/time/js/utils/0,30172,,00.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.2.3/jquery.min.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/rd/trunk/www/web/feds/j/main.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/rd/trunk/www/web/feds/j/articles.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/js/article.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/rd/trunk/www/web/feds/j/showLinks.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/js/rightslink.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://js.adsonar.com/js/tw_adsonar.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/polls/js/swfobject.js "></script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/polls/js/util.js "></script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/rd/trunk/www/web/feds/j/thickbox.js"></script> <link rel="icon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon"/> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon"/> <script language="JavaScript"> var clickURL = "https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1866059,00.html"; var clickRIURL = document.URL; var clickTitle = "Bondage Babe Bettie Page Dies at 85"; var u = "https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1866059,00.html?iid=fb_share"; </script> <script language="JavaScript1.2" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/clickability/button_716.js"></script> </head> <body> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript"> var adFactory = new TiiAdFactory(adConfig, "entertainment"); adFactory.setArticleId("1866059"); adFactory.setPackageId(""); adFactory.setChannel("arts"); adFactory.setSubchannel(""); adFactory.setContentPage(); adFactory.setContentType("article"); </script> <div id="omniture" style="display:none"> <script type="text/javascript"> var s_account="timecom"; </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://img.timeinc.net/tii/omniture/h/common.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://img.timeinc.net/tii/omniture/h/config/time.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> s_time.channel = 'time'; s_time.pageName = 'arts|bondage babe bettie page dies at 85'; s_time.prop4 = '1'; s_time.prop6 = 'arts'; s_time.prop7 = 'article'; s_time.prop8 = '1866059'; s_time.prop16 = 'arts'; s_time.prop17 = location.href; if (typeof(catsCSV) == "string") s_time.prop13 = catsCSV; if (typeof(omnitureHookFunction) == "function") eval("omnitureHookFunction();"); var s_code=s_time.t();if(s_code)document.write(s_code) </script> </div> <div id="entertainment" class="wrap">   <div id="navTop" class="nav"> <ul> <li class="nav1"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/">Home</a></li> <li class="nav2"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/nation">U.S.</a></li> <li class="nav3"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/politics">Politics</a></li> <li class="nav4"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/world">World</a></li> <li class="nav5"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/business">Business & tech</a></li> <li class="nav6"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/health">Health & Science</a></li> <li class="nav7"><a class="sel" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/arts/">Entertainment</a></li> <li class="nav8"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/photoessays">Photos</a></li> <li class="nav9"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/10questions">People</a></li> <li class="nav10"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/specials">Best & Worst Lists</a></li> <li class="nav11"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/magazine">Magazine</a></li> <li class="nav12"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/travel">Travel</a></li> </ul> </div>  <div id="content"> <div id="header"> <div class="sep"><br/> </div> <div id="logoTimeArticle"><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time" title="Time.com Home Page"><img src="/web/20081214201020im_/http://www.time.com/time/rd/trunk/www/web/feds/i/logoTimeArticle.png" width="155" height="45"/></a></div> <div id="logoCnnArticle"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.cnn.com/" title="CNN.com Home Page"><img src="/web/20081214201020im_/http://www.time.com/time/rd/trunk/www/web/feds/i/logoCnnArticle.png" width="39" height="32"/></a></div> <div id="topBanner"> <script type="text/javascript"> adFactory.getAd(728, 90).write(); </script> </div> </div> <div class="sectheader"> <div class="channelHd">Entertainment</div> <div id="feedModule"> <ul> <li><a href="#" class="addTimeNews feedLinks">Add Time News</a> <div id="pos"> <ul id="menu"> <li class="line1"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://add.my.yahoo.com/content?.intl=us&url=http://rss.time.com/web/time/rss/arts/index.xml%3Fpartner%3Dmyyahoo" target="_blank" class="myYahoo">My Yahoo!</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://fusion.google.com/add?feedurl=http://rss.time.com/web/time/rss/arts/index.xml%3Fpartner%3Digoogle" target="_blank" class="myGoogle">My Google</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.netvibes.com/subscribe.php?type=feed&url=http://rss.time.com/web/time/rss/arts/index.xml%3Fpartner%3Dnetvibes" target="_blank" class="netvibes">Netvibes</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://feeds.my.aol.com/?url=rss.time.com/web/time/rss/arts/index.xml%3Fpartner%3Dmyaol" target="_blank" class="aol">My AOL</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://rss.time.com/web/time/rss/arts/index.xml" class="rss">RSS Feed</a></li> <li class="line2"><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/rss" class="seeAll">See all feeds</a></li> </ul> </div> </li> </ul> </div>  <div class="searchWrap"> <div id="search1"> <div class="ad"> <script type="text/javascript"> var ad = adFactory.getAd(88, 31); ad.setPosition(1) ad.write(); </script> </div> <form id="frmSearch" method="get" action="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/searchresults" onsubmit="omniSearch(this.Ntt.value);"> <label for="query">SEARCH TIME.COM</label> <input type="hidden" name="N" value="0"> <input type="hidden" name="Ntk" value="NoBody"> <input type="hidden" name="Nty" value="1"> <input type="hidden" name="Nr" value="OR(p_record_type:Article,p_record_type:blog,p_record_type:Other)"> <input id="query" name="Ntt" type="text" value="SEARCH TIME.COM"/> <input type="image" class="magnify" alt="Go" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/rd/trunk/www/web/feds/i/icon_glass.png"/> <ul id="searchCat"> <li><input name="srchCat" value="Full Archive" type="radio" checked="checked"/>Full Archive</li> <li><input name="srchCat" class="cvrInput" value="Covers" type="radio"/>Covers</li> </ul> </form> </div> </div> <div class="sep"><br/> </div>  <div class="subNav"> <span class="first">INSIDE:</span> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/arts">Main</a></li> <li>|</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://tunedin.blogs.time.com/">TV</a></li> <li>|</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://lookingaround.blogs.time.com/">Art</a></li> <li>|</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://nerdworld.blogs.time.com/">Nerd World</a></li> <li>|</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/cartoonsoftheweek">Cartoons of the Week</a></li> <li>|</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/style_design">Style & Design</a></li> <li>|</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/video/">Videos</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="sep"><br/></div> <div class="ltCol"> <div class="artHd"> <h1>Bondage Babe Bettie Page Dies at 85</h1> <div class="byline">By <span class="name"><a href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:window.open('/time/letters/email_letter.html','letter','width=400,height=420,status=no,scrollbars=yes')">Richard Corliss</a></span> <span class="date">Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008</span></div> </div> <div class="photoBkt"> <div class="tout"> <div class="imgcont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2008/0812/bettie_page_1206.jpg" alt="Bettie Page" title="Bettie Page" height="200" width="307"/></div> <div class="caption">Bettie Page in the 1950's.</div> <div class="credit">Everett</div> </div> </div> <div class="artTools"> <div class="menuBorder"></div> <ul id="shareMenu" class="bottomBorder"> <li><a id="prt" href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1866059,00.html" class="toPrint">Print</a></li> <li><a href="javascript:void(0)" class="toEmail" onclick="return(ET());">Email</a></li> <li id="shareIt"><a href="#" class="toShare">Share</a> <div id="wrap"> <ul id="subMenu"> <li><a class="digg" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://digg.com/submit?url=http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1866059,00.html?iid=digg_share&title=Bondage Babe Bettie Page Dies at 85 - TIME&bodytext=The movies of Bettie Page, theactress-model who has died in Los Angeles after a heart attack, were sold under the counter, mailed in plain brown wrappers. Yet decades later she was elevated tothe status of pulp goddess" target="_blank">Digg</a></li> <li><script>function fbs_click() {u=location.href;t=document.title;window.open('https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u='+encodeURIComponent(u)+'&t='+encodeURIComponent(t),'sharer','toolbar=0,status=0,width=626,height=436');return false;}</script><style> html .fb_share_link { padding:2px 0 0 20px; height:16px; background:url(https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/images/share/facebook_share_icon.gif?0:26981) no-repeat top left; }</style><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=<url>" onclick="return fbs_click()" target="_blank" class="fb_share_link">Facebook</a></li> <li><script showbranding="0" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://d.yimg.com/ds/badge.js" badgetype="text">time:http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1866059,00.html</script></li> <li class="line4"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.mixx.com/" target="_blank" onclick="window.location='https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.mixx.com/submit?page_url='+window.location+'?iid=perma_share'; return false;"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://www.mixx.com/images/buttons/mixx-button4.png" alt="Add to Mixx!" border="0"/> Mixx</a> </li> <li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/article/widgets/perma.html?height=90&width=449" class="thickbox">Permalink</a></li> </ul> </div> </li> <li><a href="javascript:void(0)" class="toReprints" onclick="RightslinkPopUp('Bondage Babe Bettie Page Dies at 85', '12/11/2008', 'Richard Corliss', '1866059'); return false;">Reprints</a></li> <li><a onclick="return Sphere.Widget.search()" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.sphere.com/search?q=sphereit:http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1866059,00.html?iid=chix-sphere" class="toRelated">Related</a></li> <li class="ad"><script type="text/javascript"> var ad = adFactory.getAd(88, 31); ad.setPosition(8) ad.write(); </script><li> </ul> </div> <div id="bubAd"></div>  <div class="artTxt"> <p> Fifty years after the fact, she earned pop-cultural icon status. There are a dozen books about her, and a half-dozen movies, including the 2006 biopic, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1187402,00.html" target="_new"><i>The Notorious Bettie Page</i></a>, starring Gretchen Mol. Not to mention a bunch of tribute songs, countless websites and, almost always, more than a thousand products for sale on eBay. For just $6.99 you could get a Bettie Page 'Don't Tread on Me' Metal Candle Tin & Candle, which "features an image of Bettie Page in red lingerie and licking a whip." And who'll bid $19.99 for the Bettie Page Retro Cincher Corset Lot? The annotation reads: "Bring out your inner Bettie!" (<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1866085_1813893,00.html" target="_new">See pictures of Bettie Page.</a>)</p>  <div id="articleSideBar"> <div id="quigoSideBar"> <script type="text/javascript"> tiiQuigoWriteAd(755776, 1391571, 142, 225, -1); </script> </div>  <div id="sideBarCopy"> <h2>Related</h2> <div class="tout"><h3>Photos</h3><div class="thumb"><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1866085,00.html"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2008/0812/125_bettieopener_1212.jpg" alt=""/></a></div><h4><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1866085,00.html">Pinup Queen Bettie Page: 1923-2008</a></h4> </div> <div class="tout"><h3>Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1187402,00.html">The Garbo of Bondage</a></li></ul></div> <div> </div>  <div id="sphereSideBar"> <script> Sphere.Inline.search("sphereSideBar","https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1866059,00.html") </script> </div>   </div> </div>  <p> The hallmark of modern pop culture is that everyone's famous and nobody's shocked. And when fans search the past, they look to venerate artists who were once pariahs. The movies of Bettie Page, the actress-model who died Thursday, Dec. 11, at 85 in Los Angeles after a heart attack, couldn't be more infra dig: they were sold under the counter, mailed in plain brown wrappers. Yet decades later she was elevated to the status of pulp goddess. The beatification process began in 1980, when artist Dave Stevens created a Bettie character in his graphic novel <i>The Rocketeer</i>. Jennifer Connelly gave her full-figured life in the 1991 movie version, and the cult was under way. In a 1997 episode of <i>The X Files</i>, there was a talking Bettie Page tattoo, voiced by Jodie Foster. (<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/specials/2008/top10/article/0,30583,1855948_1864127,00.html" target="_new">See TIME's Top 10 Fleeting Celebrities of 2008.</a>)</p> <p> But being a bondage babe wasn't much of a distinction to the mass audience of the '50s, who didn't know Bettie Page existed. Back then, Bettie was caviar only to the purchasers of girlie mags, tatty titles like <i>Wink</i>, <i>Whisper</i> and <i>Flirt</i>, where she was the preeminent pinup queen of her day. In January 1955 she was also the 13th model to grace the centerfold of a new slick magazine called <i>Playboy</i>.</p> <p> As a movie actress she had a different appeal, limited but intense. Bettie was rich Corinthian leather to connoisseurs of specialized, subterranean erotica  the kind that showed women, dressed in black undergarments and stockings, and pumps with six-inch heels, getting spanked, trussed and gagged. But primly; this was the 50s. And primitively: no retakes, no expert lighting, no dialogue, no sound. Just the girls. Rather, the girl. The Girl in the Leopard Print Bikini, as she was dubbed. Satan's Angel. Bettie Page. </p> <p> <b>BETTIE'S JOYFUL DANCE</b></p> <p> Bettie Page was the Garbo of bondage movies. Granted, Greta Garbo played Camille and Anna Karenina, while Bettie played Bettie  or, as it was usually spelled then, Betty  in five-minute, 8 mm epics with titles like <i>Betty's Clown Dance</i> and <i>Dominant Betty Dances With Whip</i>. Garbo, in Hollywood, had Irving Thalberg, the prince of MGM, as her boss and protector. Bettie had Irving Klaw. Calling himself the "King of the Pinups," Irving and his sister Paula ran a seedy Manhattan emporium called Movie Star News, which peddled celebrity glamour shots to the public and specialized photos and loops to a more discriminating clientele. A brunette Betty Grable type who wanted to be Bette Davis, Bettie couldn't get a job as a Broadway actress. But on East 14th Street she was the star of Movie Star News, the big fish in a brackish pond.</p> <p> But what Garbo and Bettie Page both had was It  a radiance, a mystery of personality, that transcends technique and passeth understanding. Bettie had a message that defined her medium, and a magic that defied it. The dance films she did may have been cheesy documents of bump-and-grind; the bondage films, creepy if dainty invocations of sadomasochism. But what everyone remembers about Bettie, aside from her trademark bangs, is her smile. Guileless and guiltless, it conveyed an Edenic sensuality. To her fans and her official detractors, who might have agreed that sex was dirty, Bettie's giddy energy said, "Heck, no, it's fun!"</p> <p> One last detail shared by Garbo and Bettie. Each retired in her mid-30s, preserving the movie image of her youthful allure. But unlike Garbo, who was often cornered by paparazzi in her Manhattan neighborhood, Bettie seemingly did disappear. She left New York for Miami, where she modeled for a few more years, then vanished, reemerging in Southern California in 1992.</p> <p> In the decades of her silence, all manner of rumors spread. She had run afoul of the Mob. She became a nun. She had kids and grandkids. She was dead. All these speculations were wrong. The truth, as revealed in Richard Foster's sympathetic and scrupulous book <i>The Real Bettie Page: The Truth About the Queen of the Pinups</i>, is even stranger. </p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1866085_1813893,00.html" target="_new">See pictures of Bettie Page.</a></p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/specials/2008/top10/article/0,30583,1855948_1864127,00.html" target="_new">See TIME's Top 10 Fleeting Celebrities of 2008.</a></p> </div>  <div class="artPagi"> <ul> 1 | <a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1866059-2,00.html">2</a> | <a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1866059-3,00.html">3</a> | <a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1866059-4,00.html">4</a> <a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1866059-2,00.html" class="next">Next »</a> </ul> </div> <div class="sep"><br/> </div> <div id="connectStory"> <h2>Connect to this TIME Story</h2> <div class="connect"> <h3 class="interact">Interact with<br/> this story</h3> <ul class="chiclets"> <li><script showbranding="0" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://d.yimg.com/ds/badge2.js" badgetype="text-votes">time:http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1866059,00.html</script></li> <li><script>function fbs_click() {u=location.href;t=document.title;window.open('https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u='+encodeURIComponent(u)+'&t='+encodeURIComponent(t),'sharer','toolbar=0,status=0,width=626,height=436');return false;}</script><style> html .fb_share_link { padding:2px 0 0 20px; height:16px; background:url(https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/images/share/facebook_share_icon.gif?0:26981) no-repeat top left; }</style><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=<url>" onclick="return fbs_click()" target="_blank" class="fb_share_link">Facebook</a></li> <li class="digg"> <script type="text/javascript"> digg_url = 'https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1866059,00.html?iid=digg_share'; digg_title = 'Bondage Babe Bettie Page Dies at 85'; digg_bodytext = 'The movies of Bettie Page, theactress-model who has died in Los Angeles after a heart attack, were sold under the counter, mailed in plain brown wrappers. Yet decades later she was elevated tothe status of pulp goddess'; digg_bgcolor = '#fff'; digg_skin = 'compact'; digg_window = 'new'; digg_thumbnails = '1'; </script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://digg.com/tools/diggthis.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </li> <li><a href="javascript:void(0)" class="email" onclick="return(ET());">Email</a></li> </ul> </div>  <div class="connect" id="sphereFooter"> <script> Sphere.Inline.search("sphereFooter","https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1866059,00.html") </script> </div>   <div id="recommendations_display" class="similarrecs"></div> </div> <div class="sep"><br/></div>  <div id="quigoArticle"> <script type="text/javascript"> tiiQuigoWriteAd(755776, 1391528, 525, 240, -1); </script> </div>  <div class="sep"><br/> </div> <div class="sep"><br/></div> <script type="text/javascript"> adFactory.getCmAd(525, 35, "article", "tout").write(); </script> </div> <div class="rtCol"> <div class="ad300"> <script type="text/javascript"> adFactory.getCmAd(300, 15, "global", "tout").write(); </script> </div> <div class="sep"><br/></div>  <div class="lathd"> <h2>Top Stories on Time.com</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1866307,00.html?iid=tsmodule">Jet-Incursion Flap Highlights India-Pakistan Tensions</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1865467,00.html?iid=tsmodule">Alternative Currencies Grow in Popularity</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1866308,00.html?iid=tsmodule">A Gay-Pride Revolution in Hong Kong</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1865971,00.html?iid=tsmodule">Black Gold: It's Time to Raise the Gas Tax</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1865552,00.html?iid=tsmodule">In Olive Country, a Bitter Harvest for Migrant Workers</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="sep"><br/></div> <div class="ad300"> <script type="text/javascript"> adFactory.getMultiAd(new Array("336x280", "336x850", "300x250", "300x600")).write(); </script> </div> <div class="sep"><br/></div> <div class="mpop"> <h2><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/most_popular">Most Popular »</a></h2> <div class="rLinks"><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/most_popular">Full List <span class="rq">»</span></a></div> <ul> <li> <h3><span>Most Read</span></h3>  <ol> <li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1866045,00.html">Does Obama Want to Ground NASA's Next Moon Mission?</a></li><li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1866262,00.html">Franken vs. Coleman: Still Counting in Minnesota</a></li><li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1865886,00.html">Actor Cuts Throat on Stage in Knife Mix-Up</a></li><li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1866044,00.html">Safe Sex</a></li><li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1865995,00.html">Teens' Latest Self-Injury Fad: Self-Embedding</a></li><li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1866154,00.html">Wall Street's Latest Downfall: Madoff Charged with Fraud</a></li><li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1866220,00.html">Could Blago Cause Trouble for Daley?</a></li><li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1865962,00.html">Don't Say the <span style="font-style: italic">D</span> Word</a></li><li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1866093,00.html">A Campaign Postmortem at Harvard</a></li><li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1866059,00.html">Bondage Babe Bettie Page Dies at 85</a></li> </ol> </li> <li> <h3><span>Most Emailed</span></h3> <ol> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1865467,00.html?imw=Y">Alternative Currencies Grow in Popularity</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1866262,00.html?imw=Y">Franken vs. Coleman: Still Counting in Minnesota</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1866154,00.html?imw=Y">Wall Street's Latest Downfall: Madoff Charged With Fraud</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1866045,00.html?imw=Y">Does Obama Want to Ground NASA's Next Moon Mission?</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1865995,00.html?imw=Y">Teens' Latest Self-Injury Fad: Self-Embedding</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1865949,00.html?imw=Y">College Credit Crunch 101</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1866220,00.html?imw=Y">Could Blago Cause Trouble for Daley?</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1865886,00.html?imw=Y">Actor Cuts Throat on Stage in Knife Mix-Up</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1862444,00.html?imw=Y">Rhee Tackles Classroom Challenge</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1865962,00.html?imw=Y">Don't Say the D Word</a></li> </ol> </li> </ul> <div class="ad88"> <script type="text/javascript"> var ad = adFactory.getAd(88, 31); ad.setPosition(9); ad.write(); </script> </div> </div> <div class="sep"><br/></div>  <div class="photoInline"> <h2><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/today-in-pictures?iid=picturesmodule">Today in Pictures »</a></h2> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/today-in-pictures/0,31511,1866214,00.html?iid=picturesmodule"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/today_in_pictures/0812/77_tip_ny_1212_01.jpg" alt="" width="77" height="50" title=""/></a></li><li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/today-in-pictures/0,31511,1866215,00.html?iid=picturesmodule"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/today_in_pictures/0812/77_tip_ny_1212_02.jpg" alt="" width="77" height="50" title=""/></a></li><li><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/today-in-pictures/0,31511,1866216,00.html?iid=picturesmodule"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/today_in_pictures/0812/77_tip_ny_1212_03.jpg" alt="" width="77" height="50" title=""/></a></li><li class="last"><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/today-in-pictures/0,31511,1866030,00.html?iid=picturesmodule"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/today_in_pictures/0812/77_tip_ny_1211_01.jpg" alt="" width="77" height="50" title=""/></a></li> </ul> <div class="rLinks"><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/today-in-pictures?iid=picturesmodule">Browse All Photos <span class="rq">»</span></a></div> </div>  <div> <script type="text/javascript"> tiiQuigoWriteAd(755776, 1402928, 300, 170, -1); </script> </div> <div class="sep"><br/></div>  <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://cdn.clearspring.com/launchpad/v2/standalone.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <div class="quoteDay"> <h2><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/quotes">Quotes of the Day »</a></h2> <div id="shareButton"><a id="myWidget" href="#share">Get & Share</a> <script type="text/javascript">$Launchpad.CreateMenu({ wid : "491cae4a5db36d0d", actionElement : "myWidget"});</script> </div> <div class="imgcont"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/quotes"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/quotes/2008/10/50_1010_bush.jpg" width="50" height="50" alt=""/></a></div> <div class="txtcont"> <div class="quote">"<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/quotes">All I can report is it is a size 10.</a>"</div> <div class="attribute">PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH, reacting to a shoe that was thrown at him during a Sunday press conference in Iraq.</div> <div class="more"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/quotes">More Quotes »</a></div> </div> <div class="end"></div> <div class="ad88"> <script type="text/javascript"> var ad = adFactory.getAd(88, 31); ad.setPosition(12) ad.write(); </script> </div> </div> <div class="sep"><br/></div> <div class="ad300">  <script type="text/javascript"> adFactory.getCmAd(300, 250, "global", "tout").write(); </script> </div> <div class="sep"><br/></div> <div class="ad300"> <script type="text/javascript"> adFactory.getCmAd(300, 100, "article", "tout").write(); </script> </div> <div class="sep"><br/></div>  <div class="lathd"> <h2><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.cnn.com/" target="_blank">CNN Headlines</a></h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/12/12/review.day.earth.still/index.html?eref=time_entertainment" target="_blank">Review: 'Earth Stood Still,' movie falls apart</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/12/12/van.johnson/index.html?eref=time_entertainment" target="_blank">Van Johnson dies at 92</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/12/12/ew.review.doubt/index.html?eref=time_entertainment" target="_blank">Review: 'Doubt' dulls its best points</a></li> </ul> </div>  <div class="sep"><br/></div>   </div> <div class="sectheader"> <div class="channelHd">Entertainment</div> <div id="feedModule2"> <ul> <li><a href="#" class="addTimeNews feedLinks2">Add Time News</a> <div id="pos2"> <ul id="menu2"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://add.my.yahoo.com/content?.intl=us&url=http://rss.time.com/web/time/rss/arts/index.xml%3Fpartner%3Dmyyahoo" target="_blank" class="myYahoo">My Yahoo!</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://fusion.google.com/add?feedurl=http://rss.time.com/web/time/rss/arts/index.xml%3Fpartner%3Digoogle" target="_blank" class="myGoogle">My Google</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.netvibes.com/subscribe.php?type=feed&url=http://rss.time.com/web/time/rss/arts/index.xml%3Fpartner%3Dnetvibes" target="_blank" class="netvibes">Netvibes</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://feeds.my.aol.com/?url=rss.time.com/web/time/rss/arts/index.xml%3Fpartner%3Dmyaol" target="_blank" class="aol">My AOL</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://rss.time.com/web/time/rss/arts/index.xml" class="rss">RSS Feed</a></li> <li class="line2"><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/rss" class="seeAll2">See all feeds</a></li> </ul> </div> </li> </ul> </div>  <div class="searchWrap"> <div id="search2"> <div class="ad"> <script type="text/javascript"> var ad = adFactory.getAd(88, 31); ad.setPosition(11) ad.write(); </script> </div> <form id="frmSearch2" method="get" action="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/searchresults" onsubmit="omniSearch(this.Ntt.value);"> <label for="query2">SEARCH TIME.COM</label> <input type="hidden" name="N" value="0"> <input type="hidden" name="Ntk" value="NoBody"> <input type="hidden" name="Nty" value="1"> <input type="hidden" name="Nr" value="OR(p_record_type:Article,p_record_type:blog,p_record_type:Other)"> <input id="query2" name="Ntt" type="text" value=""/> <input type="image" class="magnify" alt="Go" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/rd/trunk/www/web/feds/i/icon_glass.png"/> <ul id="searchCat2"> <li><input name="srchCat" value="Full Archive" type="radio" checked="checked"/>Full Archive</li> <li><input name="srchCat" class="cvrInput" value="Covers" type="radio"/>Covers</li> </ul> </form> </div> </div> <div class="sep"><br/> </div>  <div class="subNav"> <span class="first">INSIDE:</span> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/arts">Main</a></li> <li>|</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://tunedin.blogs.time.com/">TV</a></li> <li>|</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://lookingaround.blogs.time.com/">Art</a></li> <li>|</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://nerdworld.blogs.time.com/">Nerd World</a></li> <li>|</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/cartoonsoftheweek">Cartoons of the Week</a></li> <li>|</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/style_design">Style & Design</a></li> <li>|</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/video/">Videos</a></li> </ul> </div> </div>   <div id="insideTime" class="ftr"> <h2>Inside<br/>Time.com</h2> <div class="tout"> <div class="thumb"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1485842900/bctid4695245001"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2008/0810/77_cuba_oil_1023.jpg" alt="" width="77" height="50" border="0"/><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/i/icon_vid23.png" class="video" alt="Play"/></a> </div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1485842900/bctid4695245001">Video: Eyeing a Cuba Travel-Policy Shift</a></h3> </div> <div class="tout"> <div class="thumb"> <a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/cartoonsoftheweek/0,29489,1866210,00.html"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/cartoons/20081212/77_tout_cartoons_03.jpg" alt="" width="77" height="50" border="0"/></a> </div> <h3><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/cartoonsoftheweek/0,29489,1866210,00.html">Cartoons of the Week</a></h3> </div> <div class="tout"> <div class="thumb"> <a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1866252_1866249,00.html"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2008/0812/77_sam_bradford_1214.jpg" alt="" width="77" height="50" border="0"/></a> </div> <h3><a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1866252_1866249,00.html">Top 10 Heisman Trophy Winners</a></h3> </div> <div class="tout"> <div class="thumb"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://10questions.time.com/2008/12/02/ask-ban-ki-moon/"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2008/0812/77_banki_moon_1202.jpg" alt="" width="77" height="50" border="0"/></a> </div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://10questions.time.com/2008/12/02/ask-ban-ki-moon/">Ask Your Questions: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon</a></h3> </div></div>  <div class="end"></div> </div>   <div id="footer"> <div class="logo"><a title="Time Home Page" href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/rd/trunk/www/web/feds/i/logo_ft.gif" alt="TIME Logo" title="Time Home Page"/></a></div> <div class="copy">© 2008 Time Inc. All rights reserved | <script type="text/javascript"> adFactory.getCmAd(142, 70, "globalfooter", "text3").write(); </script> | <a href="/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/rss"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://img.timeinc.net/time/i/RSS_footer.png" alt="RSS" title="RSS"/> RSS</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://ebm.cheetahmail.com/r/regf2?a=0&aid=1078532063&n=1&TIME_SOURCE=Time_footer">Newsletter</a></div> <div class="flinks"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://subs.timeinc.net/CampaignHandler/tdredesign?source_id=13">Subscribe</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/contactus/">Contact Us</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://cgi.timeinc.net/cgi-bin/mail/dnp/terms_of_service.cgi/time">Terms of Use</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time-planner.com/planner/">Media Kit</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/reprints">Reprints & Permissions</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.timeopinionleaders.com/web1/">Opinion Leaders Panel</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/faq">Help</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.time.com/time/static/sitemap/">Site Map</a> </div> </div>  <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://an.tacoda.net/an/16682/slf.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://js.revsci.net/gateway/gw.js?csid=H07710"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> TiiAdTrackRevSci(); </script>  <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020js_/http://edge.quantserve.com/quant.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> _qacct='p-5dyPa639IrgIw'; quantserve();</script> <noscript><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://www.quantcast.com/p-5dyPa639IrgIw" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-5dyPa639IrgIw.gif" style="display: none;" border="0" height="1" width="1"/> </a></noscript>  <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020im_/http://leadback.advertising.com/adcedge/lb?site=695501&srvc=1&betr=time_cs=1&betq=6365=391721" width="1" height="1" border="0"> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> // Initialization var _loomia_scripts_loaded=0; if (typeof L_VARS=='undefined') { L_VARS = new Object() } // Loomia common settings L_VARS.publisher_key = 9065184586; L_VARS.anchor="recommendations_display"; L_VARS.guid ="1866059"; L_VARS.query_params = {"xid" : "Loomia"}; function _loomia_addScript(url) { var anchor=document.getElementsByTagName('HEAD')[0]; var script= document.createElement("SCRIPT"); script.src=url; anchor.appendChild(script); } function _loomia_addCS() { try {_loomia_rec_type = document.getElementById(L_VARS.anchor).className; } catch(e) { _loomia_rec_type='' } if (!_loomia_scripts_loaded) {_loomia_addScript("https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://assets.loomia.com/js/clixdom.js"); if (_loomia_rec_type.indexOf('similarrecs') != -1) _loomia_addScript("https://web.archive.org/web/20081214201020/http://assets.loomia.com/js/simitems.js"); } _loomia_scripts_loaded=1; } // Loads Loomia script after page has loaded if (window.addEventListener) { window.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", _loomia_addCS, false); window.addEventListener("load", _loomia_addCS, false); } else if (window.attachEvent) window.attachEvent("onload", _loomia_addCS); L_VARS.number = 3; </script> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

Bondage Babe Bettie Page Dies at 85 - TIME