In the late 1960s, 18-year-old Barbi Benton, originally Barbara Klein, rose from an extra to co-host on Playboy After Dark after catching Hugh Hefner’s eye. She graced Playboy’s cover four times from 1969 to the mid-1970s, becoming a beloved figure. Benton also influenced Hefner’s 1974 purchase of the Playboy Mansion while pursuing modeling, acting, and music.
