Playboy December 1977

COVER STORY Sondra Theodore, who will be forever remembered for her picture as our July Playmate playing the piano with her elbows, displays her versatility as a model by impersonating Santa Claus. Except for her face, her body, the vinyl jacket and the Rabbits on her boots, she's a dead ringer for Saint Nick, don't you think? Arny Freytag, who in no way resembles a little helper, was the photographer. 3 PLAYBILL 13 THE WORLD OF PLAYBOY 15 DEAR PLAYBOY 23 PLAYBOY AFTER HOURS 26 ADVENTURES How to see Yellowstone at its best: off season. 28 MOVIES Raves for Julia and Equus, but Valentino's a good-news/bad-news joke. 48 RADIO Down Dallas way, Hotline doubles as a matrimonial agency. 51 BOOKS The latest from Plimpton and Buchwald; secrets of Inner Skiing. 59 MUSIC Dexter Gordon, the Animals return; bargains in Mozart discs. 68 TELEVISION A racy I, Claudius begins on PBS; ABC offers Gathering for holidays. 71 THE PLAYBOY ADVISOR 76 HOW THE SOUTH SPREAD AND THEN ROSE AGAIN JULIAN BOND Georgia's outspoken black legislator answers the question: Which came first, Southern chic or Southern political power? 77 BUCK ROGERS AND I RAY RUSSELL The author, who wrote Buck Rogers scenarios, remembers the first great rocket man with nostalgic affection. 79 PLAYBOY SEX POLL HOWARD SMITH More of the great responses we received to last month's question: Where do you like to make love most outside of bed? 85 THE PLAYBOY FORUM 105 PLAYBOY INTERVIEW: JOHN DENVER—candid conversation Joining Denver on a camping trip, our cynical interviewer is amazed to discover that Denver is just what he seems to be. 138 ABHORRENT GREEN SLIPPERY CITY—fiction BERNARD MALAMUD A married man takes a young girl to Venice and finds out that when you're being taken for a ride, a gondola is the same as a limousine. 143 BLACKJACK FOR BLOOD—article MAURICE ZOLOTOW The author apprentices with a gambling expert and finds it isn't easy. 144 STAR SPATS—parody LAURENCE GONZALES A revisionist view of Star Wors that is pungent with chicken soup and cologne. WHOOOOOOSH—WHEN ROCKET SHIPS 146 WERE REALLY A BLAST—pictorial Old-time rocket designs and a spec designed do-it-yourself rocket. 151 THE DIRTIEST OLD SANTA ON THE BLOCK—humor . . . JAY CRONLEY He who laughs last laughs bes. not ^ecessarily he who ho-hos all day. 152 PLAYBOY'S PLAYMATE HOUSE PARTY—pictorial essay You know how some parties ger kinda loose after a while? Well, the party you saw on TV was like that. The fun really began the following day. 164 NOT JUST ANOTHER GREAT WHITE HOPE—personality . . TED GREEN Despite his unusual political profile, Portland Trail Blazers center Bill Walton is really a jock at heart. 167 SWINGERS' SCRAPBOOK—pictorial esscy Some folks who've done it all do a show-and-tell in our pages. 174 THE HENRY MILLER DAWN PATROL—fiction ... PHILIP JOSE FARMER An old ex–fighter pilot flies his last missions in the beds of an old folks' home. 176 PLAYBOY'S CHRISTMAS CARDS—verse JUDITH WAX A few timely sentiments you won't find on the Hallmark rack. 178 SCORPIO RISING—playboy's playmate of the month Ashley Cox has her eyes set on the stars, but we've got our eyes set on her. 190 PLAYBOY'S PARTY JOKES—humor 192 A SPIRITED FINALE ... —food EMANUEL GREENBERG With some unusual help from Shields and Yarnell—socko desserts. 194 THE HUMMINEST LITTLE FOOTBALL MOVIE IN TOWN—article MARK GOODMAN On the set of Semi-Tough, Kris Kristofferson and Burt Reynolds amid hundreds of screaming predatory cheerleaders. 197 PLAYBOY'S CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE—gifts It's worth having a tree just to put some of these goodies under it. 203 SEX FROM THE SAGES—symposium EDWARD F. MURPHY Everybody thinks about it, but not everybody has something interesting to say about it. Those who have, you'll find here. 204 CLUB DATE—attire DAVID PLATT Step out for the holidays like a disco hustler and a fancy-Dan dancer. 208 SEX STARS OF 1977—article ARTHUR KNIGHT We'll give you a clue: This was a big year for blondes with perfect teeth. 223 HOW I SPENT MY SPRING VACATION: ON TOUR WITH KISS IN JAPAN—article DAVID STANDISH How an all-American rock group makes partial amends for World War Two. 227 GREAT MOMENTS IN SEXUAL CENSORSHIP—humor. JOHN BLUMENTHAL and KATE NOLAN It began in the Garden of Eden, and it's been going downhill ever since. 234 THE 1978 PLAYBOY MUSIC POLL—music Once again, you have a chance to play critic by voting for your favorites. SHAPING UP ONCE AND FOR ALL—compendium 241 DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO ANY ADVICE ON PHYSICAL FITNESS ... EXCEPT THIS—article .. LEONARD GROSS The co-author of Total Fitness in 30 Minutes a Week tells you how to become as fit as you can be. It's accompanied by an illustrated exercise program. 244 THE GOLSON SHRUG-AND-STAY-FIT PROGRAM—opinion G BARRY GOLSON For all those who feel that blinking and yawning are quite energetic enough. 245 CAUTIONARY CALISTHENICS—humor GAHAN WILSON Only the muscle-headed begin arduous exercise without proper guidance, and ghoulish Uncle Gahan is just the man to help you out. 246 TOMEU AND HIS DAUGHTERS—ribald classic 251 CARD TRICKS—pictorial Ricky Jay can do more things with a deck of cards than you can do with a Veg-O-Matic, a 13-blade scout knife and a jar of K-Y jelly. 255 PLAYBOY FUNNIES—humor 330 PLAYBOY POTPOURRI Big-time billiards, expensive old cars, rare smoking gear and thick necks. 363 LITTLE ANNIE FANNY—satire... HARVEY KURTZMAN and WILL ELDER Our heroine finds herself lat-deep in musclemen. Let's see what develops. 367 PLAYBOY ON THE SCENE Exercycles, nude-stamp collecting and an unusual calendar.