Debra Jo Fondren (born February 5, 1955) is an American model and actress. She was ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...

'' magazine's Playmate of the Month for the September 1977 issue and

Playmate of the Year This is a list of models who were chosen as a Playboy Playmate of the Year for the American edition of ''Playboy'' magazine. List of Playmates of the Year *1953: Marilyn Monroe *1954: *1955: *1956: *1957: *1958: *1959: *1960: Ellen Stratton ...

for 1978. Her pictorial was photographed by Robert Scott Hooper.

Career

Fondren, who lived in

Lumberton, Texas Lumberton is a city in Hardin County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,554 at the 2010 census, up from 11,943 at the 2000 census. Lumberton is the home of Village Creek State Park. The city is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur metro ...

, and was working as a waitress at Gallagher's in

Beaumont, Texas Beaumont is a coastal city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat, seat of government of Jefferson County, Texas, Jefferson County, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur, Texas, Port Arthur Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area, metropo ...

, was discovered on a visit to Las Vegas by photographer Robert Scott Hooper, who also photographed her centerfold, featuring her very long, almost knee-length blonde hair. Fondren had guest-starring roles on television series such as ''

Mork & Mindy ''Mork & Mindy'' is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from September 14, 1978, to May 27, 1982. A spin-off after a highly successful episode of ''Happy Days'', "My Favorite Orkan", it starred Robin Williams as Mork, an extraterrest ...

'' and ''

Fantasy Island ''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. Gu ...

''. She also appeared in movies such as ''Spit Fire''. In 2007, she returned home to the Lumberton/Silsbee, Texas, area, having stated she had enough of the California lifestyle and now operates a beauty school in her home area.Golden Triangle Godiva
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TV appearances

*''

'' *''

Knots Landing ''Knots Landing'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on CBS from December 27, 1979, to May 13, 1993. A spin-off of ''Dallas'', it was set in a fictitious coastal suburb of Los Angeles and initially centered on the lives of ...

'' *''

Family Feud ''Family Feud'' is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson. It features two families who compete to name the most popular answers to survey questions in order to win cash and prizes. The show has had three separate runs, the ...

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fondren, Debra Jo 1955 births Living people American film actresses American television actresses People from Lumberton, Texas 1970s Playboy Playmates Playboy Playmates of the Year Actresses from Texas Actresses from Los Angeles 21st-century American women