Susan Bernard

Susan's career began in the mid-1960s when she appeared as Linda in Russ Meyer's cult classic 'Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!' (1965). That same year, she became Playboy's Playmate of the Month for December 1966, photographed by both Mario Casilli and her father. This dual credit made her a notable figure in the magazine's history. At the time, she was believed to be the first Jewish Playmate, though that claim has since been disputed. In a 1998 interview, she recalled being an under-18 'Jewish virgin' in the centerfold, posed in front of a Christmas tree, having never posed nude before except in front of her mother.

Following her Playboy appearance, Susan continued acting under the name Sue Bernard in a string of B-movies and TV roles throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. Her filmography includes 'The Witchmaker' (1969), 'The Phynx' (1970), 'Necromancy' (1972), and 'The Killing Kind' (1973). She also appeared on TV in 'General Hospital' (1968–1969), 'Room 222', and 'The Beverly Hillbillies.' Her career then shifted toward business and writing. In the 1990s, she authored six books, including 'Marilyn: Intimate Exposures' and 'Bernard of Hollywood's Ultimate Pin-Up Book,' and served as president and publisher of Bernard of Hollywood / Renaissance Road Incorporated, managing her father's vast photographic archive.

In her personal life, Susan married actor and playwright Jason Miller in 1974, and they divorced around 1983. Their son, Joshua John Miller, became an actor and director. In 1999, Susan reunited with her son on-screen in 'The Mao Game,' which he wrote and directed. Susan passed away on June 21, 2019, at the age of 71, from an apparent heart attack. Her legacy endures as a pin-up model who transitioned into film and later became a guardian of Hollywood history through her father's work.