Hughes book sells out at signing

Click here for a picture of the author of this blog signing books at the Cheesecake and Crime bookstore in Henderson, Nevada, and a nice plug for the book.

Hughes pursued Bettie Page, to no avail

Bettie Page, legendary pin-up girl of the 1950s, died Thursday in Los Angeles of a heart attack. She was 85.

Reuters summarized her career: "Page was a ubiquitous sight during the 1950s, propelled to stardom when she posed for Playboy as Miss January 1955. Soon her image was gracing playing cards, record albums and bedroom posters across the country."

Some reports on her death included mention of Howard Hughes, who unsuccessfully pursued Page in the 1950s.

"I never returned any of his calls," she once said. "I guess people will say I made a mistake. But sex is part of love, and you shouldn't go around doing it unless you are in love. I certainly didn't."

After just a few years in the limelight, the "saucy brunette" turned to religion and dropped out of modeling. She never really had an acting career. Although she suffered from severe schizophrenia in the 1970s, her fame was revived in the 1980s and ’90s. Fan clubs and websites formed and she made public appearances to sign photographs. In 2006, Gretchen Mol starred in a biopic called "The Notorious Bettie Page."

Incidentally, there is a store in the Planet Hollywood hotel-casino in Las Vegas dedicated to Bettie Page fashions called the Bettie Page Boutique. A local TV station reported that mourners were leaving "momentoes and condolences" at the store.

Book signing for Hughes book scheduled

I haven't done a lot of signings lately, but I have one set for 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, at the Cheesecake & Crime Mystery Book Shop, 10545 S. Eastern Ave., in Henderson. This might a solution for anyone seeking a last-minute Christmas gift for a parent, grandparent, uncle or anyone interested in Hughes and Las Vegas history. And while you're there, you can buy a piece of very, very good cheesecake and browse the store's excellent selection of mystery and crime novels.