Real Crime/Paranormal/Conspiracy Theories Book III

The Story of Dorothy Stratten

Dorothy Ruth Hoogstraten(February 28, 1960 – August 14, 1980), known professionally asDorothy Stratten, was a Canadian Playboy Playmate, model, andactress. Stratten was the Playboy Playmate of the Month for August1979 and Playmate of the Year in 1980. Stratten appeared in threecomedy films and in at least two episodes of shows broadcast on USnetwork television. She was murdered at the age of 20 by herestranged husband and manager Paul Snider, who died by suicide on thesame day. Her death inspired two motion pictures, the 1981 TV movieDeath of a Centerfold and the 1983 theatrical release Star 80, aswell as the book The Killing of the Unicorn and the songs"Californication" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, "TheBest Was Yet to Come" by Bryan Adams and "CoverGirl" by the Canadian rock band Prism.

Life and career

Stratten was born in Grace MaternityHospital in Vancouver, British Columbia, on February 28, 1960, toSimon and Nelly Hoogstraten, who had emigrated from the Netherlands. In 1961, her brother John Arthur was born and, in May 1968, hersister Louise Stratten.

In 1977, Stratten was attendingCentennial High School in Coquitlam, British Columbia. Concurrently,she was working part-time at a local Dairy Queen, where she met26-year-old Vancouver-area club promoter and pimp Paul Snider, whobegan dating her. Snider later had a photographer take professionalnude photos of her which were sent to Playboy magazine in the summerof 1978. She was under the age of 19 (the legal age of majority inBritish Columbia), so she had to persuade her mother to sign themodel release form.

In August 1978, she moved to LosAngeles, where she was chosen as a finalist for the 25th AnniversaryGreat Playmate Hunt. Snider joined her in October, and in June thefollowing year, they married. With her surname shortened to Stratten,she became Playboy's Miss August 1979, and began working as a bunnyat the Playboy Club in Century City, Los Angeles. Hugh Hefner hadhigh hopes Stratten could have meaningful crossover success as anactress. She featured in episodes of the television series BuckRogers and Fantasy Island. She also had small roles in 1979 inAmericathon and the roller disco comedy Skatetown, U.S.A., and a leadrole in the exploitation film Autumn Born.

Hefner reportedly encouraged Strattento sever ties with Snider, calling him a "hustler and apimp." Rosanne Katon and other friends warned Strattenabout Snider's behavior. Stratten began an affair with PeterBogdanovich while he was directing They All Laughed (1981).

When Stratten arrived at the PlayboyMansion for the 25th Anniversary Playmate Hunt she was very shy andnaive. She was very uncomfortable with the casual nudity and sex.Several contemporary playmates including Pamela Bryant, Gail Stantonand Marcy Hanson befriended Stratten and protected her from some ofHefner's friends whom they considered to be predators.

March 1980 – July 1980

On March 22, 1980, Stratten flew to NewYork City to begin work on what became her last film project, TheyAll Laughed, a romantic comedy being directed by Bogdanovich. Laughed would be Stratten's fifth movie in a career that had onlybegun the year before and represented her first substantial role in abig-budget picture, playing the unhappily-married love interest ofJohn Ritter, one of the film's stars. Bogdanovich, who also wrotethe screenplay, said in an interview that he had based the backstoryof Stratten's character on what he'd learned about her marriage toSnider.