Candy Loving

Candy Loving
Playboy centerfold appearance
January 1979
Preceded byJanet Quist
Succeeded byLee Ann Michelle
Personal details
Born (1956-09-04) September 4, 1956 (age 67)
Oswego, Kansas, United States[1]
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[1]

Candy Loving (born Candis Loving; September 4, 1956)[1] is an American model. She was Playboy's Playmate of the Month for the January 1979 issue, which made her the magazine's 25th Anniversary Playmate.[1] Her centerfold was photographed by Dwight Hooker.[1]

Early life

Loving was born Candis Loving in Oswego, Kansas, on September 4, 1956, and moved to Ponca City, Oklahoma, at the age of three with her mother and four siblings.[2] She graduated from Ponca City High School in 1974 and married Ron Prather. She then enrolled as a public relations major at the University of Oklahoma.[3]

Playboy career

In 1978, the Playboy magazine began a yearlong nationwide Great Playmate Hunt for its 25th-anniversary publication. She was a junior at the University of Oklahoma,[2] and working in a dress shop and as a waitress when she saw the ad in the paper. At the urging of her then-husband, Loving entered the contest and photographer Dwight Hooker shot the test photos of her. Seven months later the 22-year-old college student beat out more than 3,500 other models. Her centerfold came out in the January 1979 issue. That year, she took advantage of her celebrity status and moved out to California to pursue acting and modeling. She traveled the world as the ambassador of Playboy magazine[4][5][6][7] during the 25th-anniversary celebrations, taking a year out of college to do so. Promotional appearances included the National Press Club in Washington D.C.,[8] and hosting a men's fashion show.[9] In 2001, the readers of Playboy would vote her the runner-up for "the sexiest Playmate of the 1970s."[10]

Post Playboy

At the time of her January 1979 centerfold appearance Loving was a senior at the University of Oklahoma[11] studying public relations.[8] By 1981 she realized celebrity life was not for her, so she reenrolled at the University of Oklahoma at age 25 to finish her bachelor's in journalism and later began a Master of Arts degree in human relations. She used the money from her work at Playboy to fund her studies.[12] She continued to perform publicity duties for the magazine, including signing posters at car shows,[13] and considering her career options.[14] She later met Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive lineman Dave Reavis when both were judging a beauty pageant. She followed him to Tampa in July 1983. Even though this relationship did not last, she remained in southern Florida, working in the healthcare industry designing benefit packages for companies.[4][15] She is no longer married but has one daughter.[4]

Filmography

  • Dance Fever (TV Series) (1979) as herself
  • The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo playing "Herself" in episode: "Who's the Sexiest Girl in the World" (episode # 1.16), February 19, 1980
  • Woody Allen's Stardust Memories (1980) only in the walk-on scene at the end as Tony's girlfriend
  • Playboy Playmates: The Early Years (documentary) (1982) as herself
  • Playboy Video Centerfold: Playmate 2000 Bernaola Twins (Video documentary) (2000) as herself
  • Playboy: The Party Continues (documentary) (2000) as herself
  • Playboy: The Ultimate Playmate Search (documentary) (2003) as herself
  • Playboy: 50 Years of Playmates (documentary) (2004) as herself

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Playmate data". Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  2. ^ a b Frolik, Joe (1979-08-01). "...but the real attraction is a special Playmate". Austin American-Statesman. pp. [1], [2]. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  3. ^ Brunjes, Amy F. (1983-01-20). "Playmate perfect - and loving it". South Florida Sun Sentinel. pp. [3], [4]. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  4. ^ a b c Rod Lott (12 February 2013). "Loving Candy". Oklahoma Gazette.
  5. ^ Sheffield, Skip (1 February 1984). "Playmate appreciates life outside the centerfold". Boca Raton News. p. 17 – via Google News Archive.
  6. ^ "Gilrs of Yore: Candy Loving".
  7. ^ Chillicothe, Missouri, Constitution Tribune, "Centerfold Candy", December 6, 1978, page 9
  8. ^ a b Rosenfeld, Megan; Collins, Nancy (10 January 1979). "Playboy of the Washington Whirl". The Washington Post.
  9. ^ Ulrich, Jane (1979-08-01). "It's the men's turn". Austin American-Statesman. p. 35. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  10. ^ Hefner, Hugh (2001). Playboy's Sexiest Playmates: 25 Fan Favorite Centerfolds. Playboy.
  11. ^ Effron, Lauren; Rivas, Anthony (17 October 2019). "The horrific murder of a Playboy Playmate on the verge of Hollywood stardom: 'That was her flaw, not being able to see the evil in people'". ABC News – via Good Morning America.
  12. ^ Christensen, John (1983-06-03). "Is Candy Loving the Playmate Image". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. 19. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  13. ^ Zaslow, Jeffrey (1983-03-25). "The Candy Loving a centerfold can't show". The Orlando Sentinel. pp. [5], [6]. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  14. ^ Gardner, Greg (1982-03-21). "She wants to move behind the camera". St. Lucie News Tribune. p. 45. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  15. ^ "Antiques Roadshow". PBS. Retrieved 26 August 2017.

External links