Playmates Forever!

Last year, when we were putting together the 25th Anniversary Issue, we found ourself indulging in a little nostalgia. As we gazed upon a quarter century of gatefolds, we realized that it had been our privilege to be associated with some of the loveliest ladies of our day. Playmates who made Playboy: DeDe Lind and Connie Kreski, each of whom received more than 1000 letters from appreciative readers (a record); Jo Collins, who toured Vietnam; Liv Lindeland, the first Playmate to be photographed as a fully frontal nude (i.e., showing pubic hair). We wondered what had become of our favorite girls. The answer was simple: They became women. When we saw how some of them look today, as evidenced by these photos, our nostalgia turned to outright awe. Miki Garcia, Miss January 1973, offered this insight: "To be selected as a Playmate changes most girls' lives. We have a saying: Once a Playmate, always a Playmate." We wouldn't have it otherwise.