Diane Webber became a cult figure as one of the top pin - up models of the 1950s and early 1960s. She modeled for art study magazines , nudist mags (she was a nudist activist) and all the top men's magazines of the period. She was Playboy's Playmate of the Month twice. In May of 1955. And in February of 1956. The second photo shoot was by the legendary Russ Meyers. I first knew her from an episode of the television series VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA
(season 3 episode 19) in 1967 in which she played
a mermaid. A role she also played in 1962 in the flick MERMAIDS OF
TIBURON.
Born Marguerite Diane Theresa Emprey on July 29, 1932, she was the daughter of pulp and screenwriter Arthur Guy Emprey and the former Marguerite Andrus (a former Miss Long Beach beauty contest winner and actress). As a girl she would study ballet under Maria Bekefi. After graduating from Hollywood High, she took a job as a chorus girl in San Francisco. It was there that she began modeling for such noted photographers as Bunny Yeager. The camera loved her and her 39c-23-37 figure.
Diane would also appear on the covers of paperbacks and album covers. Among others she was the model on Nelson Riddle's SEA OF DREAMS and Les Baxter's JEWELS OF THE SEA. She was also featured on a number of popular television shows. A professional belly dancer Diane was also featured in such cult flicks as THE WITCHMAKER (1969) and THE TRIAL OF BILLY JACK (1974) as respectively a belly dancing witch and a belly dance instructor. But I'll always remember her as the beautiful mermaid with the Creature from the Black Lagoon-like mate that I first saw as a ten year old on VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA.
For years I imagined her portraying Princess Python of the Circus of Crime.
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