While we’ve become used to seeing salacious scenes in Hollywood movies today, there was
a time when pin-up girls, burlesque dancers, and adult films stirred up controversy.
Many of the actresses in such films became stars and were admired by many – though
few would like to admit it.
One such burlesque icon was Virginia Bell.
She was a topless dancer and had a short-acting career before disappearing from public life
altogether.
Nevertheless, she became famous for her good looks and her charm.
Any cinephile should look back to learn about this unique aspect of American entertainment
and how Virginia Bell played a key role in it…
Let’s learn about Virginia Bell’s fascinating life and career…
VIRGINIA BELL’S LIFE
Virginia Miriam Beck was born on August 14, 1934, in Montrose, California.
She graduated high school at the age of 15 in 1949.
She later completed junior college circa 1951.
She became well aware of her beauty at a young age.
She was rather short and slim in an age when most pin-up girls and burlesque icons were
more voluptuous.
She was coming of age at the time when Marilyn Monroe and Bettie Page were all the rage!
But what drew attention to Virginia Bell was her 48-inch bust.
She didn’t seem shy about having a large bosom, and wearing swimsuits or skimpy clothing
was certainly not taboo in sunny California.
She decided to use her beauty to pursue a career as a model.
Little did she know that she’d become a burlesque icon, a pin-up girl, and even an
actress.
Her first marriage was to Charles Merle Bell.
Even after divorcing him, she kept his surname for professional reasons.
She later married Eli Jackson.
Jackson was a candy butcher in a burlesque house and later became a film producer – producing
feature films that featured Virginia!
With Eli Jackson, Virginia Bell had three sons: Pierre, Tyrone, and Todd.
She eventually divorced Eli Jackson and her final marriage was to Alexander White – with
whom she remained married to until his death in 2004.
But how did Virginia Bell get started with her career?
Before becoming a star in many “sexploitation” films, she started her career as a dancer
and model…
MODELING CAREER
Virginia Bell began her modeling career in the mid-1950s while in her early twenties.
She had been dancing at local burlesque houses.
Her enchanting beauty attracted men and she became famous for her large bust.
The 1950s was a time when one aspect of American entertainment promoted the conservative attitudes
that already shaped much of American society.
However, simultaneously, there was another type of entertainment that was appealing to
more lurid tastes.
Burlesque and pin-up girls were becoming the rave.
A woman, like Virginia Bell, with an unusually large bust was unique and almost never seen
in magazines, nightclubs, or the cinema.
In addition to her burlesque dancing, Virginia decided to pursue a career in modeling.
She became posing for men's magazines, and her photos caused these magazines to fly off
the shelves!
Her popularity grew by the minute.
American men hadn’t been used to seeing a beautiful woman with such a large bust in
magazines before.
She also posed in various outfits, from swimsuits to lingerie to dresses and short shorts.
These weren't unusual for California, where she was from – but managed to create a stir
in most of the United States.
Before she knew it, she had become a huge star.
Virginia Bell had become one of the most beautiful women in America and she had become the fantasy
of many men across the country.
While many of her photos were clothed, she also appeared topless in a few photos.
Such photos were rare in America and must have been banned in certain parts of the country.
Even when she was clothed, Virginia wasn’t afraid to show off her large bust which she
loved and which helped make her famous.
It seemed inevitable that acting was the next logical step…
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Now, let’s learn about Virginia Bell on the big screen…
ACTING CAREER
In 1961, moviegoers saw Virginia Bell in a scandalous sexploitation film called Scanty
Panties.
It was a blue comedy film that featured vignettes of burlesque house comedians, mixed in with
burlesque dancers and a few striptease acts.
But her first starring role was in the 1963 film Bell, Bare and Beautiful – produced,
in part, by her husband Eli Jackson.
The film was directed by the now-legendary Herschell Gordon Lewis who rose to prominence
by directing many exploitation films.
The film follows a young millionaire who becomes obsessed with a beautiful woman.
He tries to find this woman and finds her living in a nudist camp.
She is a gorgeous blonde with an unusually large bust.
Of course, this beautiful woman was none other than Virginia Bell.
Her character’s name was Gina and she became the admiration of many moviegoers who loved
sneaking into B-movies which were all the rage during the 50s and 60s, though not everyone
admitted to watching them!
The film was one of many that dealt with life in nudist camps.
Though the queen of this genre was arguably Doris Wishman, this film is one of the “classics”
for anyone who loves mysterious films that follow desperate men chasing beautiful women
in nudist camps.
The same year she appeared as herself in a drama film entitled Lullaby of Bareland.
In this film, a couple wanted to rekindle the excitement in their relationship.
The husband decides to spend his time watching an exotic dancer – which, of course, was
Virginia Bell.
There’s one segment from the film where the husband, played by Charles Aldrich, watches
Virginia Bell dancing.
His narration proclaims:
“This girl has the kinda shape that makes the five o'clock whistle blow at four thirty.”
That short line best describes the impact that Virginia Bell had on men – whether
in the burlesque houses, in the magazines, and in the cinema.
Her next role was as Dona Julia in the 1969 historical drama film Fraulein Doktor.
This was a Yugoslavian-Italian produced film that was shot entirely in Yugoslavia, though
it was an English-language film.
It followed a German female spy who planned to murder Lord Kitchener and obtain the defense
plans prepared by the Allied Forces.
Virginia Bell had a supporting role in the film.
This was the only ‘serious’ film that Virginia acted in.
Her final film was a 1969 film entitled Gertie the Grapefruit Girl and Friends, though little
is known about this film.
By this time, Virginia Bell was now in her mid-30s and there were many other sex icons
she had to compete with.
At the end of the 60s, exploitation and “grindhouse” films were still popular, though the sexploitation
films were coming to an end.
The 1970s would still see great B-movies that had a sexual element to them, such as in the
films of Russ Meyer, but it was clear that Virginia Bell’s popularity had waned.
But this didn’t seem to bother her.
She enjoyed her journey as a model, dancer, and actress.
She retired from the entertainment industry and lived a quiet life – withdrawing from
public life.
VIRGINIA BELL’S LEGACY
Virginia Bell’s career was rather short-lived.
She began dancing in her early twenties and had become a popular model by the time she
reached her thirties.
By the time she reached her mid-thirties, she had appeared in a few films which moviegoers
loved watching and discussing – when they were in the right company!
Though she didn’t continue acting or modeling after the early 1970s, she remains one of
America’s most well-known burlesque icons and pin-up models.
Archive footage of her dancing and photos have appeared in documentaries and reels featuring
models.
These have included the “Reel Classics” series, Sunset Strip: Volume 2, Super Boobs
Vol 1 & 2, and Big Bust Loops Vol 4!
Her legacy lives on as archive footage of her often appears in documentaries that discuss
the sexploitation film craze.
Archive footage of Virginia Bell appeared in the documentary Nudes, Nudists, and Nudism
Vol 2 as well as the hit documentary That’s Sexploitation.
There’s also archive footage of her in the 2008 sci-fi comedy film Sex Galaxy.
Virginia Bell is often referred to as “Ding Dong” which was a nickname given to her
large bust.
In many writings about her, “Ding Dong” is often listed as her unofficial middle name!
She appeared in pictorials in magazines such as Follies, Scamp, Caper, Gala, King, and
Cavalcade.
In the 1990s, her photos were featured in Celebrity Sleuth magazine and Score Holiday
magazine.
In the latter magazine, she was featured as a “Blast from the Past” in a 1999 issue.
In August 1997, Score magazine published an article about her titled “Boob Beat: The
Legendary Virginia Bell.”
It was written by Elliot James and was published in Volume 6, Issue 8 of the magazine.
She was also featured on the cover of Volume 1, Issue 8 release of The New Sir Knight,
published in 1959.
For this cover, she was photographed by the now iconic Russ Meyer!
She’s also the subject of a short documentary about her titled “Two Bells for ‘Virginia’”
While her career may have been short-lived, it’s clear that few people have forgotten
about her!
Virginia Bell passed away on July 18, 2010, at the age of 75.
Did you know about Virginia Bell?
Have you seen any of her films?
Now, we’d like to know your opinion:
Do you think that pin-up girls and burlesque icons need more recognition?
Or do you think that their contributions to American entertainment and culture are already
well-known?
Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments.
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