What Happened to Marilyn Grabowski Former Playboy Magazine’s Former Photography Editor?

Marilyn Grabowski is a celebrated figure in the entertainment magazine industry, who was the West Coast photography editor for Playboy magazine. Since she looks completely different now a lot of people want to know the truth about her surgery.

In this article, we will delve into the matters of Grabowski’s life and learn facts about her surgery, dating life, and more.

Key Takeaways

• Marilyn is 86 years of age as of 2023.
• She grew up in a Roman Catholic household.
• She was dating Terry Ellish, co-founder of the music company, Chrysalis Records, in 1977.
• Marilyn never got married to anyone in her whole life.
• She had to get 40 surgeries after her accident.
• Her estimated net worth stands at a whopping $2 million.

Marilyn Grabowski’s Bio, Family

Marilyn was born in June 1937, in Santa Monica, California. She grew up in a family that followed the faith of Roman Catholics.

Despite her upbringing, she went on to work with Playboy. She didn’t tell her mother about her working at Playboy during the first years of her being at the magazine.

Marilyn Grabowski’s Boyfriend: She Dated Terry Ellis

In 1977, Marilyn dated Terry Ellis, an English record producer and manager who was also a co-founder of the music label, Chrysalis Records.

Among the several famous musicians under Chrysalis, Marilyn introduced two of them to Terry. The ones she introduced her ex-boyfriend to, were singer-songwriter Deborah Harry and the rock band, Blondie.

Terry Ellis’s Business Partner’s Didn’t Like Him Dating Marilyn

Terry’s business partner, Chris Wright talked about Terry’s relationship with Marilyn in his autobiography, “One Way Or Another: My Life in Music, Sport & Entertainment.”

Chris explained Terry’s erratic lifestyle was not a welcome sight and the fact that he was dating Marilyn, did not sit well with Chris. According to him, Marilyn wasn’t someone who could keep Terry grounded.

“…he dated a girl called Marilyn Grabowski who was a photo editor for Playboy magazine. She was older than Terry and, with all due respect, never looked like the kind of calming influence he needed or a partner with whom he might start a family.” – Chris Wright in his autobiography

Marilyn Never Married

The Playboy editor never got married to anyone in her life. While talking to the LA Times in 2005, she said, “I never married, never had children.”

She Joined Playboy In Its Early Days

Marilyn started working for Playboy Magazine when the publication had only been running for 10 years, roughly in the 1960s. From then on, she helped create the concept of what “sexy” is for several American generations.

Marilyn’s reputation in Playboy as the West Coast photography editor spread wide and far. Every other model who wanted to be a Playmate (the female model who features in the centerfold of Playboy) would reach out to Marilyn – that’s the level of influence she had.

She retired from Playboy in the 2000s after serving as the photography editor for more than four decades.

Marilyn Grabowski Was Close To Hugh Hefner

Her keen eyes to spot a potential supermodel allowed her to maintain a firm bond with Playboy’s founder, Hugh Hefner. Hefner went as far as calling her his “secret weapon” who had the ability to set Playboy apart from other similar magazines like Maxim, FHM, and Stuff.

“A woman’s input is key. If you don’t have that in mind, then you’re going to be spending a lot of time in the locker room. Alone,” Hugh reasoned as he let Marilyn cater to what Playboy needed to stand out.

She Had To Get Reconstructive Surgery After An Accident

Although the exact date is not known, Marilyn had to get a reconstructive operation done on her face after an almost fatal car accident that resulted in major injuries to her body, including her face. The injuries were so drastic that Marilyn had to go through several surgeries to retain the look of her face.

On top of that, the carelessness of the plastic surgeon who initially did a corrective surgery on her face almost resulted in her nose being cut. After that, Marilyn had to undergo forty surgeries and several skin grafts to finally look like she does now.

Where is Marilyn Grabowski Now?

Marilyn is currently residing in California and enjoying her retired life. Recently, she appeared in the Netflix documentary, Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me, which was released on May 16, 2023.

The former photography editor talked about her first meeting and impression of Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith, in the documentary.

Her Net Worth

Marilyn has a net worth of $2 million from her successful career as a Playboy photo editor. She earned her fortune by contributing to the magazine for more than 40 years.