Playboy Bunny at the Century City Cabaret Room to Playboy Centerfold to Playboy Set Designer: Liz Stewart Miss July 1984:

ECHO JOHNSON (00:37) Hey y'all, welcome back to this show. We have a super, super great show today. I'm so excited. We're gonna be touching on a lot of different topics and departments of Playboy with our guest and Corinna is in the studio with us finally. So that is fantastic. As you may or may not have seen, I've been doing some really fun short historical factoid videos of Playboy's history. It's just vast and there's so much we can touch on but what I've been kind of focused on as of late and is probably one of my, I would say probably one of the most interesting and favorite parts of the history of Playboy for me are the bunnies and the Playboy clubs and our guest today was not only a bunny she also was a Playboy playmate and she went on to also work with Playboy over a span of 30 years. with that said let's get into some background info. Liz Stewart was one of most prominent Los Angeles Playboy bunnies of the 80s, working at the Century City Playboy Club before rising to national fame as an international centerfold. Now for our audience, this is an important point. The Playboy bunnies and the Playboy playmates, they fundamentally different roles within the company. However, there was a select group of women who bridged the gap to achieve both titles and Liz was one of those women who earned the coveted title of both Bunny and Playboy Playmate. Liz wore the iconic ears and satin suit as a working bunny at the Century City Club in Los Angeles. She was frequently featured in the club's cabaret entertainment lineups as well as promotional material. Liz would then transition from a club hostess to a major magazine feature. Liz shot her centerfold and was featured as Miss July 1984, her birthday month. Her layout remains a favorite among fans of the magazine's 1980s era to this day. didn't just stay in front of the lens, however, she worked also behind the lens. And she had a couple different corporate roles for Playboy and a behind the camera career at Playboy Studio West as a set designer, working closely with Marilyn Grabowski. And then Liz would eventually step into another role working for Playboy Enterprise. as head of Playmate Talent and Productions, she created, produced, and directed various video series for the digital platforms. So we're gonna dive into all of that fun history in just a minute. A couple things about the Los Angeles Playboy Club in Century City that opened in 1972. Inside this particular Playboy Club, there was the infamous Cabaret Room. This was a premier entertainment venue where patrons could dine, drink and watch live performances by musicians, comedians and the singing bunnies and Liz was one of these bunnies. So that was the first time I ever heard of a Cabaret Room and a Playboy Club and I'm excited to learn more about that. A few things that stood out about the Cabaret Room, its atmosphere. The room was famously plush 1970s decadent featuring deep red velvet, white linen tablecloths and intimate table lamps. The entertainment was vast. It hosted everything from stand-up comedy and jazz to dedicated musical reviews. The Century City Club was unique for occasionally featuring live vocal performances by The singing bunnies. And of course, the club was a massive draw for Hollywood's elite. Anybody who was anybody was there. Corinnas' back in the studio with me. Corinna Harney-Jones (04:22) you ECHO JOHNSON (04:24) I'm so happy that you're joining me for this interview. It's gonna be a great one. It's gonna be very robust because our guest really spanned almost 30 years of working with Playboy in multiple positions from a bunny at the Century City Club to playmate and then set design at Playboy Studio West. And then she had the final opportunity of working with Cooper Hefner, which is gonna be really fun. Corinna Harney-Jones (04:25) Sorry. ECHO JOHNSON (04:53) hear about so our guest today, everybody is Miss Liz Stewart. Welcome to the show. Liz Stewart (04:54) you Corinna Harney-Jones (05:00) I'm Liz Stewart (05:01) Bye! ⁓ ECHO JOHNSON (05:02) So Liz was missed July 1984, but before she was a centerfold, she was a bunny at the Century City Playboy Club. So let's just roll right into that Liz. I mean, how did that even come to be? Is that like, did you have an affinity for Playboy? Did you want to be a bunny? What happened? Tell us all. Liz Stewart (05:24) It's a lot. I had no thoughts of Playboy. I knew the magazine existed and I was a fan of the beautiful women. But that was pretty much it. I was a waitress at the old spaghetti factory in Hollywood. another fellow waitress, a friend of mine, her name was Maria. She was quite beautiful. She heard about a casting call. at the Century City Club for Playboy Bunnies. And she was gonna go and she just really wanted me to go for support because she didn't want to go alone. So I didn't really want to go. I really didn't feel that that was something that could be in my life, in my future at all. I mean I just didn't believe it. But I went to support her and I got there early because I think she gave me the wrong time. I think she gave me like an hour early. I was there an hour early, not on purpose. And after an hour of sitting in the lobby at the club, first of all, when I walked in, the bunnies greeted me. I was just, my mouth dropped. There were these particular women, there was two. They were tall, statuesque, blonde, long hair. I was in awe. So, within the first hour some women start showing up and I'm thinking to myself, okay, know, I kind of could be in the group because I'm engaging the other women. And then, you know, half an hour later I'm like, okay, well, it's getting a little tougher, but I feel okay. Within two hours I'm like, what the hell? What am I doing here? This is stupid. This is like... ECHO JOHNSON (06:58) Take advantage of the opportunity. Liz Stewart (07:00) But you know at that point because I got there an hour early, I didn't want to leave because I'd already committed like three hours. Otherwise maybe I would have left, honestly. And I would say the whole process, over 550 women showed up. ECHO JOHNSON (07:16) Whoa, are you serious? Wow. Liz Stewart (07:18) Yes, it was packed. It was packed. They had us in the lobby. They had them in the restaurant. They had them in the cabaret room. Actually, no, not the cabaret room because that was the room where we did the private interview once you got called. out of those 550 plus women, Pat Lacey, who I know we're going to talk about, chose seven and I was one of them. It changed my life. Corinna Harney-Jones (07:19) Mm. ECHO JOHNSON (07:39) Yeah. Liz Stewart (07:43) It changed my life. ECHO JOHNSON (07:45) That's cool. I love I love that it was Lacey was she the bunny mom there or was she just heading up the scouting for the clubs? Liz Stewart (07:52) no, when I met her she was the bunny mother at the Century City Club but she has such a long history as you know she was a bunny herself and she's ECHO JOHNSON (07:56) Okay. Yeah. In every sense of the word because she started out as a at the club and then she became a training bunny and then she was a jet bunny, international bunny, bunny mom. Yeah. Liz Stewart (08:13) Thank you. Yes. Yes. Corinna Harney-Jones (08:15) Now, I do have to ask, your friend ever show up? Liz Stewart (08:19) I don't remember. think she did. I know she didn't show up for a good while, but that was her style. I she would stroll in late. She was stunning. She could do that. ⁓ She did not make ECHO JOHNSON (08:20) Ha! Corinna Harney-Jones (08:22) You Liz Stewart (08:33) Yeah, so that was just the beginning of a major life change. I was a really shy girl. I mean, I was 20. Yeah, I was still a girl. Back in the 80s, we were still girls, I think, at 20 years old. And I was very shy. I was very introverted. I was not fashion conscious or makeup conscious. And ECHO JOHNSON (08:48) Yeah. Liz Stewart (08:57) which were, you know, a number of the reasons why I felt like out of place, like I really don't belong here. The assignment was to wear a leotard. That's an old word, by the way, leotard. I don't even think we use that anymore. ECHO JOHNSON (09:11) That's actually that's such a good point explained to our younger Corinna Harney-Jones (09:14) You? ECHO JOHNSON (09:16) audience what a leetard is because I have no idea. Corinna Harney-Jones (09:19) and everything, lot of them. Yeah, and dance, that's what we called them, leotards. Yeah. Liz Stewart (09:23) Yeah, well it's like a bathing suit. It's like a one-piece lighter fabric and you'd wear it with, you know, it was a one-piece so you could wear it a tight bodice with pants or a skirt. So that was the assignment and that way you could get in and out of your clothes, do the walk in your leotard and heels. The walk? ECHO JOHNSON (09:26) Yeah. Liz Stewart (09:42) was one of the things that was really important to Lacey and to the hiring team there, the manager. You had to be able to walk and have a really nice form in your body and the way your legs moved. It's really interesting because when you're in the bunny suit and you're in your heels, you're holding your tray, you've become a silhouette. I did my little interview with her. It was quick and I do remember she the last thing she said was, know, there's something special about you. It's okay. Thank you. Thank you. And I think within two or three days, I got a call to come back. I think they chose 15 to 25 women to come back and then ultimately settled on seven, it was just such an amazing time. was just kind of disbelief. mean, that's when I really just started floating a little bit above the ground because it was amazing. I just didn't feel like I was in that league. But Lacey see the inner passionate side of me, I think. And she ECHO JOHNSON (10:41) Hahaha Liz Stewart (10:54) she brought me on and she took me under her wing. could also tell that, you know, I was a newbie to fashion and to hair styling and to makeup. She could tell, but she was really kind about guiding me, not just me, all the women, gently guiding us to do our best, to be our best, to look our best. That was a big, lacy mantra. Well first of all when you're working for Playboy and when you're representing Playboy you have got to be on your A-game. There's not, I'm sure you ladies heard this from her, you've got to be on your A-game and it meant everything to Lacey from your your nails, your manicure, your pedicure, your makeup, your hair, your dress, everything. And so I really started to learn about attention to these details which before that I didn't pay attention. ECHO JOHNSON (11:26) Yeah. ⁓ Liz Stewart (11:42) ⁓ and also being as shy as I was, you know, a lot of the girls, lot of the bunnies talked about, you know, possibly trying out for the magazine, for Playmate. And I always said, never, never, never, I'll never pose naked. It's not going to happen. It was like less than two years and I'm quietly sneaking into, ⁓ an open call for Playmate. I didn't tell the bunnies because again, ECHO JOHNSON (11:58) Yeah. Oh, so you didn't tell Lacey that you're going to go to the open call? Oh, she didn't even know. Oh, wow. Okay. Liz Stewart (12:07) No. knew. I told my boyfriend he knew. And every Thursday, and this was when the studio was on the Sunset Strip, every Thursday from, I forget what time, like 11 to 1, there was an open call to any woman who wanted to do the Polaroid test. and the instructions for that was just come hair makeup ready, wear heels. That was it. So I did and I didn't tell them that I worked at the Playboy Club. I just told them I was a waitress. And I went in there and it was one of the hardest things I've ever done at least that moment, that day. ECHO JOHNSON (12:33) That was it. Liz Stewart (12:46) because I was shy. I was introverted and I wasn't really ready to do that. But it became easy after I was a bunny. It just became easy and I was fascinated by the Playmates even more now. Kerry Morris shot my centerfold, which I love. Arnie Freytag shot the rest of the layout, which back in that day we used to call it small camera. ECHO JOHNSON (13:09) I want to talk more about the cabaret room because that was very unique that that even existed. I don't know if Corinna has ever even heard of a cabaret room and a Playboy club. And then there were the singing bunnies. And you were one of those. So let's back up a little bit. Let's go back to the cabaret room. the years you were there and what that was like and and was that the only cabaret room in all of the Playboy clubs or was it Liz Stewart (13:34) I don't know because I never heard of a cabaret room at any other club. I'm not sure if it was just a Century City room. It could have been. It could have been. Well, as a bunny, you had to earn your stripes. So there were bunny, in order to get a black costume, you had to earn your stripes. ECHO JOHNSON (13:44) I feel like it was. Liz Stewart (13:58) You had to be a bunny for at least two years and loved by the key holders and loved by the bunnies. You had to be a really stand up bunny to get your black suit and also to be a cabaret bunny. That was the ultimate. You were mostly considered a senior bunny. It didn't have anything to do with your age. It just had to do with seniority as to when you started at the Playboy Club, how long you've been there, and how strong your work ethic was. So within two years, I got my cabaret costume first. I don't know why, how, because that normally didn't happen. I didn't get my black costume until I became a playmate and then Lacey gave me the honor of giving me. ECHO JOHNSON (14:38) So. She gave you that. So for our audience, tell us because I just found out about this from one of our most loyal fans in our YouTube community. And he brought up that there was a different version and style of the bunny suit. And it was the cabaret suit, I guess. ⁓ Liz Stewart (15:05) Yeah, it was so sexy. It was much, I think, even sexier. The Playboy costume, the bunny costume is the sexiest, but the Calvary took it to another level. The the top of the costume was even lower, closer to your nipples. Kind of like old school Victorian push up with a little bit of lace and the corset. ECHO JOHNSON (15:24) Mm-hmm. Liz Stewart (15:27) but it didn't stop at the hips. It flowed out a little bit again, and then you had panties on that matched. Soap panties, garters, and I think we did fishnets, whatever the color of your costume was. If it was black, then you had black. If it was blue, then you were in all blue. It was so hot. It was so hot. People would keep... ECHO JOHNSON (15:40) Yeah. Hahaha Liz Stewart (15:52) key club members would rent the room out for special occasions. And then that meant you were getting all of our top bunnies to work your event. When Hef came, Hef threw a party for me when my magazine hit the newsstand and he threw it in the cabaret room. Yeah, I remember I was wearing a black fitted skirt and a silver mesh halter. And Lacey spoke and then Hef spoke and then he introduced me and then I was on the verge of tears. I didn't cry. I didn't. I'm so glad I didn't. And it was actually the first time that I met him was on that stage. So I'll never forget. I'll never forget. He introduced me. I walked up. He opened his arms, he hugged me, he welcomed me into the Playboy family. And I remember saying to him, I am so grateful for all of this. And he said, you're always welcome at my home. This was like whispered between us as, you know, I was going to then go onto the mic and do that. Wow, guys, what a great, great time. ECHO JOHNSON (17:00) super special to have like just just to have even one-on-one with hef ever But to have like that moment where he's whispering that to you. That's just like my gosh. Let me say want to cry That is awesome, Liz Corinna Harney-Jones (17:06) Yeah Liz Stewart (17:13) It was, it was whispered to me and it was a genuine invitation and a welcoming into the family and I just had to hold it together in that moment. Corinna Harney-Jones (17:25) time you had ever met him? Was that your initial meeting? Liz Stewart (17:29) That was the first time I ever met him, was on that stage. Yeah, I'd already done the photo shoot, the layout, and then the magazine hit the stand, and then we had that cabaret room party. It was really fun. Corinna Harney-Jones (17:42) How do you feel like that changed? Do you remember the world changing for you when you became a centerfold versus being a bunny? obviously it was such an honor to be a bunny, but what you remember feeling when you first saw your magazine on newsstands. Liz Stewart (18:01) ⁓ disbelief and yes I mean becoming a bunny was just like growing into a young lady overnight I felt like all the other bunnies to me they were so stunning and I I really felt like I really don't belong here but I'm gonna run with it and the women were so sweet and kind and to this day they are some of my best friends and this is how many years later it's wonderful Corinna Harney-Jones (18:26) who are some of your best friends that you keep in touch with? Liz Stewart (18:29) from the Playboy Club. Corinna Harney-Jones (18:31) Yes, yeah, from the Playboy Club and maybe playmates that are still your friends. Liz Stewart (18:36) ⁓ Well from the club, Sandy, Bunny Sandy, is my dear dear dear dear friend, Bunny DJ. DJ tried out for Playmate. I forget what happened, but she was in the magazine pictorials a couple of times. I'd say, and there's a couple of other girls, you know, like ten of us that would still get together. We still go for cocktails and we still do exactly the same thing. We still talk shit. We still drink. And it's like the years haven't passed us. Corinna Harney-Jones (19:04) Love it. you are just as stunning today as you were. I'm telling you, you're gorgeous. ECHO JOHNSON (19:13) unique to Liz is that in your centerfold, they really ⁓ conveyed you being a bunny, right? Like you had your bow tie on, you had your super cute shortcut. Liz Stewart (19:26) the styling was Marilyn Grabowski and ⁓ because we had done maybe two different playmate tests which is two different days where I went and shot with ⁓ it was still Carrie Morris two different locations one time I shot at Marilyn's apartment a really cool apartment in West Hollywood and I forget where my second playmate test was. And then ultimately when she brought me in, you don't know how they're gonna set up your centerfold. And I was so disappointed that my centerfold was my work costume. I wanted lingerie, like all the other girls had these. amazing lingerie or nude with jewelry and heels and I really wanted that. I was a little bit disappointed I have to tell you that I love my centerfold. I love it and I appreciate so much now her ECHO JOHNSON (20:20) specifically because she really, and I assume it was probably worked out between her and Hef of what was gonna be conveyed around the Playmate of the Month because I know for me, they went very Southwest because I was from Santa Fe, New Mexico and so they really played that up. And then in my centerfold, couldn't get the shoes right. So Marilyn had these fabulous, Liz Stewart (20:23) you ECHO JOHNSON (20:45) I want to say they were like leopard print boots and those that's what I ended up wearing in my centerfold her boots Liz Stewart (20:50) Her boots? Amazing. Corinna Harney-Jones (20:53) on eggs. Liz Stewart (20:54) Amazing. So I really think the centerfold idea was hers. I don't think that Hef collaborated on it. She mentioned to me, she felt that I had a long waist and that she picked that pose, which she was familiar with because of my waistline. So she really... I mean she's a whole meeting in herself. She was an extension of Hef's inner eye. She really was. She really was a major mentor in my life. Besides Pat Lacey, ⁓ Marilyn Grabowski, major mentor in my life. ECHO JOHNSON (21:30) you did like all of the playmate promotions you were traveling You actually mentioned something about ⁓ Lacey made sure to clear your schedule at the club because you were working simultaneously as a bunny and as a playmate and she made sure that you're able to do both and that again what a great honor. Liz Stewart (21:47) Yes, because everybody thought I was going to leave, including Lacey, once I became a playmate. But the club was such a happy, happy place to work at. I made a ton of money, really good money. We put our tips in our cleavage. And it was, you know, it was okay if your, if your wad was exposed. of bills. ECHO JOHNSON (22:03) Hahaha Corinna Harney-Jones (22:04) That's it. Liz Stewart (22:12) girls would have big wads sticking out of the boobies Corinna Harney-Jones (22:13) Nice! ECHO JOHNSON (22:18) Getting the dollars up in the club, but not that kind of club. Corinna Harney-Jones (22:21) That's... ECHO JOHNSON (22:22) that's super cool. Liz Stewart (22:22) So I didn't want to quit. I just wasn't ready to let go of my girlfriends, of Lacey, of my time with the key holders. I had built friendships and real solid friendships and relationships and I wasn't ready to just run off and be a playmate. So I tried very hard to stick around the club as long as I could. I think I worked there another... two or three years. she did, Lacey did everything to accommodate so that I could do everything. I could do all the playmate stuff that was lined up for me and then I could come back to the club and hang out and just be a bunny again. It was, it was really, really wonderful. ECHO JOHNSON (23:01) Yeah, and for our audience again, like that's a very unique situation. as I said earlier, there was a, what was the quote exactly? Because it was perfectly said. Oh, that the Playboy Playmates and the Playboy Bunnies they were fundamentally different roles, right? Because most people think that, oh, you're a centerfold, you're a Playboy Bunny, but it's like, no, no, no, that's a whole other world and an absolutely coveted title to hold. And then for you to have like both, mean, that's just incredible. Corinna Harney-Jones (23:31) Yeah, you guys are both lucky that you got to, because Echo, you even got to wear the costume. I think I know why now I never got to. When you said about the silhouette, I'm bow-legged. I'm bow-legged. So they were like, oops, it ruins the silhouette, because I have a little bit of, you know, have those skinny bow legs. Liz Stewart (23:53) You know what? This was, I mean, my comment about that was back in the 80s. It was 1982. Corinna Harney-Jones (24:02) Yeah, yeah, that was iconic. That was just an iconic time. mean, yeah, we were 90s girls, but HEF had brought back the costume and certain girls were selected that had, you had to have a very specific figure for Bunny. Centerfolds are a different ball game. Liz Stewart (24:22) to have the shape to really carry off the costume. But then, you know, before you knew it, everybody was wearing the costume. The shape didn't matter anymore. This was now in the 2016s and it was still lovely on all women. So I'm glad that the costume evolved that way from no, you're bow-legged. So to hey, everybody and any woman is beautiful in a Corinna Harney-Jones (24:42) Yeah. ⁓ ECHO JOHNSON (24:48) Yeah, it was it was really cool. It was for the 60th anniversary. So it was the only time I was able to wear it. But I got put in the black suit. And, my god, I was so tempted to take it. But Lacey like, before we all went out there, she's like, I want all of this returned back and like we're doing inventory. But I'll tell you who got away with it. And she has it is Carrie Yazel And I'm like, my god, Carrie, I just want to get the the bunny suit from her. So we can then have it like tailored again, and make one for ourselves. Corinna Harney-Jones (25:01) Hahaha my. I got to be a jet bunny here in Vegas, you're centerfold, Liz, and you learned a lot from Marilyn. Is that where you picked up your eye for design was Did you think ECHO JOHNSON (25:30) Thank you. Corinna Harney-Jones (25:34) This is what I want to do. Did you notice how elaborate the sets were? I know you worked with our dear friend's dad, Sarah Cranham. Liz Stewart (25:43) yeah. I actually got into design. I got married after doing my Playboy stuff, and then I had children. I settled down for a few years to be a mom. And at that time, I went to UCLA and I got my interior designer's certification, because I was always interested in that. You know, life happens. I ended up getting divorced, going on my own, starting my own business, selling real estate and doing interior design. And then I went on and got my contractor's license and I started designing and building homes in LA, Beverly Hills, Brentwood. I've got many 12 or 15 homes that I designed and built. 2004, I started thinking about the next level of design for myself. And I knew that I wanted to work in television. It looked super exciting. I just didn't know how to get in. One day, I had this light bulb, you know? Playmates get amazing sets and most people don't know that. Most people look at the playmate, they look at the centerfold and they think she's on location, she's in a pool, she's in a locker room. No, those were all sets and I knew that because I had a set. So it just dawned on me timing is amazing. I called Arne Freytag, famous Playboy photographer who ended up doing my small camera. And I said, Arnie, you know, I've been doing construction. I've been doing remodeling, and I've been doing interior design. I'm trying and thinking of a way to get into set design. And it just dawned on me that I would love to come in and maybe try my hand at helping out with the sets. He was so gracious. He brought me in. Obviously, he had to get it cleared with Marilyn. She said, fine, bring her in. And initially I was just working for him on his shoots and he introduced me to John Cranham. John Cranham was an amazing, amazing creator. So many of the magazines, like there's one magazine and I don't remember the month or the year, the playmate or the cover girl is holding a guitar and it's in the shape of a bunny head. Do you guys recall that? He made that. in a day. He got a piece of wood, made a guitar, a wooden guitar, it looked real, and he did so many and he taught me how to do these things. He taught me how to shop, he taught me where to go, he taught me how to layer, and the more I did, and I was fascinated and I was having a great time, the more I did, the more he leaned back and let me. It was such a wonderful thing. Corinna Harney-Jones (28:00) you Liz Stewart (28:12) He was, most people aren't that giving in a creative world where it's so competitive and believe me Playboy Studio West, we were in Santa Monica, super competitive. Everybody in there was top notch and if you were not top notch you knew it and everybody knew it and you didn't last. And I learned that very, very quickly. So unfortunately he got very ill I'd say a year or two years after I I'd been working under him. He got very ill and left the company. And I saw an opportunity and I asked Marilyn if I could take over his role. And she said, yes. And she said, now you're going to work for me. And I want you to take the office next to mine. ECHO JOHNSON (28:52) Wow, that's also, that had to have a level of like, I don't know, I'd be terrified. Because like Marilyn Grabowski no joke. Liz Stewart (28:58) I was. I I was terrified. honestly, like her office was the corner office. And then there was an office next to her. And then there was another office. And I instead of taking the office next to her, which she told me to do, I acted like I didn't get it. And I took the office two doors away because I was scared. Corinna Harney-Jones (29:21) that's funny. Liz Stewart (29:22) She never brought it up. She proceeded to thoroughly kick my ass once she brought me on and said, you're working for me now. She thoroughly kicked my ass all the time. She made me cry numerous times. ⁓ But I've got to tell you, I rose to whatever, because I just thought she was one of the most creative women I'd ever met. Corinna Harney-Jones (29:32) you ECHO JOHNSON (29:35) Yeah, I believe it. Corinna Harney-Jones (29:42) the Devil Wears Prada. I can picture you as this sweet thing that, yeah, because she was tough but demanded a lot. Liz Stewart (29:52) Exactly the character was written after Marilyn Grebbel. I promise. I'll tell you a quick story. I started working now for her. So if she's designing a set and she's creating a set, she's having me do what she needs. Liz, we were working on a set for an attorney. It was a pictorial for an attorney. She says I need a rug for this room. It was a boardroom. and I remember running out. We didn't have digital yet. We did, but we weren't really using it. I'd have to go to CVS, to the drugstore, get prints made really fast, and then get back to her office, because it was never fast enough. My very first assignment from her, Liz, I need you to go find me a rug for this room. So I know the room. I know the colors of the walls and I know where the lights are. And I know it's a big, dark table. And I came back to her desk. Same day. I go shopping all over Hollywood, taking pictures. I'm running. I'm running. Just like Emily in the Devil Wears Prada. Just like that. So I get to her office by three, four o'clock. I hand her the photos. She had a big desk. It was massive. You had to lean over to hand her shit. I hand her the photos. boy, I'm trembling. She flips it on her table, flips it on her table, she gets to the third one, and she throws them at me. My dog wouldn't shit on these rugs. Corinna Harney-Jones (31:14) holy sh- holy shit! jeez! you poor thing! oh my gosh! Liz Stewart (31:20) I'm sure that my mouth dropped and my eyes bulged and you never talk back and you never question her ever. You couldn't say, but you said Red no, no. My Lord. ⁓ I like gingerly grabbed the photos off her desk and then I picked them up off the floor and I backed out of the room. ECHO JOHNSON (31:28) No. No. Corinna Harney-Jones (31:34) Not true. Liz Stewart (31:44) You Corinna Harney-Jones (31:45) ⁓ my gosh. my gosh. Liz Stewart (31:48) I said, okay, Marilyn, I'll get back on it. And I just fled my way right out of the room. I'll never want to forget that. Corinna Harney-Jones (31:55) what was your favorite playmate set that you ever worked on? Liz Stewart (31:59) Man, there was something really great about both photographers. They had their own style. If I was going to design for Arnie, I knew what his style was. And he kind of stuck to it. It was a wonderful thing. It was good. Steve Wayda was more out there, and he liked to explore. And pretty soon, he let me start giving him ideas, and he would run with them. That was so exciting. My... I have so many. And ultimately then, the guys in the art department, you know, started complaining because I was starting to design these more elaborate sets, more elaborate, more work. I need more build time. I need more labor. And it's heavier. Lundquist. She's from South Africa. Petite, beautiful black girl. and I built an African safari three room set in the studio in San Monica. And it was made out of like African timbers, thatched roof. I put a roof on it. The bed was a carved, you know, African looking bed. And then I brought in these beautiful African bright colors and Centerfold is one of my favorites. It's a down shot. She's on the bed and something as simple as this is so important. had arranged, you know, we would arrange the sheets or the bedding to follow the curve of your body to either accent or maybe disguise a little bit. So the sheets were always, you know, perfect. were in spot. Each curve was in its spot and it didn't move. And if you look at her down shot, she's on the bed, it's a down shot, she's surrounded by these colors and she's tucked in at the waist with the fabric. I love it. I love it. Then I did, this is the cover page on my website, the swimming pool in Greece. I really, I forget. Corinna Harney-Jones (33:49) ⁓ Liz Stewart (33:59) I can't think of her name right now. Long dark hair, petite girl, and she's kneeling in the pool. Behind her is a Greek bedroom with Greek, you can see the round bed in the Greek bedroom. The walls are stone, faux stone, but they look stone, and the sun is setting. Nope, it's dark. The moon is shining over the ocean in the background. I love that set. Corinna Harney-Jones (34:28) ⁓ wow. Wow. Liz Stewart (34:29) There are some times that I did huge things and you'd only see then other times you'd see more of it. I have so many favorites. have so many. So many. Anna Berglund. Corinna Harney-Jones (34:34) that work. Thank you. Liz Stewart (34:43) I did a beautiful pink like Marilyn Monroe princess set for her. Heart shaped bed, heart shaped mattress, pink satin and she had a dresser, everything was pink and chandeliers. I just did the gamut from know nighttime Las Vegas bars to intimate. Corinna Harney-Jones (34:48) ⁓ that on your website. Gorgeous. mean, you are, you're, you're so talented. Even the just, yeah, the colors, the lighting, everything, everything about it. So elegant. And you definitely have a specific style, you know, looking at all of your things on your website. And then you did a house divided. ⁓ Liz Stewart (35:24) Oh yes, I did three seasons. That was a wonderful experience. Very, very, very underpaid. Very underpaid. 17 hours, 17 hour days, six days a week. But I was doing it because I was creating these amazing sets. The story of A House Divided, I think Lawrence Jacob was the lead. He's the family dad. And it's a black family ridden with theft, drugs, sex, improprieties, all the good stuff that you want to see on TV. And there was lots of really next level Sounds crazy, but it was fun. ECHO JOHNSON (36:04) that sounds like a dream to Corinna. She loves that kind of stuff. Corinna Harney-Jones (36:07) ⁓ yeah, definitely dreamed. Liz Stewart (36:08) Yeah. Corinna Harney-Jones (36:11) it amazes me. Well, because of Playboy when I was doing the Playboy videos, Dan Butz who went on to do some of my favorite set design. Well, one of my favorite, the flight of the concourse he ended up doing set design for. And did you ever meet Dan Butz or work with ⁓ like Trikillis productions? He did a lot of the Playboy videos. But I got to work with him and go get the Polynesian things for the Polynesian set and all of the things. But so I admire what you do, because I remember it was a lot. Liz Stewart (36:45) He built huge sets. I didn't get to work with him ever. I was on set with him. Like sometimes Playboy Magazine and Playboy TV would go to, I don't know, there was some camping, big camping event, and it was being televised. So he had huge sets and I had little sets. Corinna Harney-Jones (36:47) ⁓ yeah, yeah. everything that I've seen on your website, And the fact that you do interior design and went to school for that is just so impressive. You know, we're always so proud. you know, we are a family, so honored to meet you ECHO JOHNSON (37:14) So then. Liz Stewart (37:20) Thank I'm so happy at this time now in my life. Playboy was such a huge positive lift in my life for decades and it still is. It still is. I'm not working there anymore but... just the fact that I'm talking to you and I'm doing bunny chronicles and we're sharing these stories and we're talking about these people that we really care about. These amazingly talented people. Back in the 80s and the 90s, there was a different ethic in the art world. You had to be really talented. Like you had to make it with your hands. Now we have AI and we have so many places that we can go buy or shop or, you know, get it done. But back then, It was like last man standing was the one who could pull art out of their ass. And I learned that. Like, where's the tin cup? I remember freezing. God, the tin cup, the tin cup. Fuck, I forgot the tin cup. I'm running around the location. I see a tin cup. my God, here it is. ECHO JOHNSON (38:22) That's awesome. And then so was it was it it's because Playboy Studios Playboy Studio West for our audience is what we would call the studios in Los Angeles West Coast, right? There at one point there were the Chicago studios, but by this time that had already like gone away. So was that 2014 that the studios closed? Yeah. Okay. Corinna Harney-Jones (38:24) We- Liz Stewart (38:45) It was. I think it was actually... Yes, it was. It was 1415. And that's when Playboy just consolidated for, I think it was for money reasons and company tightening. New York was shipped to Chicago, whoever was going to remain from New York. And then eventually Chicago, same thing. And it was sad because I remember ECHO JOHNSON (38:58) Yeah. Liz Stewart (39:12) working with some New York producers, a lot of the time, New York producers would have a shoot that was assigned for whatever reason to this producer in New York. They would call Studio West and say, you know, we're going to send the producer out there, but we need a set or we need a location or we need props. And then that's how I would get involved. Patty Bode, do you remember Patty Bode at all? Either of you? Yeah. Corinna Harney-Jones (39:37) That sounds very familiar to me. Liz Stewart (39:41) Chicago producer maybe she even started in New York I did a lot of stuff with her mostly pictorials like girls of girls of Starbucks or girls of college things like that those projects would for whatever reason get sent to New York or Chicago producer and then sometimes shot there or if it was shot here then I would be involved. ECHO JOHNSON (40:02) So then how did it come to be? Did they approach you? so for our audience, This is the end. This is the beginning of the end of Playboy as we knew it, right? ⁓ Majority ownership had been sold off to a venture capitalist company and they are the ones that own it today. And so yes, correct. They were consolidating a lot of things because they were hemorrhaging money and the mansion was the most expensive part of everything that they had, the upkeep of that. Liz Stewart (40:12) Yeah. ECHO JOHNSON (40:29) But with that said, they did build new offices in Beverly Hills. And it was around that time then that Cooper Hefner stepped in as what it wasn't editor in chief. He wanted to be editor in chief, right? What was his title exactly? Liz Stewart (40:43) He headed up the digital department. Corinna Harney-Jones (40:49) And you worked closely with him at that time. That's when you were working with him. Liz Stewart (40:54) I was already at Civic Center because they moved us from Santa Monica to Civic Center. So I was already there and we were shooting in this little dungeon type studio. Really no more sets at that point. So I was just doing props or wardrobe styling. And then Cooper joined the company after I started. and I think they made him the head of the digital department. And I ended up in the video department, which reported to Cooper. And I have to say that I really think it's just my work ethic and my love for the company that has helped me move forward because Marilyn saw it and Arnie saw it, people saw it and then they gave me chances to work and then after chances they gave me opportunities to grow. So I think that's the main reason why I've been so successful. I love the brand. and that's just my personality. I'm a worker bee. I love what I do. I couldn't be happier. So Cooper, I'm gonna guess, saw this and he wasn't a buddy He was a boss. And he was tough and he was mean. And it was okay because I wanted to please him. He had visions of... creating digital content that would bring, you know, people to Playboy Online. That's what they were really trying to float at that time, and the magazine was now maybe six times a year of that. No nudity. Remember when we went to No Nudity? That was painful. The biggest... He had me do a number of assignments. There was others. There were other... producers there besides me that he would give assignments to but he gave me some great assignments and I think he gave them to me because he knew I could do it. Never, he never... He wasn't like complimentary. He was just a straight, hard boss. So it was just for me in my heart to read between the lines. I really think he likes my work. I'm not sure, but I think that's why I'm getting these opportunities. Otherwise, I don't know why he would give me these things. I did a travel show and I found a couple that was already traveling around the world. taping themselves. They were cute, they were handsome and sexy and I started per Cooper's outline and instructions. did a series, sorry I can't remember the name of the series anymore, but it was about it was a traveling show and it happened to be with a sexy couple. It was cute, it was hot. The best assignment, my last assignment, no my second to last assignment. was he wanted to bring back the Playmate videos. I don't remember when they stopped. I know that when I was a Playmate in 84, I had to do a Playmate video. I really didn't want to. I was uncomfortable. It was with Chakilis. Did you guys see Playmate videos? You did? Corinna Harney-Jones (43:35) you. Yeah. Liz Stewart (43:37) Did you like it or? Corinna Harney-Jones (43:38) I actually had fun, but I didn't love it. And then not knowing that I wanted to get into acting, I had a few people tell me, probably shouldn't do these if you wanted to, if you wanted ever move on to anything else. But I mean, I had already posed for Playboys, so it was decent money. And then it was fun. I never felt, I don't know, but I didn't do any crazy, it was all, Liz Stewart (43:41) Yeah. Corinna Harney-Jones (44:06) like Wet n Wild and whatever the different ones were in the 90s. And we just thought it was funny and silly. ECHO JOHNSON (44:14) Okay. Well, it definitely was. That's funny actually because when doing my research, I like to go to the Wayback Machine, which is a full archive of the internet since the internet even came to be. And I found all of our, well, I found all of the Playboy After Dark, Playboy Penthouse, like the old stuff from the 60s, all the shows. And then I found our videos and you can download them. And one of them, I think it's a Wet and Wild one, Corinna, you're in it, I'm in it. But it's really funny. to watch those I showed my daughter one of them with me and Barbara we're doing this fashion show and she goes yeah you were definitely not meant to be a runway model mom like you're a good model but not runway and to me like I just like I I didn't like them because it was so tedious to me I'm I never wanted to do acting it was not my gig I did not like doing them at all but it was part of our contract we had to you know and you got paid so Liz Stewart (45:08) Yeah. Yeah, I did it because I had to. I didn't want to. I was much too shy for it. It turned out fine. I went to Cabo with Trachylus and it was fine. Corinna Harney-Jones (45:10) Yeah. the Cabo with Trachilis too. We had a blast. I remember being in Cabo. What year were you there with them? They loved going there. Liz Stewart (45:31) Yeah, I probably did my video in 84, 85. And I went twice, because I went to Cabo with Arnie and Marilyn for the magazine. And then Trikillis said, well, let's just take her back to Cabo to keep the theme going. Corinna Harney-Jones (45:47) Yeah, ECHO JOHNSON (45:49) She looks good in CABO Corinna Harney-Jones (45:49) but I feel you. It can be uncomfortable if you're shy for sure. I was too, so I feel your pain. it's, yeah, yeah. Liz Stewart (46:00) it was kind of like well I'm sitting on a rock and I forget who says okay so run your hand up your body that's the Corinna Harney-Jones (46:07) Yeah. ECHO JOHNSON (46:08) thing. I hated that. Corinna Harney-Jones (46:08) Yes. Yes. ECHO JOHNSON (46:10) And I was extending that to my daughter. I was like, there because she's like, wait, is that real paparazzi? Are you guys like actually doing a fashion show? I was like, No, it's like a movie set. And they tell you, know, run your hands up the whole Playboy thing. Me too. Corinna Harney-Jones (46:21) Yes. Liz Stewart (46:21) I hated that. It was so unnatural and maybe it was just not me. Which brings me to Cooper deciding he wants to bring back the Playmate videos. I was so interested and he he gave, we're in a meeting, all of the video producers on his team. And he's saying but I want glamour. I don't want Corinna Harney-Jones (46:26) Yeah, no. ECHO JOHNSON (46:26) Yeah, yeah, agreed. Liz Stewart (46:44) cheapy cheapy. He did not want Trakillus look. Didn't want that. And I was like, wow, this is sounding hot. He's explaining what he wants and it's glamorous. It's high end. It's about the woman that we're shooting. Really about her. Is she an artist? Is she... a mom, whatever it is, we're going to explore that. We're going to make it super sexy and glamorous. And we're going to get her naked on video. And he says, so I'm looking for somebody to lead this. And I did it so fast that I apologized because everybody in the room, you know, snapped their necks and looked at me like, hello. I said, I'm sorry. I just. I just really feel like I could do this. He goes, you got it. Just like that. Just like that. And I said, well, you know, in fairness to everybody in the room, you know, I kind of just jumped the gun. goes, no, it's done. And that's really how he operated. ECHO JOHNSON (47:39) think that his, I mean, just how you're explaining how he was as a boss, mean, obviously he watched his father, you know, as he grew up. Do you think that was just innate in him or obviously learned from his dad? Like he was meant to be in that role. And it makes me so sad that, Corinna Harney-Jones (47:55) Good point. I was wondering. ECHO JOHNSON (48:00) you know what happened to play with the end of the day and then he just saw the writing on the wall and was like, I'm out, you know, because he was he was perfect to run that that or to be in that sort of position even to be the editor in chief and didn't happen. Liz Stewart (48:14) Yeah, he had an uphill battle from, you know, it wasn't he wasn't working with his dad. He was working with this RISD corporation and RISD had. Cooper wanted to Cooper wanted to lift up the magazine and make it glorious again, and RISD wanted to wipe out the old news and just create something brand new with no nudity. ECHO JOHNSON (48:24) Yeah. decimated. Corinna Harney-Jones (48:37) Yeah. Liz Stewart (48:38) So he, my guess is that yeah, he struggled with that while he was there. I think he did. He kept it, you he kept everything super low key and professional. There was a lot of issues between what he wanted and what Rizvi wanted. Anyway, it was an amazing time because he looked so much like his dad. ECHO JOHNSON (48:39) Yeah. Yeah, I can imagine. I was just gonna say that he looks just like his dad when his dad was young at that age. It's crazy. Corinna Harney-Jones (49:02) Yeah. Liz Stewart (49:05) Yeah, yeah. And his demeanor was tougher than Dad, because when I worked with Hef, he had a softer tone. mean, you knew he was the bottom line and you certainly didn't question it or even think about questioning, but he had a softer approach and a softer tone, whereas maybe Cooper had a, I don't want to say harsher tone, just much more direct and much quicker. And I think that's probably... Yeah, he was trying to be his best. He really was. He was trying to be his best. I believe that he wanted to save the company. He wanted to create something fabulous again. And I think he didn't have the support from the big players. Corinna Harney-Jones (49:29) There really was only one death, you know? ECHO JOHNSON (49:46) He didn't. And now he didn't. That's why he left. That's ultimately why he left. Liz Stewart (49:50) Yeah. Yeah. So I created 12 Playmate videos just to wrap this up. I don't know. I've not seen them. I have my cuts. They're stunning. Stunning videos. Gosh. I don't know which one is my favorite. One gal. I know. Nina Danielle, Playmate of the Year. I showed her the video at her playmate party and she started crying. She loved it. I took her out to the forest and I made her out to be a little red riding hood. And I found the most amazing red velvet, beautiful. I mean everything had to be beautiful because I was from production design so I was into everything when I was producing. It was an amazing video. All 12 were amazing. I don't know what those things are. I wish they would post them. All the girls loved them. Nina Danielle talked about empowerment and the story of know Little Red Riding Hood overcoming the Big Bad Wolf and how she was an empowered woman. We went out to some forest somewhere, I don't know, I found the location, and it brought coyotes in. no, no, not coyotes. Wolves. With the trainers, and then as she gets nude, and she takes off her cape, she's not wearing a lot, she's, you know, interacting with these wolves, with these white wolves. It is so beautiful and sensual. Corinna Harney-Jones (51:10) Wow. Wow. So we always ask, always ask all of our guests, what are three things that, how you would describe HEF? Three words to describe HEF to you. Liz Stewart (51:22) ⁓ kind Generous, playful. ECHO JOHNSON (51:29) playful. don't think we've heard that. That's a good one. Yeah. Yeah. And his laugh was the best. I love when he laughed. Corinna Harney-Jones (51:31) We have it! We love it! Liz Stewart (51:33) He'd love to have fun. He'd love to have fun. I mean, it was the best. So, Corinna Harney-Jones (51:41) that is a playmate. he came up with the Yeah, playful. I love that playful, it's been such a treat, Liz and so wonderful to hear just your perspective and, your journey with Playboy. and it's, it's really been neat getting to hear all of your beautiful stories and now I want to go look at these videos and look at these pictorials. Liz Stewart (52:06) if you want to know which sets I did, was December 2004 all the way to 2016-17. Most of the sets were mine. Corinna Harney-Jones (52:18) What a career. ECHO JOHNSON (52:18) you were you were there like HEF died in 2017. Wow. Well, okay. Well, then that's actually a perfect segue into how do you have or did you even see HEF probably not because Crystal didn't allow anybody to go up there and see him. But had you had the opportunity to do so what would you say to have and in memoriam Liz Stewart (52:23) Yeah. Yeah. God, I would just thank him and I know that I believe that he was really just a giving, giving person with all of the Playmates and his staff. And I don't think he has a clue or had a clue how, what a wonderful impact Playboy had in my life and how it just changed my life for the better. And if I could just share with him like two, three minutes of how he really changed my life for the better. I'm sure I would have been fine without Playboy, but it just catapulted me. Forget stardom. It just catapulted me into a world of success. And I'm in two amazing sororities for life, my playmate sorority and my bunny sorority. There's no money that ECHO JOHNSON (53:22) Yeah, yeah, yeah. Liz Stewart (53:32) you know, can cover that. That I still have... My playmate sisters will be my playmate sisters until I die. And same with my group of bunny gals. There's so much value in that. I mean, how many women have friends like we do? A lot. And if I wasn't a playmate, I probably wouldn't have as many girlfriends as I do. Corinna Harney-Jones (53:46) you ECHO JOHNSON (53:47) now. Yeah, yeah, no, not at all. mean, and that's like, that's always like the common theme whenever we get a chance to talk to playmates. Well, actually, everybody who we've interviewed who is a part of the Playboy family, the one thing that really stuck out was how long people stayed in their positions at Playboy and not just spoke volumes to Playboy to Hugh Hefner, you weren't going to stay if it was some, you know, if there was weird stuff going on, first of all, that people think was always happening, that would have come up 10, 20, 30 years before. That obviously wasn't happening. People loved working for Playboy and they stayed. And that is just a testament again to Hugh Hefner and what he created. And I think you're right, Liz. don't know if he ever knew how much. He impacted each and every one of our lives and really did set us up for success. mean, everything I do today is direct reflection of being a Playboy Playmate and being affiliated with the company, Corinna as well. Liz Stewart (54:49) Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I remember when I was at Civic Center, we had a term for people like, you know, Patty Baudet, who I mentioned, and Marilyn Grabowski, and certain editors. They were called lifers. If you were there over 30 years, you were a lifer. Corinna Harney-Jones (55:03) Hmm. ECHO JOHNSON (55:05) Yeah, yeah. And Lacey being there for 55 years, that blew my mind when I found that out. was like, whoa, that is wild. That's your entire life, your entire adult life. Corinna Harney-Jones (55:06) Yeah. Liz Stewart (55:16) Yeah, she was a lifer. She is a lifer. So... ECHO JOHNSON (55:19) She's a lifer. She's a lifer right now trying to escape out of the kitchen. I told Corinna that Corinna was like, ⁓ no, but then I told her I was like she has she definitely has her bunny friends, really dear sisters around her who are checking in on her and talking to her. Liz Stewart (55:24) Hahaha Corinna Harney-Jones (55:29) ⁓ man, yeah. Liz Stewart (55:38) Yeah. Corinna Harney-Jones (55:39) I have her book back here. Liz Stewart (55:41) Black Bunny Did you guys go to that party? you there for the book launch? It was her friend's house in Bel Air and Cooper came. He had already left the company and I had just left as well. So it was amazing. It was amazing. She had so much support and you know we recently, not recently, gosh seems like recently, I took her to the Mark Saginor celebration of life. Were you there for that? ECHO JOHNSON (56:07) Mm-hmm. Yeah, I'm stuck. Liz Stewart (56:09) That's right. Okay, I thought so. Took her there for that. And you know how popular she was? And I was watching her because we were around a pool and tables were around the pool and it was very easy to slip into the pool. So I had my eye on her. She was so popular. Like everybody was greeting her and I dont think she remember half the people, but they were all, Lacey Lacey ECHO JOHNSON (56:25) Yeah. loving on her. Yeah, I have some really good pictures of all of us surrounding her and she's sitting down and she's just grinning from ear to ear and that's the last time that most of us will probably ever see her. so precious. She's so adored and loved. Corinna Harney-Jones (56:37) one of the best. Liz Stewart (56:42) And the chair. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I think I have that. It ECHO JOHNSON (56:52) For our audience too, the book we're talking about written by Pat Lacey is The Black Bunnyhop and we encourage you to purchase it. can find it on Amazon. It is a very, it's an awesome read and it's just her whole life story and all things Playboy. Liz Stewart (57:10) Yeah, it's an amazing book. It's an amazing story. Pat Lacey is an absolute amazing woman. That's an example of how lucky I've been to be part of Playboy got to meet people. I mean, I got to have her as a major part of my life. you know, same with the photographers and even the photo assistants that worked for Steve or Arnie. They were top notch. ECHO JOHNSON (57:15) Yeah. Liz Stewart (57:34) were top-notch people. It was so edgy in there because everybody was so talented and if you didn't fit in it was obvious. So it was a motivator. Corinna Harney-Jones (57:44) Thank ECHO JOHNSON (57:46) Yeah, well we are so happy that we got to do this interview with you is there anything that you want to that you want to pitch is there a website or anything that our audience should know about or check out or Liz Stewart (57:58) Well, I have my website, which I love. Probably needs a little updating, but that's OK. It's still fantastic. LizStewartProductions.com. And I moved to Florida. So I'm in Florida right now. And I'm going to see what creative ventures I can create out here. And I'll be back in LA. I love LA. I do. ECHO JOHNSON (58:21) Yeah. Well, thank you so very much for coming on the show and to our audience. Thank you so much for the continued support and love and admiration and questions. mean, our audience is always asking, interesting questions and wants to know about different eras So to our audience, we thank you so much. Continue to follow us. If you're watching this on YouTube, make sure that you like subscribe. Liz Stewart (58:26) Thanks for having me. ECHO JOHNSON (58:47) And leave a comment down below of what else you would like to know about Alright, so we will see you all next time. Thank you so much Liz. Thank you, Corinna. I love you ladies. Corinna Harney-Jones (58:48) Yeah. Liz Stewart (58:57) Thank you. Thank you, Corinna. Thank you, Corinna Harney-Jones (59:00) Love

Playboy Bunny at the Century City Cabaret Room to Playboy Centerfold to Playboy Set Designer: Liz Stewart Miss July 1984:

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