It would be easy to mistake December Playmate Jo Collins for an aspiring film starlet since she has all the attributes needed to play the role: classic features, a disarming smile, talent, ambition, and a recently acquired Hollywood address less than a block from one of the major studios. But there the similarity ends, for our 19-year-old Miss December refuses to be typecast as just another Hollywood hopeful.
It would be easy to mistake December Playmate Jo Collins for an aspiring film starlet since she has all the attributes needed to play the role: classic features, a disarming smile, talent, ambition, and a recently acquired Hollywood address less than a block from one of the major studios. But there the similarity ends, for our 19-year-old Miss December refuses to be typecast as just another Hollywood hopeful.
“I’m so happy I feel like running out and giving everyone who voted for me a hug and a kiss. Honestly, I feel like I’ve just been crowned Queen for a Year.” As she tried in vain to collect her thoughts, our Playmate of the Year kept alternating between squeals of joy and sobs of pride before allowing us to ramble off the prizes that made up her $10,000 Playmate booty. A 10-speed Schwinn bike, a Honda motorcycle, swimsuits and clothing—all in Playmate Pink—plus a Lady Hamilton gold watch, case of pink champagne and a white mink cap from Alper Furs are just some of the items that caused Jo to be rendered speechless. “If anyone had told me I’d be wearing mink by my 20th birthday, I’d have sworn they were ribbing me,” says the humble beauty with tears in her eyes. “I still can’t imagine why they chose me.” Making sure that Playboy fans knew how grateful she was to be their Playmate of the Year, Jo decided to turn her words into actions and hopped on a plane for Vietnam where she earned the nickname G.I. Jo from the troops. With a copy of Playboy in hand, our Miss 1965 searched with the United Service Organizations tours for a lieutenant from the 173rd Airborne Brigade named Jack Price, one of the first people to take up Playboy’s offer that if anyone signed up for a lifetime subscription of the magazine they would get their first copy delivered by Playmate. Jo Collins is truly one of a kind.
December 1964’s delectable Jo Collins is our readers’ choice as the choicest of the choice. We appealed to Playboy readers in April 1965 to help us solve our dilemma as to who should reign as Playmate of the Year. In a down-to-the-wire race for Centerfolddom’s highest honor, the final tally revealed that 20-year-old Jo Collins had garnered the lioness’ share of the ballots.
