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Gina Gershon's Chilling Encounter with Dorothy Stratten's Killer
14 Mar
Summary
- Actress Gina Gershon narrowly avoided a predatory encounter with Paul Snider.
- Paul Snider murdered Playboy Playmate Dorothy Stratten before taking his own life.
- A retired FBI profiler described Snider as a psychopath who exploited Stratten.
Actress Gina Gershon shared a chilling recollection of her brief encounter with Paul Snider, the man who murdered Playboy Playmate Dorothy Stratten before committing suicide. Gershon met Snider in 1980 in Los Angeles, where he propositioned her to pose for Playboy, a request she firmly declined, stating her desire to be an actress.
Snider, described as a "creepy" and "slimy" hustler, had discovered Stratten as a teenager and groomed her for a modeling career. He arranged and paid for her nude photoshoot, which led to her Playboy debut at 18. They married shortly before her 19th birthday. Stratten achieved significant fame, becoming Miss August and Playmate of the Year in 1980.
As Stratten's career flourished, Snider became increasingly possessive and abusive. A retired FBI profiler characterized Snider as a psychopath with antisocial personality disorder, driven by a need to use and control others. Stratten eventually separated from Snider and began a relationship with filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich.
Tragically, on August 14, 1980, Snider murdered Stratten at their former home during a meeting to discuss divorce terms. He then took his own life. Bogdanovich later wrote about the tragedy, criticizing the exploitative nature of the Playboy empire.
