Barbi Benton
A 1970s glamour icon who transcended her Playboy roots to become a successful country TV star and recording artist.
Born 1950 (age 76)·American retired model, actress and singer·Birthday: January 28·Baby Boomers
Biography
Barbi Benton, born Barbara Klein in 1950, emerged from Sacramento to become one of the most recognizable faces of the 1970s. Discovered by Hugh Hefner, she became a frequent Playboy model and Hefner's companion, which launched her into the public eye. But Benton leveraged that fame into a multifaceted career that defied easy categorization. She joined the cast of the long-running country comedy show 'Hee Haw' in 1972, displaying a sharp comedic timing and musical talent that endeared her to a mainstream, family audience for over a decade. Concurrently, she pursued a singing career, releasing several country-pop albums that produced charting singles like 'Brass Buckles' and 'Ain't That Just the Way.' She also acted in films and TV specials, crafting an image of the wholesome, all-American girl next door—with a famous twist. In 1986, after the birth of her first child, she stepped away from show business entirely, choosing a private life of ranching and family in Colorado, leaving behind a legacy as one of the era's most successful crossover personalities.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Barbi was born in 1950, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Barbi Was Born
The biggest hits of 1950
#1 Movie
Cinderella
Best Picture
All About Eve
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Barbi's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1950Born
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1955Started school
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1963Became a teenager
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1966Could drive
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1968Could vote
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Turned 21
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1980Turned 30
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 40
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 50
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 60
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 70
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 76 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became a regular cast member on the popular syndicated country comedy series 'Hee Haw' from 1972 to 1985.
- Released multiple albums, with her single 'Brass Buckles' reaching the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 1975.
- Appeared on the cover of Playboy magazine four times and was one of the publication's most prominent models in the 1970s.
- Starred in several feature films, including 'The Great Smokey Roadblock' and 'Deathstalker'.
- Successfully transitioned from a pin-up model to a mainstream television personality with a sustained career over 15 years.
Did You Know?
She was a pre-med student at UCLA before her modeling career took off.
She is a licensed pilot and owned her own plane.
After retiring, she became a successful real estate developer and cattle rancher with her husband in Colorado.
She turned down the role of Julie Rogers on the TV series 'The Love Boat,' which later went to Lauren Tewes.
Her stage name 'Benton' was suggested by Hugh Hefner, inspired by the toothpaste brand 'Ipana' and its spokesperson, a cartoon character named Bucky Beaver.
“I was never just a picture in a magazine; I built a career on my own terms.”
