Playboy July 1982

COVER STORY If you think of Ma Bell as a fat, greedy old woman who reaches out and touches your wallet each month, allow us to make paying your phone bills a little more pleasant: On page 162, we bring you The Girls of Ma Bell. Holding the phone on our cover is this month's Playmate, Lynda Wiesmeier, of whom you can see more on page 118. The cover was photographed and designed by Executive Art Director Tom Staebler. 5 PLAYBILL 11 THE WORLD OF PLAYBOY 19 DEAR PLAYBOY 23 PLAYBOY AFTER HOURS New roles for the Reds squad; Checking In with Pat McCormick. 30 MUSIC Fun with the pickers at the bluegrass festival; PLAYBOY-contest winners. 39 MOVIES Here come the summer films: Catch Annie and Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid. 46 BOOKS Follett falters, but Abbey is still A number one. 48 COMING ATTRACTIONS There's plenty of work in store for Richard Pryor, Dudley Moore. 51 THE PLAYBOY ADVISOR 55 DEAR PLAYMATES 57 THE PLAYBOY FORUM 67 PLAYBOY INTERVIEW: BETTE DAVIS—candid conversation The legendary Hollywood actress talks about her many movies (including the classics All About Eve, Jezebel and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?) and her several marriages and takes a few well-aimed pot shots at actors and directors she's known and worked with. 96 STREET SMARTS—article D KEITH MANO Whether you live in a big city or just visit one, you may need this advice one day. It's the author's unabashed personal guide to avoiding the hard knocks of urban life. 100 DREAMS—pictorial Over the years, Contributing Photographer Richard Fegley has framed some of the most beautiful women in the world for PLAYBOY. Here, he picks some of his favorite studies of the feminine form—set to appear in a new book. 111 HIGH NOON IN SKIDMORE—article CARL NAVARRE Last year, a man was shot to death in this little Missouri town while a crowd looked on. Nobody helped hint In fact, nobody even reported the murder. A chilling tale of vigilante justice. 112 SUMMER SCORING: A SINGULAR GUIDE—travel STEPHEN BIRNBAUM Tips on vacation spots where you won't have to spend your nights wandering around looking for something to do (and somebody to do it with). 116 LORD SHORT SHOE WANTS THE MONKEY—fiction BOB SHACOCHIS The moral of this story is never trade a woman for a monkey unless the latter is the gorilla of your dreams. 118 LIFE WITH LYNDA—playboy's playmate of the month For Miss Wiesmeier, it's always summertime and the livin' is easy. 130 PLAYBOY'S PARTY JOKES—humor 132 LE ROY NEIMAN SKETCHBOOK—pictorial 135 FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONS—attire DAVID PLATT Some light, colorful summer threads that'll knock the socks off you (and your date). 138 THE DAYS OF SWINE AND ROSES—food and drink EMANUEL GREENBERG In lieu of a real Hawaiian luau, here's our version of roast suckling pig and convivial spirits. It's a lulu. 141 NANCY REAGAN'S SCRAPBOOK—humor GERALD GARDNER If the First Lady has collected memorabilia from hubby's first year in office, it may (but probably doesn't) look like this. 146 THE BRAWNING OF AMERICA—article KEVIN COOK Sports physicians have discovered a lot about conditioning by studying pro athletes. Here's how what they've learned can help you. Plus: What Condition Is Your Conditioning In? (a chart to help you work out more efficiently); Truisms and Consequences (a new look at ten old training myths); A Regimen Built for Two (stretching with a lady friend can be fun); and more. 151 WATERGATE, INC.: AN ANNIVERSARY AUDIT—article TOM PASSAVANT and CONAN PUTNAM It's been a decade since Tricky Dick's boys blundered their famous spook job. What's happened since proves that even a costly mistake can turn a profit for somebody. 152 POWER TRIP!—article NORMAN EISENBERG A look at the newest and best-sounding car stereos. 157 MAN AND WOMAN, PART VII: PRISONERS OF CULTURE—article JO DURDEN-SMITH and DIANE DE SIMONE In the last installment of our series on the differences between men and women, the authors examine what the future holds for both sexes. 162 THE GIRLS OF MA BELL—pictorial Next time you place a long-distance phone call, remember: The voice at the other end may belong to a woman in this pictorial. Kinda makes you want to reach out and touch someone, doesn't it? 171 THE COZENER AND THE COUSIN—ribald classic 172 20 QUESTIONS: STEVIE NICKS The woman who rings like bells in the night (and wouldn't you love to love her?) talks about life, love and why she'd never go to an antinuke rally. 180 PLAYBOY FUNNIES—humor 228 PLAYBOY POTPOURRI 247 PLAYBOY ON THE SCENE Products that speak to you; big-buck bikes; Grapevine; Sex News.