Linnea Eleanor Yeager, affectionately known as Bunny Yeager, was born on March 13, 1929, in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania. Growing up in the small rural town of Pitcairn, Pennsylvania, Bunny's life was marked by a passion for beauty and a desire to become a pin-up model. Her family relocated to Miami, Florida, just before her senior year in high school, and it was there that she began to pursue her dream.
Bunny's early career was marked by her participation in numerous beauty pageants, including being crowned Miami Sports Queen in 1949 by none other than Joe DiMaggio. She took a fashion modeling course at Coronet Modeling School and Agency and soon became a hugely popular glamor model in Miami, featured in countless swimsuit magazines.
However, Bunny's creative ambitions soon led her to switch gears and become a glamour photographer. Her talent and dedication earned her the title of Prettiest Photographer in the World by "US Camera" magazine in August 1953. Her photography career was marked by her discovery of legendary pin-up queen Bettie Page in 1954, whose iconic status was cemented by Bunny's photographs.
Bunny's photographs were featured in a vast array of men's magazines, and she went on to publish over 20 books on photography. Her work also extended beyond still photography, as she appeared in a few films by noted Florida exploitation producer/director Barry Mahon and had a small role as Swedish masseuse Bunny Fjord in the Frank Sinatra detective picture Lady in Cement (1968).
One of Bunny's most notable achievements was her work on the James Bond movie Dr. No (1962),capturing the iconic image of Ursula Andress emerging from the ocean in a revealing bikini. Bunny's life was marked by her passion for beauty, photography, and creativity, leaving behind a lasting legacy that continues to inspire and captivate to this day.
Sadly, Bunny Yeager passed away on May 25, 2014, at the age of 85, due to congestive heart failure in North Miami, Florida. Despite her passing, her work and legacy continue to be celebrated and cherished by fans and photographers around the world.
