At the Bunny Girls’ Reunion
On Sunday night, I attended the most glamorous party of my life. It was a Bunny Girls & Playboy Models’ reunion hosted by ex-Bunny Barbara Haigh, esteemed landlady of The Grapes in Limehouse. Never have I encountered more voluptuous charismatic ladies per square metre than were crammed joyfully together in the tiny bar-rooms of this historic riverside pub that night. With Sarah Ainslie, Spitalfields Life contributing photographer, as my chaperone, I was thrilled to join this exuberant sisterhood of more than a hundred garrulous alpha females for a knees-up. Squeezing my way through the curvy bodies – fine specimens of their sex who have all got what it takes to succeed in life – I arrived on the river frontage where waves were crashing theatrically over the verandah as if, in reenactment of Botticelli’s Venus, each of these goddesses had just emerged triumphant from the Thames’ spray to delight the souls of mere mortals like myself.
The first Aphrodite to catch my eye was cheeky Bunny Sandie (pictured above), the seventh Bunny to join the newly opened Playboy Club in Park Lane in 1966, who is more formally known these days as Lady Sandra Bates. Within seconds of our introduction, Sandie gleefully revealed she had bedded Sean Connery, Frank Sinatra, Warren Beatty and Telly Savalas, emphasising that her most important conquest was Sir Charles Clore, owner of Selfridges and Mappin & Webb. “I was living in a house in Mayfair at the time, but the owner put it up for sale and wanted to throw me out, so I told Charles and he bought it for me!” she declared with a glittering smile, rolling her chestnut eyes, batting her eyelashes and clutching her hands in girlish pleasure. “You should see my art collection!” she proposed recklessly now that her husband Sir Charles is no more, as we shared a glass of wine on the verandah and the setting sun lit up the clouds, turning the river livid pink.
It was a remarkable overture to an unforgettable evening, because these girls all know how to party. Bunnies had flown in from all over the world, Tasmania, Las Vegas, the Bahamas, Egypt and as far away as Australia to celebrate the glory days of the British Playboy Club that ran from 1966 until 1980. As Marilyn Cole (the first full frontal nude in the history of Playboy in 1972) put it so elegantly in her speech of welcome, “When people ask ‘Where did you go to school?’ I say, ‘Fuck that, I went to the University of Playboy! You learn much more about life.’” An astute comment that drew roars of approval from the assembled Bunnies.
Marilyn, resplendent in a quilted leather miniskirt and thigh length high-heeled boots, ushered me over to meet her famously reclusive husband Victor Lownes, who opened the London Playboy Club. Formerly in charge of all Playboy’s gaming operations, Victor Lownes is a bon-viveur who was once Britain’s highest paid executive, counted Francis Bacon and Roman Polanski as friends and reputedly had five girls a day, sometimes two at once. He looked at me benignly from under a mop of white hair across the chasm of our different experiences of life. “Do you miss it?” I enquired tentatively, and Victor rolled his twinkly eyes in good-humoured irony. “What do you think? I am eighty-two years old!” he replied with dignified restraint.
There was a giddy atmosphere in the Grapes that night and so I chose to embrace the spirit of the occasion and mingle with as many Bunnies as possible. “I was a young girl from a very religious strict background in Birmingham who ran away from home.”admitted Bobbie, one of first black Bunnies, who worked at the Playboy Club from 1975-80, “I was shopping one day and I went along to ‘a cattle drive’ and out of fifty girls was one of a handful accepted to be a Bunny. I had four wonderful years that totally changed my life. It was a terrific experience. I have run my own business for the past twenty years and the things I learnt at Playboy set me on the road to be able to do that.”
“There was only one rule,’Don’t touch the Bunnies!’”explained Bunny Erica, raising a finger of authority,“Membership of the Playboy Club came with a key, which members handed in when they arrived and collected when they left. If somebody went too far the management took away their key. So the men always behaved respectfully. You were never forced to do anything. It’s made to seem cheap now – but we wore two pair of tights, our costumes were fitted and stiffened with whalebone, we even put toilet rolls down the front as padding – it was an illusion. We were supposed to share tips, but I put mine down my costume and when I took it off all the banknotes would fall out. The money was fabulous. Playboy gave us the most amazing part of our lives. It gave us freedom. It gave us a love of humanity. It enlightened us.”
“I was the very first UK Bunny to be hired in 1966,” declared Bunny Alexis, still glowing with pride over forty years later, “I was a dancer at the Talk of the Town in Leicester Sq on £12 a week, but at Playboy I earned £200. I was already married with a child and on the strength of my two years as a Bunny I was able to buy our first house in Wood Green. It was the hardest work, eight hours a day on five-inch heels with just one half hour break. But it was good fun and we met all the most amazing people. 1966 was a very good year!”
People often ask what happened to the nineteen sixties, yet here the evidence was all around me. It was a buzz to be in a room full of such self-confident women who knew who they were and were supremely comfortable with it too, women with their wits about them, who counted brains amongst other natural assets when it came to interactions with the opposite sex. Women who knew how to make the best of the situation they found themselves in at the Playboy Club – unashamedly constructed as an arena of male fantasy yet, paradoxically, as all these women testify thirty years on, provided opportunities for them to take control of their lives.
Undoubtably there were those that, as Bunny Serena put it succinctly, “screwed their way to the top,” but equally there were many who, as Bunny Lara confirmed, found it, “An empowering experience. They sent us on management training courses, and I learnt how to handle people and manage staff. All of which has come in useful ever since in everything I have done.” She now runs a young offenders’ programme, training staff in conflict management. Many women I spoke with occupy senior management roles in the gaming and entertainment industry today – including one who manages a chain of casinos – in jobs that would have been closed to them previously.
Above all, these were women who were full of life, they had seen so much life and had so many stories to tell, that it was wonderful simply to be amongst them, confirming Bunny Lara’s fond verdict on her experience working at the Playboy Club, “The camaraderie was phenomenal.”
Bunny Cleo, with evidence of her encounter with Sid James at The Playboy Club.
Marilyn Cole, “Whatever else happens in life, good, bad or indifferent, we can always say we had this!”
Bunny Maretta & Bunny friend
Bunny Marisa is now an artist painting in oils.
Bunny Dilys & Bunny friend.
Bunny Alexis, ex-Windmill Girl was the very first UK Bunny to be recruited in 1966.
Bunny Serena & Bunny Jane.
Bunny Bobbie
Bunny Brenda, Bunny Nancy & Bunny Marion
Victor Lownes, “What is a playboy? It is someone who is getting more sex than you are.”
Photographs copyright © Sarah Ainslie
We had a wonderful time at the Bunny Reunion. You photos are marvellous. Please can you contact me about buying some copies. I am Lady Sandra Bates, the lady in the photo sitting on the steps outside.
I look forward to hearing from you soon as I am arranging some art exhibitions in Mayfair and would like to discuss with you about covering those events and my birthday party in Mayfair on 1st December.
Warmest regards,
Lady Sandra Bates
I wish I’d been there! What a marvelous story . . . and I adore Victor and Marilyn. I was a Bunny in the New York Club in the sixties, and we have our big reunions, too. When my book, The Bunny Years, was published, nearly 300 of us gathered to celebrate. The Bunnies I met when I was 19 are still some of my closest friends today.
Kathryn
Isn’t it an amazing testament to the Bunny Club that after all these years they still get together and have an incredible time.
Well done Mr Lownes for instilling such a great ethos and giving those young girls so much confidence to forge their own way in life.
What a shame the same can’t be said for today’s equivalent…?
A great story, full of affection, and a lot of fun by the sound of it. The portraits by Sarah Ainslie are beautiful, as indeed are all the ladies, who look amazing and certainly not old enough to have been bunnies thirty or forty years ago!
Oh!
The BEST reunion ever!!
This writer really caught our spirit.
Please say that Victor sent it to Hefner and he loved it!!
See you soon,
Luv,
M.
xxx
I was so sad to miss the re-union this year! I was away on holiday but have not missed a re-union for some years. It looks like it was a good one! Great photos of such familiar friends and ex-bunnies and co-workers. You all look good girls! And Victor you look fabulous! Hope to catch you next year in 2011!
Hey, sounds like you all had a lot of fun! Barbara put me on your list for next time as I think everyone still thinks I’m in Spain and didn’t let me know that there was going to be a reunion this year. Victor you’re looking very pukka! xxx
Ladies, what a lovely article and may I saw…fabulous photos too.
I met with Barbara a few weeks ago to discuss the new Playboy Club London opening mid next year in Mayfair.
I am PR Manager for LCI the company in partnership with playboy and I am sure you will have seen the announcement that went to press officially yesterday.
It would be wonderful if any former London Bunnies could drop me an email, because I would love to have access to you lovely ladies as we move forward with the new club. Your thoughts will be invaluable.
My email address is lsharp@london-clubs.co.uk and it would be great to hear from you.
Is there an official ex bunnies website for the original London Bunnies that you could direct me to if I need to post any news that might be of interest?
All the best,
Lucy
Sandra would love to keep abreast with all that is going on, as she refuses to use the computer, I deal with everything for her – mamny thanks – we are all very excited about a new Playboy Opening Sandra was Bunny Sandie No.7.
I am her cousin and do her PR
Lesley Southgate –
I was very pleased to see the nice compliments paid by the some of the old gang.
I haven’t been in contact with any of the girl’s for years, i too was one of the first bunny girls at the London Playboy Club, i was just surfing the net, and decided to find some information about the Playboy etc.
I enjoyed looking at the lovely photos, and i do remember Alexis, i think she was from Liverpool.
I hope maybe that i can come to the next reunion, even though i am living in Spain.
The old man Victor Lownes is a low life shmack and a rat bag .
Hi Barbara
Sorry I was not at the reunion as I have returned to my homeland in Norway. I would have loved to have been there. The last one one I came to was in Stocks in the Kings Road Chelsea in the 1980s with Marilyn Cole! You may recall I was the first Scandinavian Bunny at the London Playboy Club in 1970. I have such wonderful memories that my boss Victor Lowndes was too generous to all of us ( remember that!) I always wish Marilyn and Victor a super life together. They were both fantastic people!! I am 62 now and still skiing and skating with my grandchildren here in Norway. I will tell my grandchildren about my (dark secrets) – big smile!
Love to all my bunny friends and Victor and Marilyn
Bunny BRITT xx
Loved the photos. Looks like a lot of fun had by all.
Would love to know when the next reunion will be held.
Bunny Dominique xx
Hi there,
Wondering if anyone could help me. My Mum was a bunny in the London club in 1975-1976 her bunny mother was Erin she worked with Ava, Pauline and Bobbie. Her bunny name was Ella real name Shani O’brien. She has lost all of her photos of her bunny days and my sisters and I are dying to see some pics of her in those glamourous days. Would really appreciate if anyone could help or point me in the right direction.
Kindest regards
Hannah
returning to england last year after 21 years in australia, l was told that one of my old girlfriends was a bunny girl(in the late 70s?) in london her name was lorraine marsden, does anyone have any info on lorraine?
Thank for the photos and the information . I am a Playboy collector from more than 42 years and I visit the Playboy Club in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles in 1981 and Playboy Club Las Vegas in 2010. I hope to visit the new London Playboy Club the next year. Regards
Sorry could’nt make it. Hi to all cocktail bunnies 1979-1982! Great times and wonderful memories!
Love Bunny Laura xxx
Hello I hope one of you lovely ladies can help us!! we have an interview this Thursday 14th July 2011 to hopefully become a Bunny at the Playboy Club Mayfair London.
We were wondering if you could offer us some advise on what to wear to go to the interview?
Also did you have to get involved in games etc so they see the real you? do you have to do a maths test?
Any help and advise would be great
Thank you so much
Becky and Sarah (twins)
Hi Becky and Sarah, didn’t see your message until 16th. How did the interview go? I remember mine which i had alone rather than in group and yes had maths test even though i was a cocktail bunny. Which did you interview for? I still remember my ‘call-in-order’ for the drinks/cocktails – its engraved in my mind but maybe they don’t use that now. How many girls were interviewed and when is start date?
Love Bunny Laura
i went out with bunny Bunty in the 70s .i was a singer in a band called The Randy Band.
what became of Bunty. Chris
hi i’am maurice, and i’am trying to find out what happend to bunny girl ashley
My mother was a Bunny Girl at the London Club in the 60’s. She passed away when i was young and I have been trying for years to find someone who knew her back then. I would love to hear any stories or see any pictures of her that might be hidden away in someone’s album.
Her name was Valerie Lilian Hellier.
I know that she was in a horrible car accident while employed there and because of her injuries she was let go and given a severance package.. Does anyone know her? Can you help me track down past bunnies? PLEASE!
Great to hear about all the surviving originals from the London Playboy Club in 1966.
We have a newlty acquired photograph by Jurgen Schadeburgh that appearson the cover of his book Great Britain 1964-1984 and we would love to know if we can names to the 7 Bunnies
who appear with VictorLownes (Lowndes)
Thanks
Terence
I had a girlfriend called carol hoy from Harlow in the early 70’s who apparently became a bunny girl in that decade. I always wondered if she did become a bunny girl and where she is now
Having found this website I was curious after seeing the reunion photos if anyone knows the whereabouts of Jackie Winter?
She moved to Los Angeles in the 70’s and became a photographer.
I would love to get in touch with her.
My uncle tony arancio used to work at the club in the 70s – does anyone remember him?
we are having a surprise party for his 70th birthday this month.
He also used to work at Talk of the Town in Leicester Square.
He was a very loud flamboyant Italian Man with a black toupe.
I was a bunny in the late 70s I was talking with a friend about my time at the club. I was talking about my Friend Bunny Joan. Does any one have any idea where she is.
Hi any one know about bunny Shelly? Worked the hunt room 1975 -1979
Hi,
Does anyone remember “Bunny Kirsty” ? Her real name is Christine Bone, she was a croupier/dealer in the V.I.P. Level in the London Playboy Club Casino in the late 1970’s. She went on to become a much sought after photographic model.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Great memories Does anyone PLEASE remember “Crissy Plevin?” BunnyGirl at the Playboy Club in late 1970s We shared a house in NottingHillGate and I went to a few of the parties at Stocks in Hertfordshire – anyone knowing Chrissy please get in touch? Amillion thnaks Susiexx
Any body out there know where I can Find Sharon Bysouth, Erin Stratton Serena Williams and
any body else involved with the club since June 2nd 66
John Jones
Lobby Director June 66 to March 67′
I was Bunny Eve, I live in Seattle now.
What happened to Suzanne?
Eve
I was Bunny Dusty (there was another Diana) from 66 to 68 & then went to the Penthouse. I dealt American Roulette & my Bunny Mother was Jeanette & Molly Mouse made the costumes.The Gaming manager was Mike Barratt. My maiden name was Saville…..does anyone else remember?…….would love to hear & why aren’t the croupiers involved in the reunions?
Bunny Eve… 65-67, now living in Seattle and writing Memoirs Of A Naughty English Gardener
I am Rebecca Welnitz’s BunnyBrat xxx She died 1998…. Otherwise I know she’d’ve loved to be there… If VL would’ve allowed it… Jolana is still alive…. (late 60’s early 70’s – Park Lane) I remember you Maralin…. Bishops Rd – Fulham xxxxx Penny Gone… Tomie?? and her Twin ????? What a great set of Aunties I had……
What a fabulous day! I absolutely adore seeing my old work chums every year – we had amazing camaraderie in those days, something I have never had since. Living in Cornwall now I look forward all the news and my thanks to Barbara for all her devoted time she gives to “Playboy”.
Love to you all
Lara
Hi
i am looking for a bunny named Kate Tallon…i think she was a bunny in the 70 ies….maybe she was some kind of a manager
hope someone can help…i am simply looking for some information ,how long she was there, i think she worked in London, and maybe somebody knows what she is doing now
All the best
Marc
Does anyone remember Jodi ( Bunny Waitress ) 1978/79
I don’t know how some girls can claim they were the first or 7th bunny to be hired. I was in the first batch of opening Bunnies – 100 of us were hired after interviews at the Hilton over many weeks. John Dante and Keith Hefner trained us. We opened the club on June 6th 1966. So there is no such thing as a first or any other number girl hired! Bunny Serena
I was a croupier at the playboy club in the late seventies and remember gazing through the thick haze of second hand tobacco smoke on C level at four O clock in the morning. Ah those were the days. Then worked on D level day shift which was indeed an experience placing the dolly on a pile of chips that obscured the Inspector perched on a stool, No calculators in those days just pure bluff. Then the cabaret night. I still sift through ageing copies of “Playtime” from time to time and come to the conclusion that as Carly Simon sang, piped through the sound system,
Those were indeed” the good old days”.
Hi.. I was a croupier from 1978/1981 My bunny name was Blondie. I would love to hear from anyone that remembers me!
Hi I was Bunny Bella in London early 70’s.
I wondered if anyone knows where Bunny Ginger is?
I remember Eve well. Erin was my bunny mother, is she still about?
So glad I found this site!
Hope you’re all well, happy and healthy!
X
Hi I was Bunny Bella in London early 70’s.
I wondered if anyone knows where Bunny Ginger is and Bunny Fleur?
I remember Eve well. Erin was my bunny mother, is she still about?
So glad I found this site!
Hope you’re all well, happy and healthy!
Xy
I was bunny Tina around the mid 70th. I remember B.Bobby , and the B.mother Margaret, but I’d really like to find B.Bambe aka Brenda, there’s so many. there Lucy,Julie,Winky, Suzanne,Wendy, anyway I can’t remember most of there names now . It would be lovely to here from any of them . Sending lots of love to you all xxxx . This was the Playboy Club in Manchester.
Hi . I was a croupier at London playboy from 1978 to 1981..would love to hear from anyone who remembers me..Erin was my bunny mother and have great memories .I would love to have a reunion of bunnies to remember and share our experiences with. My bunny name was ‘ Blondie’ .
I was a bunny at the Manchester Playboy in 1977/78 my name was bunny Nadine. Real name then, Linda Williams. Does anyone know bunny Mellisa from Yorkshire, bunny Jo from Manchester and bunny Yvonne from Manchester.
Hi trying to find my first ever flat mate in London.
Her name was Eileen Wilson black Jamaican born somewhere I think midland Birmingham perhaps. She worked at the playboy club in Mayfair in the 70/80’s as a waitress and think may be croupier. Would love to find her let me know if anyone out there knows where she is would be in here mid 60’s now. We were good friends for many years. Thank You Sarah
I was Bunny Nadine in 1967-8 and my friend was Bunny Jeanine til 1969 we were both croupiers. Anyone from around that time – would be nice to keep in touch with the other world long forgotten or hidden of our teenage years? Good to see the celebrations and connections. I remember Sally, Cindy, and croupiers by face and character if not names. We did not seem to know the cocktail bunnies though.
Hello Simone was looking for Sharon bysouth she is my mother I can give you her email address sharon.bysouth@gmail.com
Hi I was Anne Worralls boyfriend and knew many of the Bunny’s if anyone remembers me and would like to get in touch I’d love to hear from you I had some wonderful times at the Playboy with my old friend Scott Walker. Big hug. Michael x
Can you Bunnies help?
I was listening to BBC Radio London this past week and there was a lady phoned in called Gemma or Jemma. She had been a Bunny Girl in the 1960’s /70s and she was extremely interesting. She said she had rooms, indeed floors, full of her old Bunny Girl outfits and didn’t know what to do with them. I am an artist from UCA UNIVERSITY Rochester, and we would be keen to talk to her about a fashion related exhibition. Gemma or Jemma… Where are you? X
Sorry I just wrote an enquiring email about bunny Serena putting the date 1966/7 when most probably it was 1963/4 I think. Piero
Sorry again, regarding my email about bunny Serena and her Irish bunny friend the year that they came to the Cavendish hotel now that I remember was 1966/67. Piero
I’m trying to find Patricia (Pat) Broughton who worked in the London casinos in the 1970s, any help appreciated.
Hi there, I know that this is a really old article, which I have enjoyed reading. I am just trying to find out if anyone recalls my second cousin, who was called Sandra and was a bunny girly in the late 1970’s. I don’t have a great deal of information but she went over as part of the launch of a new Playboy club in the Bahama’s (I think) but tragically died in a car accident while she was there. Her mum Doris was also with her at the time, I believe. From the East End/Enfield but I can’t find any reference to it.
Thanks
I worked at Playboy mansion west…the grand parties in 1978-79 A&E made documentary about Playboy through the years . Very sure most woman were taken advantage of . It spans 60 years of Playboy. Not sure Hef would have survived the #metoo era. Marilyn was interviewed and it was very interesting. Wonder what became of the ex playmates ? Check it out.
My 1st girlfriend a Bunny at London club
In the late 60’s
Bunny name Amber real name Cathy
Any one know her or could put us in touch
Thanks
I was a friend of bunny girl Kelly Page’s daughter in the 70’s. Did Kelly Page attend. She was so, so beautiful