Playboy Videos are a series of videos released by
Playboy Enterprises, Inc., the publishers of
PlayboyPlayboy is an American men's magazine, founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with a presence in nearly every medium. Playboy is one of the world's best...
magazine. They are largely made up of music-video-style vignettes featuring
Playboy Playmates and other models in various stages of nudity and, on occasion, softcore sex scenes.
The output of new
Playboy videos has greatly curtailed since 2002, new releases such as
No Boys Allowed 3 contain recycled footage shot for earlier videos. However, the production of the video Playmate calendar, the Playmate of the Year video, and the anniversary video series still continues.
Recently,
Playboy has begun to release collections of the video calendars under the title
Playmate DVD Calendar Collection. Currently, two have been released:
The '90s (which also includes the 1987–1989 video calendars as a “bonus”, and the 2000–2005 calendar collection. These collect the video calendars, but do not include the bonus features found in the later DVD calendars.
Video magazine series
The first twelve videos, titled
Playboy Video Magazine, were produced during the years 1982 - 1987.
Calendar series
In 1987, the magazine format was dropped and replaced by the video
playmateA Playmate is a female model featured in the centerfold/gatefold of Playboy magazine as Playmate of the Month . The PMOM's pictorial includes nude photographs and a centerfold poster, as well as a short biography and the "Playmate Data Sheet", which lists her birthdate, measurements, turn-ons, and...
calendar series which focused on the playmates themselves and did not try to imitate the content of the magazine. Although the months assigned to the playmates in the videos are not the same as the months in which they appear in the magazine, nearly all playmates from 1987 on have appeared in a playmate video calendar. Playmates of the year have also appeared in a special video profile dedicated just to themselves.
Each video begins with the voice of Neil Ross, the narrator for most of
Playboy's productions, saying:
- “Since 1958, Playboy calendars have been prized collector's items. Over the years Playmates have appeared in this favorite form of pinup
A pin-up girl or pin-up model is a model whose mass-produced pictures see wide appeal as pop culture. Pin-ups are intended for informal display. Pin-up girls are glamour models, fashion models, and actresses....
art. Now for your home viewing pleasure, Playboy continues this tradition, as the playmates come alive in this edition of the (year) Playmate video calendar.”
With (year) replaced by the year of the calendar.
The video profile of a playmate is shot at the same time that her magazine centerfold and pictorial are photographed. These usually consist of three or four vignettes reflecting the personality and persona of the playmate and an interview is also conducted at the same time to serve as in introduction to her viewers. Two of the vignettes are then chosen to be included as part of her video playmate profile. The very first playmate to appear in a playmate video calendar was
Cherie WitterCherie Witter is an American model and actress. She was chosen as Playboys Playmate of the Month in February, 1985....
, Miss January 1987 (having been Miss February 1985 in the magazine).
In the early video Playmate calendars, a significant amount of time was given to each Playmate to introduce herself, two or three minutes were spent on describing her aspirations and goals. This was then followed by a nude profile. These occasionally came to include scenes of Playmates engaged in simulated sex, beginning with
Julie Lynn CialiniJulie Lynn Cialini is an American model and actress who graduated in 1988 from East Rochester High School. She was a Playboy Playmate of the Month in February 1994 and was named Playmate of the Year in 1995...
's profile in the 1994 edition.
Playmate of the Year video centerfolds
Every year, a Playmate of the Year (PMOY) is chosen by
Playboy magazine. At the same time as the PMOY photo shoot, a video is filmed to commemorate the occasion. The scenes in the video are filmed in the same style as the calendar profiles and include interviews not only with the Playmate herself but also sometimes her family and the photographers who shot the pictorials. In
Karen McDougalKaren McDougal is an American model and actress. She is known for her appearances in Playboy magazine as Playmate of the Month for December 1997 and Playmate of the Year of 1998. In 2001, the readers of Playboy voted McDougal "No...
's 1998 PMOY video centerfold, a segment was presented in the
Pop-up VideoPop-Up Video is a VH1 television show that "popped up" bubbles — officially called "info nuggets" — containing trivia and wry witticisms throughout music videos. The show was created by Woody Thompson and Tad Low and premiered October 27, 1996...
format made popular by
VH1VH1 is an American cable television network based in New York City...
at the time.
Sexy Lingerie series
Playboy launched its
Sexy Lingerie series in 1988, featuring Playmates and other models in
lingerieLingerie is a term for fashionable and notionally alluring undergarments. It derives from the French word linge, "washables" — as in faire le linge, "do the laundry" — and ultimately from lin for washable linen, the fabric from which European undergarments were made before the general introduction...
. In the earlier titles of the series, Playmates were shown in static poses which, although artistic, tended to make them appear distant.
Sexy Lingerie II–VI continued where the first video left off. However, in later titles, the
PlaymatesThe name "Playmates" may refer to:*Playmates , written in 1940*Playmates , starring Oliver Hardy*Playmates , starring Diana Serra Cary*Playmates , starring John Barrymore and Lupe Velez...
were allowed to be more fluid, such as showing them walking a cat walk or dancing.
Wet & Wild series
The
Wet and Wild series, launched in 1989, features Playmates in various liquid environments, such as
poolA swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is an artificially enclosed body of water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest and deepest is the Olympic size...
s,
bathtubA bath , bathtub , or tub is a plumbing fixture used for bathing. Most modern bathtubs are made of acrylic or fiberglass, but alternatives are available in enamel over steel or cast iron, and occasionally waterproof finished wood...
s,
hot tubA hot tub is a large home-made or manufactured tub or small pool full of heated water and used for soaking, relaxation, massage, or hydrotherapy. In most cases, they have jets for massage purposes...
s,
saunaA sauna is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities. These facilities derive from the Finnish sauna...
s,
fountainA fountain is a piece of architecture which pours water into a basin or jets it into the air either to supply drinking water or for decorative or dramatic effect....
s, water beds,
milkMilk is an opaque white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It provides the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. The early lactation milk is known as colostrum, and carries the mother's antibodies to the baby. It can reduce...
, champagne,
beerBeer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from cereal grains—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize , and rice are widely...
,
massage oilAn essential oil is a concentrated, hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile or ethereal oils, or simply as the "oil of" the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove. An oil is "essential" in the sense that it...
, glycerine,
chocolate syrupChocolate syrup is a type of condiment that is usually added to food to increase the chocolate flavor. Chocolate syrup can be added to a wide variety of foods, and is often used as a topping for various desserts, such as ice cream or mixed with milk to make chocolate milk.-Basic...
, and ersatz
crème de cacaoCrème de cacao is a sweet chocolate liqueur flavored primarily by the cocoa bean and the vanilla orchid. It is normally made as a clear light syrup, however it is also available in a dark caramel-colored syrup, often labeled as "dark crème de cacao."...
.
Playboy produced a total of ten videos in the
Wet & Wild series.
Although the majority of sequences in the early videos of the series maintained a sense of depicting the
femaleFemale is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces mobile ova .- Defining Characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
figureVariations in the physical appearance of humans, known as human looks, are believed by anthropologists to be an important factor in the development of personality and social relations, in particular, physical attractiveness. There is a relatively low sexual dimorphism between human males and...
as a work of art, some sequences could be described as appealing to
aquaphiliaAquaphilia may refer to:* a love of water sports, such as rafting* a preference for hydro power* sexual paraphilia based around swimsuits and water...
cs.
Wet and Wild IV, released in 1992, has garnered some notoriety for a scene that allegedly depicts February 1992 Playmate
Tanya BeyerTanya Beyer is an American model and actress. She was chosen as Playboy's Playmate of the Month for February 1992 and has appeared in numerous Playboy videos....
taking part in simulated sex, which would have been a departure for
Playboy videos at the time. However, the scene only shows Beyer and her male co-star kissing and mildly fondling each other. (One shot suggests the actor was directed to avoid touching her breasts.) Although Beyer is featured fully nude elsewhere in the vignette, she is only topless in her shots with the actor, and there is no shot in which one can infer that their characters are engaged in intercourse. Scenes of Playmates engaging in simulated sex did not begin appearing in
Playboy videos until 1993, starting with
Wet and Wild V. That title included a vignette showing an actor having simulated intercourse with both September 1991 Playmate
Samantha DormanSamantha Leah Dorman is an American model and actress. She was chosen as Playboy's Playmate of the Month for September, 1991 and has appeared in numerous Playboy videos...
and December 1990 Playmate
Morgan FoxMorgan Fox is a Canadian model and actress.In 1988 she became Miss World Canada. In 1989, she played the role of "Robunda Hooters" in the film Flesh Gordon Meets the Cosmic Cheerleaders. She was chosen as Playboy's Playmate of the Month for December, 1990 and has appeared in numerous Playboy...
.
Volumes VI to IX were based loosely on several different themes including the women's locker room (
Wet and Wild VI), hot holidays (
Wet and Wild VII), women's
buttocksThe buttocks are rounded portions of the anatomy located on the posterior of the pelvic region of apes and humans, including many other bipeds or quadrupeds.-Anatomy:...
(
Wet and Wild VIII), and finally the season of summer (
Wet & Wild: Slippery When WetWet and Wild: Slippery When Wet is the ninth and last video in the Wet & Wild series of videos produced by Playboy. Consisting of 9 vignettes featuring playmates in a variety of aquaphiliac scenarios...
).
The final video in the series,
Wet and Wild Live! Backstage Pass, was released in 2002.
Celebrity Centerfolds
The following women have been featured in their own celebrity centerfold videos:
- Pamela Anderson
thumb|rightPamela Denise Anderson is a Canadian/American actress, sex symbol, glamour model, producer, author, activist, and former Showgirl....
- Jenny McCarthy
Jennifer Ann "Jenny" McCarthy is an American model, comedian, actress, author, and activist. She began her career as a Playboy magazine model in 1993, before launching a television and film acting career...
- Dian Parkinson
Dian Parkinson is a former American model on The Price Is Right.-Career history:...
- Shannon Tweed
Shannon Lee Tweed is a Canadian actress and model. One of the most successful actresses of mainstream erotica, she is identified with the genre of the erotic thriller.-Early life:...
- La Toya Jackson
La Toya Jackson is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, television personality and actress. She is the fifth child of the famous Jackson family. She had a career as a singer throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and returned to music in 2004 with her Billboard charting songs "Just Wanna...
- Patti Davis
Patti Davis is the daughter of former President of the United States Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan, who were married seven and a half months earlier, on March 4, 1952. She is the older sister of Ron Reagan, the half-sister of Maureen Reagan, and has an adopted half-brother Michael...
- Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett was an American actress. A multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she first appeared as private investigator Jill Munroe in the TV series Charlie's Angels in 1976...
- Anna Nicole Smith
Vickie Lynn Marshall , better known under the stage name of Anna Nicole Smith, was an American model, sex symbol, actress and television personality. She first gained popularity in Playboy, becoming the 1993 Playmate of the Year. She modeled for clothing companies, including Guess jeans and Lane...
- Chyna
Anniversary Playmates
The following playmates have appeared in their own anniversary video profiles:
- Fawna MacLaren
Fawna MacLaren is an American model and actress. She was chosen as Playboy's Playmate of the Month for January, 1989....
— 35th Anniversary
- Anna-Marie Goddard
Anna-Marie Goddard is a Dutch model and actress.Goddard was born Anna Marie Lampe in Ysbrechtum, The Netherlands. She is married to American screenwriter/model Collin Goddard. She has a son who was born on July 29, 1998, and had her second child, a daughter, in 2005. She was chosen as the U.S...
- 40th Anniversary
- Jaime Bergman
Jaime Bergman is an American model and actress who was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month in January 1999, its 45th Anniversary issue. In addition to her magazine appearance she has appeared in several Playboy videosBergman was the St...
— 45th Anniversary
- Colleen Shannon
Colleen Shannon is an American model who was Playboy's Playmate of the Month in January, 2004 and also was the magazine's 50th anniversary Playmate.She appeared on the ITV show Love Island and was evicted on August 20, 2006....
— 50th Anniversary
Best Of
Playboy has produced several
Best of videos. These have collected segments either featuring a specific Playmate (e.g.,
The Best of Jenny McCarthy), from a Playboy TV show (e.g.,
The Best of Night Calls), or from a Playboy video series (e.g.,
The Best of Wet & Wild).
In a rare appearance in front of the camera,
Pompeo PosarPompeo Posar was a Playboy magazine staff photographer who photographed many centerfold spreads and accompanying pictures of women featured as playmates of the month, notably the December 1968 centerfold of Cynthia Myers, and the March 1975 centerfold of Janet Lupo, amongst many others.- Books and...
, who was a
Playboy photographer for more than 36 years and took more than 75 centerfolds for the magazine, appeared in
The Best of Jenny McCarthyJennifer Ann "Jenny" McCarthy is an American model, comedian, actress, author, and activist. She began her career as a Playboy magazine model in 1993, before launching a television and film acting career...
.
Girls/Women of
A recurring feature in the magazine is "Girls of" (or sometimes "Women of"), where the women involved are chosen according to a theme (often all working for a particular organization). Playboy has also produced several videos following the same idea -- the most recent ones being done in conjunction with the magazine features.
- The Girls of the Cabaret Royale
- Girls of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas
- The Girls of Hawaiian Tropic: Naked in Paradise
- Girls of Hedonism, Runaway Bay Jamaica
- Girls of Olive Garden
- Girls of Hooters
- Girls of the Internet
- Girls of Mardi Gras
- Girls of McDonald's
- Girls of Radio: Talk, Rock and Shock
- Girls of Reality TV
- The Girls of Scores
- Girls of South Beach
- Girls of Spring Break
- Women of Color
- Women of Enron
- Women of Fear Factor
Women of Fear Factor is a softcore pornographic video produced by Playboy. The video takes the form of a documentary where women from the reality show Fear Factor are interviewed about their experiences with Fear Factor and in the Fear Factor Playboy shoot.- The women :*Meghan Allen is a Dallas...
- Women of Starbucks
- Women of Wal-Mart