Since the Summer of 1997, I had been making some sort of initiative every day to attempt to secure one autograph or another. As we began to sink into the heart of December, Christmas preparations no doubt deterred me from continuing this effort. And then as we got into 1998, my efforts began to falter, so it wasn’t until around April of that year that I resumed. The initiative that had been going on from July thru December 1997 came to it’s climax and close with my last successful effort being Bettie Page.
This is an unusual one to end it on, since this was merely an autograph purchase so to speak. I don’t make a habit of doing postings on autographs that I have purchased, but I’m making an exception here. At the time, there was only once legitimate source to buy signed photos of Bettie Page and it was through Playboy magazine. I had asked Lisa to get me one of these for my birthday, but when I found out that she hadn’t ordered it, I went ahead and ordered one – along with a book about Bettie, also signed – in the off-chance that they may stop selling them at any time and I would miss out.
Bettie Page is one of those people who is fascinating and really shouldn’t be. She began innocently enough as a model for a camera club and quickly became involved in underground nude and bondage photos from 1952-58, made all the more alluring to drooling fans by her innocent look and distinctive bangs. In 1958, after attending a Key West church service, Bettie Page decided to quit the business entirely and then vanished into virtual obscurity.
She didn’t re-surface until 1996, when she realized that there was a fan base pining for her. I was one of those fans, having being in my Playboy phase and considering Bettie Page as an icon. And so I sent in my check for the photo and book and received it shortly thereafter.
Bettie Page died in 2008, having only been photographed on a couple of occasions (she adamantly refused to let fans see her in her elderly, hefty state), and having a movie made about her (The Notorious Bettie Page). I wish I had gotten the chance to meet her, but have to be satisfied with my signatures.
This concludes the autographs of 1997.
Return to the beginning of these 1997 autographs here…
Continue with the autographs of 1998… (under construction)
I also bought the autographed book and one autographed photo and glad I did, now that she’s gone.
Ricky Greene
May 22nd, 2010