Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Mermaid Queen Diane Webber Dies at 76


Legendary mermaid queen model Diane Webber (Marguerite Diane Empey) has died at the age of 76. Webber starred in the 1962 movie Mermaids of Tiburon also known as Aqua Sex and became the epitome of what men fantasized mermaids would be like. Under the name of Marguerite Empey she was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month in May 1955 and in February 1956. The February 1956 photo spread included an underwater photo that clearly showed her pubic hair and was a historic first for Playboy.

For a more detailed obituary and a recap of Ms. Webber's life and career please visit Cryptomundo for an excellent post.

[Discovered at Boing Boing]

12 comments:

Mrs. Hall said...

Very beautiful clip.

Too bad the film is known as 'aqua sex.' That is an icky name.

But, it is a very beautiful piece. Maybe I will check it out.

Mrs. Hall

Bonez said...

yeah, the Aqua Sex part had me stumped too but I haven't seen the entire movie. I think there may have been some breast exposures or something, I don't know. Whatever it was I am sure it was/is tame by today's "standards" :)

I also agree that there is a strange "beauty" to the whole clip... almost an "innocense".

Banba said...

What great footage. Those girls could really swim! I love the shark too. Now I understand why there's a grotto at the Playboy Mansion!

Bonez said...

There's a grotto at the Playboy Mansion? Are you telling us from experience or hearsay :) The shark was a bit of a strange twist, in my opinion, and I was trying to figure out if it was a dummy or the real deal. Took away from my enjoyment of the bobbing mermaid breasts, actually.

E said...

Please tell me that the grotto is named after Scott Baio. It only makes sense...

Bonez said...

As usual you lost me on that one, E. Scott Baio? Chachi? The guy who mistook a couch for a vagina? Oooo! Is that the first time we've used "vagina" on Bonez? Naw, we're pretty hep here so I am sure we've used vagina at least several times in the last thousand posts or so. But Chachi? What's a grotto got to do with Baio? Was he nekkid in one at the PB mansion? Charles in Charge, Dude.

Anonymous said...

I am as "E" I shall like knowing if the grotto represente something?

E said...

For the fun of it, I just went and looked it up. No particular relevance to anything, there's just a grotto at the Playboy Mansion. I certainly WISH it were named the "Baio Grotto" or something similar, but alas...no.

Anonymous said...

Ok E I understand

katsand said...

Diane starred in "Mermaids of Tiburon" in 1962. Some years later the director John Lamb re-edited the movie and added topless mermaids and deleted almost all of Diane's scenes except for one non topless shot at the beginning. The topless version was re-released as "The Aqua Sex"

Kathy

Bonez said...

Katsand ~ Thank you for this update on mermaid goddess Diane Webber's career. It is sad that she was exploited by the "creators" of "The Aqua Sex". Your interesting facts show the timelessness of Ms. Webber's work.

Photographe lyon book said...

GOOD photo spread included an underwater photo...
nicely photographed