Born 1932 as Cecilia Ann Renee Parker, American model and actress Suzy Parker was active from 1947 until 1970. Her modeling career reached its zenith during the 1950s, when she appeared on the covers of dozens of magazines and in advertisements and movie and television roles.
Suzy Parker as a model in the early 1950s
Parker appeared in advertisements for Revlon and many other cosmetic companies, including Solo Products, the largest hair care product company in the country at the time. (Models did not have exclusive cosmetic company contracts until Lauren Hutton and Karen Graham in the early 1970s).
In 1956, at the height of her modelling career, Parker became the first model to earn $100,000 per year ($1,076,000 today). A song that The Beatles wrote for her, though not released on record, appeared in their 1970 documentary film Let It Be, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Score.
Parker died in 2003, at age 70, in Montecito, California. Take a look at these stunning photos to see portraits of a young Suzy Parker as a model in the early 1950s.
Suzy Parker in enamel blue on black crêpe dress, the blue is built into the bodice then flows from the waist as free panel, by Mallinson from design by Jean Dessès, photo by Lillian Bassman, Harper’s Bazaar, September 1951
Suzy Parker in gray silk shantung halter dress with white passementerie bib with white ball fringe that is detachable by Cohama, photo by Genevieve Naylor, Harper’s Bazaar UK, June 1951
Suzy Parker in lovely gown of Bianchini white silk chiffon worn with apple-green taffeta stole by Irene, Kodachrome by Richard Avedon, Harper’s Bazaar, April 1951
Suzy Parker in pretty Enka rayon organza dress by Filcol, photo by Francesco Scavullo, Harper’s Bazaar, November 1951
Suzy Parker in silk shantung dress with white embroidered detail by Cohama, photo by Genevieve Naylor, New York, 1951
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