Lori Jo Hendrix

On November 25, Lori Jo Hendrix was born in Ojai, California, an idyllic enclave of writers and artists nestled among the mountains north of Ventura. The youngest of three children, Lori spent her early year's horseback riding, swimming, trekking and going to the beach. After graduating high school, she studied cosmetology and worked as a cosmetologist for nine years, eventually retiring to pursue a career in modeling. Within a short time, she turned to modeling and acting full time. Lori's modeling career began after participating in several local designers' swimwear fashion shows, trade shows, as well as features in posters and catalogs. She eventually joined the Southern California "bikini contest" circuit, winning the title of "Miss Fiesta Del Sol" at the Ventura County Fair two years in a row. Lori's career has taken her to such places as Hawaii, Mexico, Israel, and Florida (with the Hawaiian Tropic Girls). In both Los Angeles and Las Vegas, she worked as a ring girl for boxing (under the direction of Pat Lacey known as the "Bunny Mother" and head of Playmate Promotions). At one of the private pre boxing bout dinners, she met Mohammad Ali. She appeared on the Leeza Gibbons show with her father along with other actresses and models in an episode that dealt with how fathers felt about their daughters appearing nude in magazines or movies. Despite the variety of modeling and acting Lori has done, she is best known for her work with Playboy as well as some of her "B" film work, which has a cult following. She participated in a Jewish Big Brothers of Los Angeles charity event with Playboy magazine and was one of the Playboy Bunnies in the Jenny McCarthy "Playmate of the Year" TV commercial. Other photo publications Lori appeared in include several bikini and ski bunny posters as well as a lingerie catalog, Très Chic, while Easy Rider (Biker) magazine showcased Lori as both the cover girl and one of its calendar girls. Throughout her modeling and acting career, Lori appeared in the pages of Playboy Special Editions along with models and actresses such as Anna Nicole Smith, Pamela Anderson, Jenny McCarthy, Suzi Simpson, Petra Verkaik, Shannon Lee Tweed, and Cindy Margolis. She has been published in Playboy (the magazine and the Special Editions combined) approximately 30 times throughout the 90's and early 2000's (as well as in several Playboy video productions). During her acting career, she worked alongside Jeff Conaway (Taxi), and when living in San Francisco she had the privilege of seeing Steven Spielberg at work while on the set of Jack as an extra (the Vegetable Stand Girl). Lori Jo also had the distinction of working with some great photographers and makeup artists such as Alexis Vogel (Pam Anderson's makeup artist), Michelle Vanderhule and Missy Garland. On one occasion, Alexis' father, Ron Vogel, photographed Lori Jo. He is known internationally for his work with Max Factor, Playboy, and he was one of the first to photograph Marilyn Monroe. Lori also had the honor of working with Philip Adrian Booth and Christopher Saint Booth, from Saint and Sinners Entertainment production studios. Eventually Lori moved to San Francisco after falling in love with the city during a visit to a childhood friend who had moved there. After a few years there she moved to Argentina spending half her life there and currently (02-12-2017) resides in Mexico City, Mexico. On a more personal note, due to her love for animals, Lori has donated much of her life volunteering for various animal rescue organizations, as well as rescuing animals from the street on her own. Her favorite animals are cats, and she currently (02.12.17) shares her home with two. One of which is a blood donor for a feline blood bank to help other cats in need. The animals Lori has rescued include wild songbirds, mammals, domestic cats, dogs and birds. She once rescued a fallen baby Swallow in Buenos Aires. The rescue (and release) story was published in the Nature Society Magazine (USA). The story drew attention again after she visited Carlyle Rogillio, a federally licensed rehabilitator who also operates a bird rehabilitation center called Project Swallow in Metairie, Louisiana. Head of the Purple Martin Conservation Association, he taught her online the special nuances of rescue and release for the delicate breed of swallows. When the baby swallow, Max, was grown and ready for release, she released him in Punta del Este, Uruguay, where she had a vacation condo, because she wanted him to live by the beach.