It began early in the summer of 1988 with an ad in Playboy magazine calling for entries in the Great 35th Anniversary Playmate Hunt. The response was overwhelming, with candidates from all 50 states and numerous overseas countries. Among the contestants were flight attendants, cops, nurses, models, doctors, a beekeeper, a goldsmith, construction workers, dancers, an ice skater, a sexual therapist, a wrestler, a psychic, a stuntwoman, a witch and a lottery winner who, despite enjoying a lifetime income of $1000 a week, still wanted to take a shot at our first prize of $35,000 and the prestige of being named Playboy’s 35th Anniversary Playmate.

In all, more than 4000 women participated in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Photographers and their crews fanned out to cities across the nation, from New York to Los Angeles, from Tampa to Detroit, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver and Chicago and to the Canadian cities of Vancouver and Toronto. Polaroids from these sessions were examined for the most promising candidates, who were called in for more thorough photo testing at Playboy’s Los Angeles and Chicago studios.

Playboy’s Great Playmate Hunt is a glimpse of 147 of the outstanding contenders for the big prize. Of course, only one winner would emerge from the multitude, and making that all-important choice wasn’t easy, as you’ll see. But the field steadily narrowed to a group of finalists chosen by Playboy’s photographers and photo editors. From these came the ultimate winner—and several future Playmates. But before we tell you about the victor, we’d like to call your attention to the ballot on page 111, on which you can check off your personal favorites from this book. Overleaf from the ballot is a data sheet, much like the one used in Playboy’s Playmate feature, that asks the question: Do you know a likely Playmate candidate? If yes, ask her to send us the completed form and be sure to include a photo. And now, here are some highlights from the Great 35th Anniversary Playmate Hunt.

Models

Fawna Maclaren (cover girl)
Karen Oliver
Leslie Fuhrtz
Michelle Bowman
Shannon DeShay
Deonda Sisco
Dyana Maldonado
Katrina Alexander
Heidi Johnson
Tonya Lawson
Jennifer Barrett
Renee Tenison
Houston Fostere
Desery Martin
Jaqueline Alexander
Debbie Maupin
Rhonda Tarkington
Rio Lee Ryan
Jo Ann McMahan
Susan Storey
Lynn Marie
Tonya Reynolds
Peggy Molter
Sher Di Nicola
Laura Fennelly
Autumn Person
Ruth Ice
Michelle Arey
Cynthia Kaye
Valorie Smith
Nancy Howard
Rebecca Fleischman
Kathleen Emerson
Shawn Grzych
Traci Teskey
Penelope Duckworth
Lou Ann McCarthy
Lara Fielder
Brenda Hines
Jennifer Jackson
Elise Bernbach
Tina Marie Ray
Coral Thomas
Tammie Rogers
Tara Christine
Tawnni Cable
Kristin Johnson
Barbara Holleran
Elizabeth Clark
Monique Noel
Sonja Banman
Kristi York
Abbe Vogel
Lacey Spencer
Laura Sebring
Linda Miller
Maureen Mullen
Heidi Hoerchler
Jennifer Day
Raquel DeMarco
Jodi Schafer
Natalie Starr
Jenenine Renee Boye
Lea Kelly
Holly Reynolds
Blair Parker
Erika Eleniak
De Anna Lee
Angela McMillan
Aileen Acain
Laurie Wood
Martine Bernier
LaWanda and LaTonya Duncan(twins)
Carmen Frohne
Elizabeth Giordano
Donna Sanders
Kellie Pellam
Andrea Coan
Kimberly Coan
Sasha Smith
Kim Burnette
Bonnie Marino
Bonnie Carlisle
Wanda Belair
Kem Patten
Cherie Villegas
Cynthia Roussel
Tina Bockrath
Lisa Ganz
DiyOnne Perrotta
Desiree LaFore
Selina Mills
Kandi Larkin
Janice Dekle
Sheila Marie
Kristi Singletary
Peggy Sue Anderson
Daniella Thal
Deborah Harvey
Michelle Mecklenburg
Monica Unsworth
Simone Eden
Kelli Slattery
Cynthia Haddad
Lisa Luehmann
Angela Chrismon
Joni Jay Samuels
TinaMarie Lakin
Gianna Amore
Wendy Jackson
Cecilia Picking
Andrea Johnson
Michelle Renee
Joanna London
Terri Ranson
Susan Hill
Lieu Nguyen
Jane Anderson
Sonya Vissering
Kelly Womack
Kristi Hughes
Jackie Andalusia
Mary Kaye Porter
Nikki Burchett
Melanie Lawrence
Kelly Jo Dowd
Dinah McKinneyh
Suzann Jaure
Catherine Madison
Petra Verkaik
Michelle Jackson
Judy Lee
Stephanie Gardiner
Erika Floyd
Katharine Gorzel
Heidi Falzon
Sherrie Rose
Debbie Johnstone
Diane Cox
Sasha Simons
Alor Wells
Julie Cade
Joanne Meyer
Kim Richardson
Susan Farhat
Jodi Del Ponte