Who Was Yvette Vickers, The 'Mummified' Playboy Playmate And Cult Horror Star?

The docuseries “Secrets of Playboy” exposes some of the most disturbing secrets of the magazine, and explores some of the tragic figures connected to the empire.

In the series, multiple people accuse Hugh Hefner of being a predator and point to the life and career of former Playmate Anna Nicole Smith who died at 39 in 2007 of an overdose as an example of his callous indifference. Other women once connected to Hefner also died tragically, including Dorothy Stratten, Ashley Mattingly, and Stephanie Adams. 

While there have been numerous tragedies and mysterious deaths of Playboy Playmates over the years, only one seems to involve mummification.

Yvette Vickers was crowned Playmate of the Month in the July 1959 issue, the Telegraph noted in her 2011 obituary. In addition to posing for Playboy, Vickers was a renowned cult horror actor, known for her role as a mistress in “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman.” But decades later, her mummified remains were discovered inside her home. 

Vickers died sometime in 2010 around the age of 81 inside her Benedict Canyon, California home. The former Playmate, who lived alone, wasn't discovered until possibly up to a year after her death. A neighbor, the actor Susan Savage, found her body in 2011, the Los Angeles Times reported at the time. Savage decided to enter Vickers' home after noticing piles of letters and cobwebs in her mailbox.

Foul play was ruled out in Vickers' death, which was determined to have been caused by heart disease, Huff Post reported.

The Atlantic notes that Vickers’ body likely became mummified because the Los Angeles area is arid and the conditions in her home protected her from any excessive moisture. 

"She kept to herself, had friends and seemed like a very independent spirit," Savage told the Los Angeles Times. "To the end she still got cards and letter from all over the world requesting photos and still wanting to be her friend."