Claudia Jennings (1949-1979)
Claudia Jennings (whose real name was Mary Eileen Chesterton) was a model and Playboy Centerfold of the Month in November 1969. In 1970, she was named Playboy’s Playmate of the Year.
Shortly thereafter, she plunged into an acting career, with her first role being in a Brady Bunch episode titled “Adios, Johnny Bravo” (see it here, where she’s rocking a pair of huge 70′s glasses). Greg Brady never had it so good.
After that, it wasn’t long before she was doing B-Movie action films. In most of her roles, she’s tough as nails and a powerful presence, especially in films like “Unholy Rollers”, where she’s practically a one-person demolition team, and “Truck Stop Women”, where she plays a master manipulator who never plays by anyone’s rules but her own. Her raging vehicular destruction at the end of “Unholy Rollers” has to be seen to be believed.
She tried out for the part of Kate Jackson’s replacement on Charlie’s Angels, but lost to Shelley Hack. Personally, I think Claudia would have been phenomenal on the show.
Claudia tragically died in a car crash at the age of 29, but she’ll forever be remembered for her amazing combination of attitude and girl-next-door beauty.
Click here to read more about Claudia and see her filmography.
Click here to see the trailer for Claudia’s film “Unholy Rollers”, featuring some great 70′s roller derby action!