Sadly Carol passed away in July 2008. She is fondly remembered and much missed by all who knew her. The biography she kindly penned for this site is here presented in memorial.
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Carol's a New Jersey girl who's climb to fame and
fortune began at the Miami Playboy Club.
She quickly became one of the more popular Bunnies in the Miami Hutch.
Carol says:
"My career as a model
began when I moved to Florida with a friend as soon as I turned 18. Some
of my earlier work included posing for Oldsmobile commercial ads, being spokesmodel (Miss Gulfstream) for the biggest racetrack in Florida and a
finalist in the Miss Florida-World contest. I also appeared in a
documentary for the state of Florida that featured me canoeing from
Jacksonville down the Mississippi River. This experience was quite
memorable, as I was able to make stops along the way and enjoy the varying
landscapes and cultures.
"When I was not modeling, I tended bar at a hotel lounge
across the street from the Playboy Club. Being a Bunny was something that
I never believed to be possible for myself. This all changed when I saw
the Bunnies up close. They would come into the hotel lounge every night
and I thought, "Hey, I can do that. They are not as flawless as I figured
them to be!" I decided right then to apply and was immediately accepted by
the Bunny Mother, Bev Russell. I enrolled in the training program and was
one of the five girls chosen out of 25.
"I worked as a Playboy Bunny for five years and
cherished every moment of it. I worked diligently and considered myself to
be a star student. I performed every task that was delegated to me,
including running the coat check, counting inventory and working in the
Playmate bar, showroom and lounge area. Every job was executed with pride,
and I consider all of those duties to be a part of good leadership. After
my first month at the Club, I was chosen as one of the Bunnies to be
featured in VIP magazine. I would also later appear in several of the Best
Bunnies of the Year features in Playboy.
"In 1972, I met Alexis
Orba at the Club while he was in Miami searching for an August cover
model. Bunny Mother Bev Russell suggested that I put on a bikini, and as I
exited the dressing room, Alexis exclaimed, 'That's her!' We began
shooting behind the Playboy Club Hotel the very next day at 5 a.m. -- when
we had finished for the day my whole body was sunburned and I was plagued
with sand fleas. Needless to say, I had the next day off to recuperate!
This is now part of Playboy history, as I am the cover model for the
August 1972 issue."
Carol appeared on the cover of the August 1972 issue of
Playboy, standing in the surf wearing a white bikini and a red,
rabbit-shaped life preserver. It was a knockout! Before long there was
talk around the Playboy editorial offices about the big time for
her - the centerfold.
In July 1974 Carol
appeared as the Playboy Centerfold. Suddenly she was recognized world
wide. It was a mind-blowing experience from which she to rebounded to even
bigger things.
Carol has appeared on many television shows and is an
accomplished singer.
She has been the host
and executive producer of her own nationwide TV talk show, The Carol
Vitale Show, for more than nine years. Awards include Best Public Access
Series. After interviewing the famous and infamous over 550 shows, she
still has a sharp sense of curiosity about what makes people tick.
A successful
business woman and entrepreneur, Carol's schedule keeps her on the road
for much of the year.
She has homes in Miami
and Beverly Hills, and finds time to design her own line of clothing.
Carol
Vitale Miss July 1974 |