Barbi Benton was born Barbara Lynn Klein on January 28, 1950, in New York City and grew up in a Jewish family in Sacramento, California.
She was an intelligent and artistic child. She first attended Rio Americano High School and then enrolled at UCLA with the aim of becoming a veterinarian. However, her good looks and lively personality led her onto a different career path.
Breakthrough with Playboy
At just 18 years old while at UCLA, Benton started modeling to support herself and was discovered by Playboy founder Hugh Hefner. She swiftly became a favorite at the Playboy Mansion, graced the cover of Playboy magazine multiple times, and was one of Hefner’s girlfriends. This association greatly enhanced her fame and made her a household name.