Dorothy Stratten

-Dorothy Ruth Hoogstraten-

Born February 28, 1960, Vancouver, Canada

Died August 14, 1980, Los Angeles, CA

Dorothy was a beautiful ray of light whose life was brutal stolen from her when she was 20 years old on August 14, 1980. She was discovered by Playboy after her then boyfriend, later husband and murderer, Paul Snider (1951-1980) submitted images she was coerced into taking, for the 25th Anniversary Great Playmate Hunt celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Playboy. She didn't win the search but her Marilyn Monroe-esque looks and charm immediately captivated Hugh Hefner. She had her first Playboy centerfold when she became August 1979's Playmate of the Month. Her looks immediately drew an audience and her personality charmed everyone she met. She soon was having small roles in films and eventually met her last lover Peter Bogdanovich, the well-known film director. During this time her now-husband Snider, a manipulative former pimp and nightclub promoter, was becoming increasing possessive and paranoid.

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She helped Playboy welcome and enter the new decade of 1980s when she was announced as 1980's Playmate of the Year in June 19800. By August she was in the process of separating from her abusive estranged husband and was staring her life with Peter. On August 14 she went to see her Snider at his apartment one last time to have a peaceful goodbye (she hoped and believed). By 4pm she and Snider were both dead after Snider brutally raped, tortured and murdered Dorothy, Snider did his one last cowardly act and killed himself.