Playboy December 1981

COVER STORY Our often-elusive Rabbit Head just might be in its most conspicuous position ever. Fashion guru Bob Mackie designed the dress, Executive Art Director Tom Staebler designed and photographed the cover and some beneficent power designed Bernadette Peters. For a look at our Christmas cover girl in some eye-opening evening dress, turn to page 144. 5 PLAYBILL 13 THE WORLD OF PLAYBOY 17 DEAR PLAYBOY 25 PLAYBOY VIEWPOINT: GEORGIA ON OUR MINDS KEVIN COOK 29 PLAYBOY AFTER HOURS 36 BOOKS Gail Sheehy is at it again, and so is Torn Wolfe; a great cult-movie survey. 40 RADIO From Greek classic to musical avant-garde, something for everybody. 41 MOVIES This may be the season for the ladies to watch films under the hair drier. MUSIC A visit with Grover Washington, Jr.; the latest from the Stones and Dylan 60 COMING ATTRACTIONS Unlikely team: Lewis & De Niro; promising, if scary one: Romero & King. PLAYBOY'S TRAVEL GUIDE STEPHEN BIRNBAUM Discount air fares—down to 29 cents! 67 THE PLAYBOY ADVISOR 79 DEAR PLAYMATES 83 THE PLAYBOY FORUM 95 PLAYBOY INTERVIEW: HENRY FONDA—candid conversation The man from Nebraska, perhaps the last gentleman in Hollywood, talks about his serious illness, his career, his famous children and being a much-loved unhappy man. 140 ATLANTA: THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN—article JAMES BALDWIN One of America's premier authors sees hatred, bitterness and fear in a city held hostage by a murderers hand. 144 BEGUILING BERNADETTE—pictorial essay Actress, dancer, torch singer, co.rec.cn s companion—a living doll lies down on the job in lingerie that will linger in the mind. 152 THE BUDDY SYSTEM—essay GEOFFREY NORMAN Just what was it the Lone Ranger saw in Tonto? Our reporter looks for the glue that cements the male bond. 155 PLAYBOY'S CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE—gifts The perfect present is sure to be present in our yearly yuletide cornucopia 162 ANATOMY OF A CORPORATE TAKE-OVER—article RICHARD PHALON In the corporate equivalent of a political coup, battles rage and heads roll. A behind-the-scenes board-room report—it's a jungle in there. 166 CAPTURED WOMEN—pictorial JEFF DUNAS A top photographer has given us his portfolio. It's full of lissome ladies. 175 THE ADVENTURER—fiction BRUCE JAY FRIEDMAN Gallagher goes from merriment to misery when he follows the almost-perfect blonde to Fort Lauderdale and finds himself a stranger in a strange sunny land. 176 CHRISTMAS AT MR. BILL'S—humor WALTER WILLIAMS Have yourself a sadistic little Christmas with fate's favorite clay pigeon. 178 CONFESSIONS OF A COCAINE COWBOY—article THOMAS "HOLLYWOOD" HENDERSON with WALTER LOWE, JR. In which the life and times of a pro-football hero turn rugged and low. Sacked and thrown for a loss, he tries now to turn his game around. 182 ABBONDANZA!—playboy's playmate of the month Patricia Farinelli brings new meaning to the term robust. 194 PLAYBOY'S PARTY JOKES—humor 196 THE SUNKEN WOMAN—fiction JOYCE CAROL OATES Lisel drifted into people's lives and changed them. Why couldn't they affect her in return? The tale of a model of ineffability. 200 INFORMALLY FORMAL—attire DAVID PLATT Walk into the party as if you're walking onto a yacht. 204 PLAYBOY'S CHRISTMAS CARDS—verse TOM KOCH A rancorous rebate to the auto makers and a guided missive to our new Secretary of War, among other season's greetings. 206 20 QUESTIONS: JOHN KENNETH GALBRAITH The leader of the somewhat loyal economic opposition speaks on matters fiscal and physical. 209 PLAYBOY'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW—sports ANSON MOUNT Our peerless prognosticator predicts the East will rise again on the broad shoulders of John Thompson and his Georgetown five. 215 PRAYBOY: ENTERTAINMENT FOR FAR-RIGHTEOUS MEN—humor TONY HENDRA and DAVID KAESTLE What would the Moral Majority do with our magazine—short of explosives, that is? Some good clean fun at the expense of The Cleanup Crew. 224 AMERICAN BEAUTIES—article LAURENCE SHAMES Photographer Peter Beard and supermodel Cheryl Tiegs have been dubbed the all-American couple. The Beards may grow on you, but are they really the perfect twosome? 226 AND THE PLAYMATES SING—pictorial A heart-stopping look at the Playmates singing group, our OK Chorale Their TV host, George Burns, hasn't stopped palpitating yet. 231 KLIBAN'S DANCERS—humor B KLIBAN That cool cat cartoonist offers caricatures of some decidedly modern dance. 234 SEX STARS OF 1981—pictorial essay JIM HARWOOD Our annual "Down in front!" look at the sexiest folks on film. Theda Bara was never like this. 247 THE BETTER TAIL—ribald classic 250 ROSALIE'S GOOD EATS CAFE—verse SHEL SILVERSTEIN 264 PLAYBOY FUNNIES—humor 338 PLAYBOY POTPOURRI 369 LITTLE ANNIE FANNY—satire . . HARVEY KURTZMAN and WILL ELDER 373 PLAYBOY ON-THE SCENE Detailed decanters; Chic shoes; gadgets; Grapevine; Sex News.