Cover Girl - Prism, 1980
Cover girl you've come a long way Dorothy Stratten was born in Coquitlam, B.C. She was working at the local Dairy Queen when she was befriended by a 26 year old promoter, Paul Snider. He took photographs of the 17 year old Dorothy, and encouraged her to pose for Playboy magazine. They were married in Las Vegas in 1979, but his controlling, jealous behavior soon lead to their separation. In 1980, Dorothy was made Playboy's Playmate of the Year, and she began a short-lived movie career, which included a campy sci-fi flick named Galaxina. She eventually moved in with director Peter Bogdanovich, 41, who directed her next movie, They All Laughed. In a tragic twist, her estranged husband Paul Snider shot her dead before turning the gun on himself in August of 1980. Dorothy Stratten's simple, naive values and untimely death caught the attention of Vancouver rock band Prism. They had met her several times, including at the presentation of a platinum record in in 1979. They were inspired to write a hit single, Cover Girl, which was released between albums in 1980. Another Canadian musician was compelled by her story; Bryan Adams recorded the song The Best Was Yet to Come in 1983. Hollywood also got in on the act, with two life story attempts: Star 80 and Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story. It's kind of sad to think that this poor girl's life was exploited at every turn. |
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