Bunny Deana's Playboy Photo Album

 

Hi, I'm Bunny Deana

"Hi there"

I was “Bunny Deana” at the legendary Playboy Club in London for nearly four years from 1969 to 1972. During this time I had many exciting experiences and I collected a large number of priceless and irreplaceable photographs.
I now want to share my memories and my pictures with you, here in
Bunny Deana's Playboy Photo Album.

 

Hover your mouse over the photos
 to see more information

 

How it all began

Me at home, before Playboy  Me at work, before Playboy
This is me just before I decided to try to become a Playboy Bunny, at home and also in my business suit. I was working as a secretary in London in 1969, but I wanted a more exciting life. I had no idea that the next three and a half years were to be more exciting than I could ever imagine!

 

London Playboy Club 1960s

 

 

Before long I had given up the office routine and the Playboy Bunny costumes were my new regular working clothes as one of the Bunny Girls at the London Playboy Club in Park Lane,
in the heart of Mayfair.

   
  With Bunny Rosemary; we were both Croupier Bunnies at this time

 

 

Are you here?

Wouldn’t it be amazing if you recognize yourself, or someone you know, in these pictures? Maybe you're an Ex-Playboy Bunny yourself. Please be sure to let me know. Remember, they were taken at the London Playboy Club between 1969 and 1972.

  
 
 
 
Where are you now, Bunny Jenny?
A few weeks after this photo was taken I received a lovely letter from Jim MacLean (left).
Jim was on shore-leave from the US Navy at his home in Little Creek, Virginia.
He said his wife had seen the picture and had said nice things about me!
I've often wondered where Jim and his shipmate Ed might be now.

 

 

Playboy Bunny Of The Year

When I won the 'Bunny of The Year' competition, the prize included a first-class trip to the United States. But I had no passport, no visa, nothing! I had to go to the British passport office, and then to the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square, and make urgent personal applications for the necessary documents. I made it with just 2 days to spare...
I joined the London Playboy Club in March 1969. Just a few months later, in October, I was persuaded to enter the annual Bunny Of The Year competition. The prize was an all-expenses-paid luxury trip to America to compete in the first-ever International Bunny of The Year Pageant. I never dreamed of winning. I thought it would be just a bit of fun, then back to work next day as usual. How wrong I was! That evening I was crowned as London Playboy Bunny Of The Year, and two weeks of incredible excitement were just beginning. Here (above) I am receiving my crown from Myra van Heck, a former Playboy Bunny and Miss England 1969.

Crowned by James Bond!

Crowned by GEORGE LAZENBY, the 2nd James Bond      Crowned as Bunny of The Year!
I was crowned Bunny Of The Year by George Lazenby who was starring as James Bond
at the time (1969) in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Does that make me a Bond Girl?

 

 

See me on film,
winning Bunny of The Year

This archive newsreel film (I'm 3rd from left) shows me winning the
Bunny of The Year competiton. It mentions my real name "Diana Turner".
When I joined the London Playboy Club in 1969 there was already a "Bunny Diana",
so I became "Bunny Deana".
Click the picture below to watch the film.

 

 

What the papers said

          
The Sun, 10 November 1969 Chicago Today, 10 November 1969
My Union Jack Bunny costume was made
specially for me so I could
"Fly The Flag" for Britain!
Daily Sketch, 10 November 1969 Daily Sketch, 17 November 1969
Playboy Magazine, March 1970Playboy Magazine shoot, March 1970
VIP Magazine 1970

 

At the Playboy Mansion in Chicago

Playboy Mansion, Chicago
Bunnies from all over the world meet Playboy founder Hugh Hefner (that's me standing to his left) at the legendary Playboy Mansion in Chicago, before the first-ever International Bunny of The Year Pageant. Just imagine - two weeks earlier I had never been out of England before; now here I was in the amazing city of Chicago, AND in the Playboy Mansion, AND standing next to Hugh Hefner, sipping a champagne cocktail...
simply unbelievable!
Playboy Mansion, Chicago
In this picture I'm in the middle of the back row.
The eventual winner and first-ever International Bunny of The Year for 1970 was the lovely Gina Byrams. She is sitting in the front row on the right.

 

International Bunny of The Year presentation, Playboy Resort, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin USA
Here I'm receiving my trophy at the International Bunny of The Year Pageant, held at the world-famous Playboy Resort at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin USA in November, 1969. The judges included Bill Cosby and British iconic super-model and actress Jean Shrimpton. I remember the gala dinner before the show and sitting next to Jean, chatting happily about England! All the Bunnies in the pageant put on an exciting musical presentation before the main show. We rehearsed for a couple of days and then opened the show with the brilliant song from the hit Broadway and Hollywood musical Sweet Charity, "If My Friends Could See Me Now". Truly, "They'd never believe it".
(For the record, in the final judging I was third runner-up.)

 

My "Bunny of The Year" Trophies


My Bunny of The Year Trophies
These are the two trophies that were presented to me for winning "Bunny of The Year".
The smaller one was for the London Playboy competition, and the large one was awarded to me in America at the International Bunny of The Year Pageant.

 

 

"Playboy 1" flies in

Greeting Hugh Hefner in London 1970
In 1970 I was invited to greet Hugh Hefner when he flew into London, in his own DC9 private jet airliner known as "Playboy 1" and "Big Bunny", to visit the Playboy Club. Just in front of me (on the right), wearing my Union Jack costume which I wore when I flew out to the International Bunny Pageant,
is Anthea Redfern.

Greeting Hugh Hefner in London 1970
Anthea took a fancy to the costume and asked me if she could borrow it.
She later hung up her Bunny ears and went on to a new career as a game show host on British TV
(and eventually she became Mrs Bruce Forsyth!)

 

 

All in a day's work for a Playboy Bunny

Playboy Bunnies were often invited to take part in all sorts of charity events and promotions.
Here you can see news film of me competing in a celebrity pancake race, near the historic old
Battersea Power Station in London. That's me on the right. I think I finished second!
See how many celebrity faces from the time you can spot.
(Sixties fashion note: we were all wearing knee-high white patent leather boots - what were known at the time as "Kinky Boots". Not really ideal for running!)
Click the picture below to watch the film.

 

 

My official British Gaming Board Certificate

For most of my 3½ years as a Playboy Bunny at the London club I was a Cocktail Bunny, serving drinks and food. However, for a few months I also became a Croupier Bunny. This was great fun, being in charge of exciting casino games. Here's my official British Gaming Board Certificate, issued in my real first name DIANA.

  
I've obscured my date of birth only for ID security.

 

 

Revealed!
The real everyday life of a Playboy Bunny

Click the stories below to read more...

Playboy Bunny Training      Playboy Bunny Costume      Playboy Bunny Work Shifts
Playboy Bunny Mother      Playboy Club Celebrity Guests

 

 

Playboy Bunny Training Manual

Playboy Bunny Training Manual
I still have my original 1960s Playboy Bunny Training Manual (partly, perhaps, because it featured me on the front cover!) Looking through it again it is fascinating to be reminded of the amazingly low prices that were charged for food and drink at the London club. For example, in the Play Room, where there were cabaret shows twice nightly, a full three-course meal was available for only 50p (less than $1) with choices including prawn cocktail, fillet steak and fruit salad. Even in the prestige VIP dining room, prices were still very low. And all this in a prime Mayfair location in central London. Even allowing for inflation after 50+ years, that was clearly an incredible bargain.
And just look at these rental rates for apartments at the top of the Playboy Club building in ultra-posh Park Lane! Just think what you would have to pay today.

 

 

My collection of priceless Playboy Bunny mementos

 

Rare gold & diamond Bunny Head Pendants,
exclusively awarded to me to mark my 1-year
and 3-year service as a Playboy Bunny.
Unique 1960s beaded and sequinned Bunny Ears actually
used by George Lazenby to crown me 'Bunny of The Year'.
Very rare genuine vintage 1960s carved wooden
Bunny Belt with unique Bunny Head buckle.
Official Bunny uniform item; 1969 chrome & black enamel
Playboy Cuff Links, as worn by me at the London Playboy Club.
Rare genuine vintage 1960s Playboy Club dinner plate.
I served countless meals on plates like this one!

 

 

Swinging London 1969

See my own personal home movie of everyday life in the "Swinging London" of 1969.
Click the picture below to watch the film.

 

 

 

 

Thank you for visiting today.
I really hope you have enjoyed seeing my unique collection of Playboy Bunny photographs,
and reading my personal memories and recollections of my time as Bunny Deana.
Now, if you would like to comment, or send me a message, or perhaps ask a question,
you can do this very easily by using my Bunny Deana Message Pad.
I would love to hear from you!

 

Contact Me Here! Exclusive Online Interview

 

 

 

All text and personal photographs are © Diana Turner/bunnydeana.com. All rights reserved.
Other photographs are as indicated or Playboy Enterprises Inc and are gratefully acknowledged.