Claudia Jennings

She died in an automobile accident at age 29 in 1979.

• Name — Claudia Jennings • Issue — November 1969 • Birth Name — Mary Eileen Chesterton • Birthplace — Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. • Born — 20 December 1949 • Died — 3 October 1979 • Place of death — Malibu, California, U.S. • Preceded — Jean Bell • Succeeded — Gloria Root • Pmoy Year — 1970 • Pmoy Preceded — Connie Kreski • Pmoy Succeeded — Sharon Clark

Mary Eileen Chesterton (known as "Mimi" to friends and family) was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in 1949, later moving to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and then Richmond, Indiana. When her family moved from Richmond to Evanston, Illinois, as a result of her father becoming the advertising director with Skilsaw, she transferred at the start of her sophomore year to Evanston Township High School (ETHS) where she graduated in 1968. She was featured in a silent, plotless movie titled after her nickname which was shot on Super 8 film by fellow ETHS classmate Todd McCarthy. She worked as a receptionist at Playboy and then posed for the magazine in 1969. She adopted the name Claudia Jennings because she did not want to embarrass her family and that she thought "Mimi" sounded too girlish. Her original pictorial was photographed by Pompeo Posar. She was Playmate of the Year in 1970, and was awarded a pink Mercury Capri. After her appearances in Playboy, Jennings became an actress in exploitation movies and in television. In 1973, she had a guest appearance on The Brady Bunch episode titled "Adios, Johnny Bravo". Jennings was widely rumored to be in line for the role as Kate Jackson's replacement on the hit television show Charlie's Angels, but the role was awarded to Shelley Hack.

On October 3, 1979, Jennings died in a head-on automobile collision on the Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu, California, when her VW convertible drifted across the center line into the path of an oncoming pickup truck. She was 29. Although she had struggled with a cocaine addiction in the past, an autopsy found no traces of drugs or alcohol in her system. Investigators concluded that the circumstances of the crash were consistent with her falling asleep at the wheel. Jennings was featured in a 2000 episode of E! True Hollywood Story in which several of her friends and acquaintances were interviewed. The episode was made without the cooperation of her family, who considered the show too "tabloid" in style.

• Year — Title — Role — Episode • 1971 — Ironside — Maralyn — "The Professionals" • 1973 — Barnaby Jones — Denise Frazer — "To Denise, with Love and Murder" • The — Tami Cutler — "Adios, Johnny Bravo" • 1974 — The — Judith Grinnell — "Deadly Ambition" • Cannon — Leona Wilson / Susan Williams — "Bobby Loved Me", "Lady in Red" • The — Peggy — "The Truck Murders" • 1975 — Movin' On — Ann — "Ransom" • Caribe — Jean Benedict — "School for Killers" • 1976 — The — Evie — "Underground" • 1978 — Lucan — Debbie Kern — "Nightmare" • 1979 — 240-Robert — Barbara Rice — "Bank Job"

The authorities additionally record the headings Mimi Cherston and Mary Eileen Chesterton. Her recorded language was English.

Claudia Jennings is recorded with the occupation Playboy Playmate. Recorded with the occupation television actor. Recorded as actress, model and playboy playmate.