Bombshells: Mara Corday

Born Marilyn Joan Watts on January 30, 1930 in Santa Monica, California, Mara Corday was an American showgirl, model, actress, Playboy Playmate and, as Wikipedia says, a “1950s cult figure.” That’s probably thanks to Playboy and the various westerns, horror, and science fiction B-movies she made during the fifties.

The raven-haired Corday, who turned 94 years young back in January, was a true beauty. We’re talking one of the most gorgeous women the world has ever known here. A leggy 5’5” tall, and measuring 34-24-35, Corday had a figure that could stop traffic. Yet her smile is also a huge key to her appeal—the knowing smirk, upturned ever so slightly on one side, projects a sexy insouciance that’s hard to ignore.

While Mara Corday’s cult movie status is well-earned, it’s her modeling work that really kept her in the public eye during her peak years—at one point she called “the most photographed woman in the world.” And oh what memorable photos she took! See for yourself: here’s a baker’s dozen more shots of Mara Corday and her alluring, intoxicating beauty.