China Lee (born Margaret Lee; September 2, 1942) is an American

model A model is an informative representation of an object, person or system. The term originally denoted the plans of a building in late 16th-century English, and derived via French and Italian ultimately from Latin ''modulus'', a measure. Models c ...

and actress. She was '' Playboy's'' Playmate of the Month for the August 1964 issue, and the first

Asian American Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants). Although this term had historically been used for all the indigenous people ...

Playmate. Her

centerfold The centerfold or centrefold of a magazine is the inner pages of the middle sheet, usually containing a portrait, such as a pin-up or a nude. The term can also refer to the model featured in the portrait. In saddle-stitched magazines (as opp ...

was photographed by

Pompeo Posar Pompeo Posar (; February 21, 1921 – April 5, 2004) was a ''Playboy'' magazine staff photographer who photographed many centerfold features and accompanying pictures of women featured as playmate of the month. Notably, he was responsible for th ...

. According to her Playmate profile, her name is pronounced "chee-na" to rhyme with "Tina".

Early life

Lee was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Chinese parents who had immigrated to the United States after their marriage. The family owned a laundry and later a much lauded restaurant. She is the youngest of eight children and the younger sister of Harry Lee, who served as the sheriff of

Jefferson Parish, Louisiana Jefferson Parish (french: Paroisse de Jefferson; es, Parroquia de Jefferson) is a parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 440,781. Its parish seat is Gretna, its largest community is Metairie, and its ...

for about 28 years. The name "China" is derived from the nickname "Chinita" ("little Chinese girl") bestowed on her by Spanish-speaking neighbors who admired her dancing as a child.

Career

Lee worked as a hairstylist and waitress, then as a Playboy Club Bunny, before appearing in ''Playboy''. She had been a "Training Bunny," which required her to travel to different Playboy Clubs to teach prospective Bunnies their duties. Lee appeared at the end of

Woody Allen Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...

's ''

What's Up, Tiger Lily? ''What's Up, Tiger Lily?'' is a 1966 American comedy film directed by Woody Allen in his feature-length directorial debut. Allen took a Japanese spy film, '' International Secret Police: Key of Keys'' (1965), and overdubbed it with completely or ...

'', performing a striptease.

Personal life

Lee married comedian

Mort Sahl Morton Lyon Sahl (May 11, 1927 – October 26, 2021) was a Canadian-born American comedian, actor, and social satirist, considered the first modern comedian. Sahl pioneered a style of social satire that pokes fun at political and current event t ...

in 1967. They divorced in 1991. Their only child, Mort Sahl, Jr. died on March 27, 1996 at the age of 19.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, China 1942 births Living people American Playboy Playmates of Asian descent American people of Chinese descent Actresses from New Orleans 1960s Playboy Playmates Äva Records artists 21st-century American women