LOS ANGELES — In the summer of 1980, Dorothy Stratten seemed poised to become one of Hollywood’s most bankable new faces. At just 20 years old, she had already been crowned Playboy’s Playmate of the Year, secured roles in feature films, and caught the attention of major directors. But on August 14, 1980, her life ended in a murder‑suicide that shocked the entertainment world and exposed the predatory underbelly of the industry that had elevated her.
Her story remains one of the most haunting tragedies in Hollywood history — a tale of beauty, ambition, control, and violence.
Dorothy Ruth Hoogstraten was born on February 28, 1960, in Vancouver, British Columbia, to Dutch immigrants Simon and Nelly Hoogstraten. She grew up in a modest household with her younger siblings, John and Louise. Friends from Centennial High School remembered her as “sweet and kind,” a quiet girl who worked part‑time at a local Dairy Queen to help her mother make ends meet.
It was behind that Dairy Queen counter in 1978 that she met Paul Snider, a 26‑year‑old Vancouver club promoter known for his flashy cars, hustler persona, and reputation as a local pimp. Snider immediately saw Stratten not just as a girlfriend, but as a potential ticket to Hollywood.
Snider convinced Stratten to pose for nude photographs, which he sent to Playboy. Because she was under 19 — the age of majority in British Columbia — she needed her mother’s signature on the release form.
Playboy saw potential. In August 1978, Stratten was flown to Los Angeles as a finalist in the magazine’s 25th Anniversary Playmate Hunt. She didn’t win the contest, but she made an impression. Within a year, she was named Playmate of the Month (August 1979) and later Playmate of the Year (1980).
Snider followed her to Los Angeles, and the two married in June 1979. But as Stratten’s star rose, Snider’s control tightened.
Stratten’s beauty and charisma quickly translated to screen opportunities. She appeared in:
Americathon (1979)
Skatetown U.S.A. (1979)
Galaxina (1980), where she played the title role
They All Laughed, directed by Peter Bogdanovich, released posthumously in 1981
Colleagues described her as ethereal, warm, and surprisingly grounded for someone thrust so quickly into fame. Actress Colleen Camp recalled, “There was something very otherworldly about being with her… Time would stop”.
But behind the scenes, her marriage was deteriorating.
As Stratten’s career accelerated, Snider’s behavior grew increasingly erratic and possessive. He visited her film sets uninvited, monitored her movements, and grew jealous of her professional relationships — particularly her growing closeness with director Peter Bogdanovich.
By early 1980, Stratten had separated from Snider and was preparing to divorce him. She had also begun the process of severing their business ties. Snider, meanwhile, was spiraling — financially unstable, socially isolated, and increasingly obsessed with regaining control.
Friends warned him to leave her alone. Actor Max Baer Jr. recalled telling Snider, “If you really care about her… take her back to Vancouver. She doesn’t belong here”.
Instead, Snider bought a shotgun.
On the afternoon of August 14, Stratten agreed to meet Snider at the West Los Angeles apartment they once shared. She intended to discuss the final details of their separation.
What happened next was brutal.
According to investigators and later reporting, Snider tied her up, sexually assaulted her, and shot her in the face with the shotgun before turning the weapon on himself.
She was found nude, partially mutilated, and lifeless. She was 20 years old.
The murder stunned Hollywood. Hugh Hefner called it “one of the most devastating tragedies in Playboy history.” Bogdanovich was shattered. The entertainment press erupted.
Stratten’s death inspired a wave of media:
Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story (1981)
Star 80 (1983), directed by Bob Fosse
The Killing of the Unicorn (1984), Bogdanovich’s book examining her life and the industry
Songs including Bryan Adams’ “The Best Was Yet to Come” and Prism’s “Cover Girl”
Her final film, They All Laughed, was released in 1981 and became a cult classic — forever linked to the tragedy of its young star.
Dorothy Stratten’s story endures because it embodies both the allure and the danger of Hollywood. She was a young woman with genuine talent, a magnetic presence, and a future that seemed limitless. But she was also vulnerable — trusting, gentle, and unable to see the darkness in the man who claimed to love her.
As one ABC News source put it, “That was her flaw — not being able to see the evil in people”.
More than four decades later, her life remains a cautionary tale about power, exploitation, and the cost of fame.
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