EXCLUSIVE Playboy vet with an illustrious screen career steps out for rare outing in LA... can you guess who?

Daily Mail​

14-06-2025

A former Playboy magazine star stepped out for a rare outing in Los Angeles over the past weekend.
The actress has worked alongside a number of celebrities throughout her decades-long career such as Farrah Fawcett, Donald Sutherland, Jaclyn Smith, Kate Jackson and John Belushi.
The beauty began making appearances on the screen in the 70s and took on both minor and larger roles in shows such as Fantasy Island and Taxi.
The star is also known for her role in a major soap opera series.
Along with working in the entertainment industry, she additionally dabbled in the world of real estate beginning in the 90s.
Can you guess who it is?
It is Martha Smith, 72 - who notably became Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month back in July 1973.
She is also known for making appearances in films such as Animal House (1978) and shows including Charlie's Angels and The Dukes Of Hazzard.
The actress was spotted for an outing in L.A. over the past weekend on Sunday, June 8 and was stylishly causal in a pair of black pants as well as a dark green shirt.
Smith's blonde locks were parted in the middle and flowed down past her shoulders in light waves, allowing her bangs to fall onto her forehead.
Martha accessorized the outfit with an assortment of necklaces and sported a pair of black fashionable shades.
The star easily carried a large, black Kate Spade bag in her hand to hold items she needed during the daytime excursion.
Smith was born in October 1952 in Cleveland, Ohio and later graduated from Michigan State University.
And in July 1973, she became Playmate of the Month at the age of 20 - and her centerfold had been photographed by Pompeo Posar.
She is also known for making appearances in films such as Animal House (1978) and shows including Charlie's Angels and The Dukes Of Hazzard
At the time, she opened up to Playboy magazine about her dreams of a career in filmmaking.
'I've talked to a lot of people, and they all give me different advice,' she stated at the time. 'My dream is to do it all, write the script, direct, be totally involved with the production of a film.
'That's a very large dream, I know, but I want to do it anyway. For now, I'm writing script outlines and, with a few friends, shooting some small productions around Detroit.'
A few years later, Smith took on a minor role in the 1976 project The Winds Of Autumn - which also kicked off her professional acting career, per IMDB.
She then made one episode appearances in shows such as Quincy, M.E., Charlie's Angels and How The West Was Won.
In 1978, she portrayed the character of Babs Jansen in Nation Lampoon's Animal House alongside John Belushi, Tim Matheson, John Vernon and Verna Bloom.
During a past interview with OnMilwaukee.com, Martha reflected on landing the role in the John Landis-directed movie.
She revealed that she had initially auditioned to be cast in the soap opera General Hospital - but had forgotten her lines which left her 'devastated.'
However, she then landed a role in Animal House, which also happened to be her first major film.
'I had done only commercials and some small fly-by parts on television shows; the girl in a bikini who was killed after one or two scenes.'
Smith continued, 'I was chloroformed, stabbed, shot, strangled, and beaten in the space of a few short years ... My mother grew increasingly concerned that this profession was damaging to my well-being.'
Director Landis worked on a variety of projects aside from Animal House such as The Blues Brothers (1980), Trading Places (1983) and Coming To America (1988).
When it came to working with Landis, Martha expressed, 'He would send these old classic movies postcards to us in the motel mailboxes that announced "We are making a classic movie!" and the like.
'Very exaggerated, or so it seemed at the time. He turned out to be right. I was impressed with his infectious enthusiasm as a director.'
The actress added, 'There was no slacking on a Landis set. It didn't make sense - he kept the energy levels one decibel beneath frenetic all the time.
'The pacing that made the comedy bits bounce off the screen can largely be attributed to John's timing and high energy levels.'
And throughout the 80s and 90s, she continued to star in projects including Fantasy Island and Blood Link.
In 1982, Smith was cast as Dr. Sandy Horton in Days Of Our Lives - and played the role throughout 38 episodes.
From 1983 through 1987, she portrayed the character of Francine Desmond in the CBS show Scarecrow And Mrs. King.
Martha's last credit was the 2018 movie A Futile And Stupid Gesture.