Upon graduating from Glenhill High School, Nancy Harwood from Riverside, CA made arrangements to follow in the steps of her pharmacist father and work in the medical field as a medical assistant. “I’d rather dispense with books and just think,” says Nancy, a fulltime student at Los Angeles City College. “But, if I were educating myself, I’d never get around to most academic subjects.” Taking courses in psychology and business, the beauty with the long dark-brown hair and dimples had her plans thrown out the window during a Glendale party. Nancy and her piercing green eyes caught the attention of a Playboy photographer who insisted she take him up his offer to test for Playmate. The all-natural brunette was hesitant at first and decided to meditate over this opportunity before giving her final answer. Following the teachings of Indian mystic Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Nancy contemplated her options at the colorful flower-filled altar she made in her bachelorette pad in Burbank.

“My ambitions have always been to have the freedom to do what I want and for my ideas never to become old-fashioned,” says Nancy who upon saying yes to Playboy, meditated with Maharishi and his followers in Santa Monica. “It’s like getting high without drugs. You could actually feel your neighbors going up, up and away.” With her mind made up on becoming a Playmate, Nancy was pleased to hear she had been chosen to be our Miss February 1968 and would be working with photographers Ed DeLong and Bill Figge for her centerfold shoot. “I admire Bill Figge, because of his artistic nudes,” admits our Playmate of the Month, “and Yvette Mimieux, because of her sex appeal.” Speaking of sex appeal, our Miss February 1968’s centerfold was a hit especially with soldiers fighting in Vietnam, so much so, she received nine duffel bags of fan mail the following month. “My weak spot,” says Nancy who’s smitten by all this military affection, “is I fall hard and fast for boys.” What a man wouldn’t give to have Nancy Harwood fall in love with him.