Where is Barbi Benton now? Net Worth, Measurements, Wiki

-Barbi Benton is a former model, actress, and singer who came to prominence after engaging in a romantic relationship with Hugh Hefner in the mid 1970s.
-She is now living in semi-retirement and splitting her time between Aspen and Los Angeles with her husband and two children.
-Barbi began modeling in her teenage years and joined the Playboy empire at age 18, becoming a cover star for the magazine four times.
-She was an actress in the show “Hee Haw”, the film “X-Ray”, and the TV series “The Love Boat”.
-Barbi also had a music career, releasing five albums and earning a net worth of over $20 million.

Known for movies

Hee Haw (1972-1983)
as Herself / Herself - Featured Singer

Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time (1992)
as Herself

Deathstalker (1983)
as Codille

Playboy: Inside the Playboy Mansion (2002)
as Herself

Who is Barbi Benton?

Barbi Benton is a former model, actress, and singer, who came to prominence after engaging in a romantic relationship with Hugh Hefner, founder of the Playboy empire. She enjoyed fame on and off television from the mid-‘70s until the end of the ‘80s, when she retired and focused on raising her children.

Where Is Barbi Benton Now?

Barbi has been in semi-retirement from show business since the late ‘80s, and has rarely appeared in the media.

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Playboy model and cover girl Barbi Benton in the late 70's. #70s #BarbiBenton #Playboymagazine #covermodel

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From time to time she featured in a TV show to talk about her career and relationship with Hugh Hefner, including in “The Girls Next Door” (2005-2009), while her most recent appearance was in the show “Q ‘N A with Mikki and Shay” in 2014. She now enjoys her time with her husband and their children, splitting time between homes in Aspen and Los Angeles.

Barbi Benton Wiki- Age, Childhood, and Education

Barbara Lynn ‘Barbi’ Klein was born on the 28th January 1950, in New York, USA.

Of Jewish ancestry, she is the daughter of a father who was a gynecologist, although at first a military doctor, and a mother who worked as an investment counselor. The better part of her childhood Barbi spent in Sacramento, California, where she attended Rio Americano High School. Following her high school matriculation, Barbi enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she studied to become a veterinarian. However, once she saw blood, she realized that these studies weren’t fit for her, and she left the university.

Career Beginnings

Barbi was a teenage girl when she started modeling, and when she turned 18 years old she joined the Playboy empire, having taken a job as an extra in the show “Playboy After Dark”. Her role in the show quickly improved, as Hefner, who at the time was 42 years old, fell in love with her. He asked her out on a date, to which Barbi replied “I don’t know, I’ve never dated anyone over 24 before”, while Hugh had an answer to her reply, saying, “That’s all right, neither have I”.

Nevertheless, the two started a romance that would last for years, and was beneficial for both of them. Barbi’s first appearance on the cover of Playboy was in July 1969, and since then on three more covers, in March 1970, May 1972, and December 1985. Furthermore, she featured in nude photo layouts in the December 1973 and January 1975 issues.

Rise to Prominence

The romance between Hefner and Barbi lasted from 1969 until 1976; he was the one who instructed her to change the name and start performing as Barbi.

She continued her work with Playboy, and though she was never made a Playmate of the Month, she did a number of photo-essays for the magazine. Her best-known role was in the show “Hee Haw”, which lasted from 1972 until 1983, during which time she was at the peak of her fame. In addition, featuring in other shows and films, launching her acting career. She was Maxx Douglas in the TV comedy series “Sugar Time!” (1977-1978), in which she co-starred next to Didi Carr and Marianne Black, and from 1978 to 1982 featured in the comedy series “Fantasy Island”.

Furthermore, Barbi made six appearances in the TV series “The Love Boat”, from 1978 until 1987. She also featured in a number of other popular television shows before retirement, including her film debut portraying Susan Jeremy in the film “X-Ray” (1981), while the same year she appeared in the popular TV series “CHiPs”. Two years later she could be seen in the film “Deathstalker”, and her other credits include appearances in series “Murder, She Wrote” and “Riptide”, both in 1986.

Music Career

In addition to acting, modeling and her television appearances in quiz shows, Barbi in her prime was also a successful country singer.

She released five albums in total; her debut album “Barbi Doll” came out in 1975 through Playboy records, and reached No. 17 on the US Country chart. The same year her “Barbi Benton” album was released, which peaked at No. 18. Two more albums followed until the end of the ‘70s, “Something New”, and “Ain’t That Just the Way”, released in 1976 and 1978 respectively. After this she took a 10 year-long hiatus, returning with the album “Kinetic Voyage”, released through Takoma records.

Barbi Benton Net Worth, Height, Weight, and Appearance

Although her career ended over 30 years ago, Barbi earned a decent sum of money through her career, and she now enjoys a relatively luxurious life.

According to sources, her wealth has been estimated at over $20 million, as of mid-2020.

Barbi Benton stands at 5ft 3ins (1.6m) tall, while she weighs approximately 128lbs ~ 58kgs, and her vital statistics are 37-25-37, bra size 34C. She has blue eyes and dark brown hair.

Barbi Benton Personal Life, Dating, Marriage, Children

Barbi dated Hugh Hefner, and they remained good friends following their break up. His death hit her pretty hard, and she even talked about it in the media.

After her split from Hefner, Barbi met real estate developer George Gradow, and the two married on the 14th of October 1979. The couple has two children, Alexander born in 1986, and a daughter Ariana in 1988.

Barbi Benton News

As a constant inspiration for Hugh, she will be long-remembered as the one who persuaded Hefner to buy what became known as the Playboy Mansion in Holmby Hills in 1974. She is still occasonally featured in the media, remembered as one of the most influential playboy models of all time.

Although Barbi is no longer involved in the show business, she still earns a decent amount of money every month, as she is now an interior decorator.

Quotes

#	Quote
1	I believe that mink are raised for being turned into fur coats and if we didn't wear fur coats those little animals would never have been born. So is it better not to have been born or to have lived for a year or two to have been turned into a fur coat? I don't know.

Facts

#	Fact
1	Has became an Interior Decorator [2002]
2	Barbi recorded and released four albums for Playboy Records in the 1970's.
3	Her husband, George Gradow, is a real estate developer.
4	Her father was a military doctor and later physician.
5	Her first TV appearances were on the syndicated show, Playboy After Dark (1969), where she functioned as beau Hugh M. Hefner's co-host/sidekick.
6	Moved to Los Angeles when she was 16 and found some jobs modeling. Barbi met and started a relationship with Hugh M. Hefner in 1968, when she was only 18 years old. Hef was 42.
7	Is portrayed by Rebecca Herbst in Hefner: Unauthorized (1999)
8	Despite her love liaison with Playboy Magazine's Hugh M. Hefner, Benton never was a Playmate of the Month, though she did appear on some covers and in various pictorials
9	She recorded country and pop albums.
10	Has a son Alexander Benton Gradow (b. August 23, 1986) and a daughter, Ariana Gradow (b. 1988), with husband George Gradow.
11	Father is a doctor in Carmichael, California.
12	At least two spreads in Playboy.
13	(1969-1976) Lived with Hugh M. Hefner

Pictures

Movies

Actress

Title	Year	Status	Character
The Love Boat	1978-1987	TV Series	Kiki Atwood, Spoiled Rich Girl / Barbi Benton / Cathy Somms / ...
Riptide	1986	TV Series	Gina Potter
Murder, She Wrote	1986	TV Series	Nurse Sue Beth
The New Mike Hammer	1984	TV Series	Susan Lancaster
Fox Mystery Theater	1984	TV Series	Caroline Trent
Deathstalker	1983		Codille
Matt Houston	1983	TV Series	Ava
Fantasy Island	1978-1982	TV Series	Courtney / Miss Winslow / Joan Michaels / ...
X-Ray	1981		Susan Jeremy
The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo	1981	TV Series	Kitty Rhinestone
CHiPs	1981	TV Series	Sal
Charlie's Angels	1980	TV Series	Toni Green
For the Love of It	1980	TV Movie	Anita
When the Whistle Blows	1980	TV Series	Dixie Lee Griffin
Vega$	1979	TV Series	Holly
Flying High	1979	TV Series	Joan
Sugar Time!	1977-1978	TV Series	Maxx Douglas
McCloud	1975	TV Series	Shannon Forbes
The Third Girl from the Left	1973	TV Movie	Melanie
The Great American Beauty Contest	1973	TV Movie	Miss Iowa
Marcus Welby, M.D.	1972	TV Series	Liz
Mir hat es immer Spaß gemacht	1970		Lynn Keefe (as Barbara Benton)

Soundtrack

Title	Year	Status	Character
The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo	1981	TV Series performer - 1 episode
The Sonny and Cher Show	1977	TV Series performer - 1 episode
McCloud	1975	TV Series performer - 1 episode

Composer

Title	Year	Status	Character
Schulmädchen '84	1984

Self

Title	Year	Status	Character
Q N' A with Mikki and Shay	2014	TV Series	Herself
America's Book of Secrets	2012	TV Series	Herself
The Girls Next Door	2005-2009	TV Series	Herself - Hef's Former Girlfriend / Herself - Hef's Ex-Girlfriend
The 5th Annual TV Land Awards	2007	TV Special	Herself - Winner ("Entertainers Award")
E! True Hollywood Story	2006	TV Series documentary	Herself
Playboy: Celebrity Centerfolds	2006	TV Movie documentary	Herself
When Playboy Ruled the World	2004	TV Movie documentary	Herself
Playboy's 50th Anniversary Celebration	2003	TV Movie documentary	Herself
Playboy: Inside the Playboy Mansion	2002	TV Movie documentary	Herself
VH-1 Where Are They Now?	2000	TV Series documentary	Herself
Hugh Hefner: American Playboy Revisited	1998	TV Movie documentary	Herself
Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time	1992	Documentary	Herself
The Starlight Annual Foundation Benefit	1986	TV Movie	Herself
The Annual Friars Club Tribute Presents a Salute to Gene Kelly	1985	TV Movie	Herself
The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team	1984	TV Movie	Herself - Performer
Pete's Place	1983	TV Series	Herself (1983)
Lou Rawls Parade of Stars	1983	TV Series	Herself
Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour	1983	TV Series	Herself
Hee Haw	1972-1983	TV Series	Herself / Herself - Featured Singer
Circus of the Stars #7	1982	TV Special documentary	Herself - Trapeze Artist
Magic with the Stars	1982	TV Movie	Herself
The Alan Thicke Show	1980-1981	TV Series	Herself
The 8th Annual American Music Awards	1981	TV Special	Herself
Circus of the Stars #5	1980	TV Special documentary	Herself
Men Who Rate a 10	1980	TV Special	Herself
Horas doradas	1980	TV Series	Herself
The Hollywood Squares	1978-1980	TV Series	Guest Appearance
The Mike Douglas Show	1975-1980	TV Series	Herself - Singer / Actress / Herself - Ex-Playboy Bunny
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson	1974-1980	TV Series	Herself / Herself - Guest
Circus of the Stars #4	1979	TV Special documentary	Herself - Performer
Sha Na Na	1979	TV Series	Herself
Barbi Doll for Christmas	1978	TV Movie	Herself - Host / Performer
America 2-Night	1978	TV Series	Herself
Murder at the Mardi Gras	1978	TV Movie	Herself
The 5th Annual American Music Awards	1978	TV Special	Herself
The Sonny and Cher Show	1977	TV Series	Herself / Various Characters
Dinah!	1976	TV Series	Herself
The Norman Gunston Show	1975	TV Series	Herself
New American Bandstand 1965	1975	TV Series	Herself
Nashville on the Road	1975	TV Series	Herself
The David Frost Show	1970	TV Series	Herself
Treffpunkt Airport	1969	TV Series documentary	Herself
Playboy After Dark	1969	TV Series	Herself

Archive Footage

Title	Year	Status	Character
Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel	2009	Documentary	Herself (uncredited)
The Girls Next Door	2005-2006	TV Series	Herself
The Hee Haw Collection, Vol. 5	2006	Video	Herself
Barbarian	2003	Video uncredited
Playboy: The Party Continues	2000	TV Movie documentary	Herself

Awards

Won Awards

Year	Award	Ceremony	Nomination	Movie
2007	Entertainer's Award	TV Land Awards		Hee Haw (1969)