Delores Wells

{{Short description|American model and actress (1937–2016)}} {{Infobox Playboy Playmate | name = Delores Wells | image = Delores Wells promo 1963 front.jpg | caption = Delores Wells in a publicity photo from 1963 | issue = June 1960 | birth_name = Delores Marie Wells | birth_place = Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S. | birth_date = {{birth date|1937|10|17}} | death_date = {{death date and age|2016|02|09|1937|10|17}} | death_place = Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | height = 5 ft 2 in | preceded = Ginger Young | succeeded = Teddi Smith }}

'''Delores Marie Wells''' (October 17, 1937 – February 9, 2016) was an American model and actress. She was ''Playboy'' magazine's Playmate of the Month for its June 1960 issue and was one of the cover models in January 1961.

== Early life == Wells was from Reading, Pennsylvania,<ref>{{Cite news |date=1963-08-30 |title=Appearances by starlet |pages=7 |work=Des Moines Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103718886/appearances-by-starlet/ |access-date=2022-06-14}}</ref> and grew up with interest in science fiction and becoming a movie star.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Scaglione |first=Cec |date=1964-03-28 |title='Muscle Beach Party' features lucky lass |pages=17 |work=The Windsor Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103718334/muscle-beach-party-features-lucky-lass/ |access-date=2022-06-14}}</ref>

==Career== According to ''The Playmate Book'', Wells was paid $500 for her Playmate pictorial, along with $100 a month during her two-year exclusivity contract with ''Playboy''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Edgren |first=Gretchen |url=http://archive.org/details/SE_The_Playmate_Book_1996 |title=The Playmate Book: Five Decades of Centerfolds |publisher=General Publishing Group |year=1996 |pages=73}}</ref> She was Playmate of the Month for June 1960.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Goldweber |first=David Elroy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gfdYCAAAQBAJ&pg=PT1739 |title=Claws & Saucers: Science Fiction, Horror, and Fantasy Film 1902–1982: A Complete Guide |date=2015-12-01 |publisher=Lulu Press, Inc |isbn=978-1-312-28803-4 |language=en}}</ref> Wells was working as a dancer in the chorus of Chicago nightclub Chez Paree when she was scouted for ''Playboy''.<ref name="Newsweek">{{cite news |title=A Dime More A Peep |access-date=13 June 2022 |work=Newsweek |date=May 23, 1960|url=http://archive.org/details/sim_newsweek-us_1960-05-23_55_21}}</ref>

Wells had a short acting career in the 1960s, episodically appearing in small parts in B movies and television series.<ref name=":2" /> She preferred comedic roles and aspired to be like Lucille Ball,<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/boxofficejulsep183boxo |title=Boxoffice (Jul–Sep 1963) |date=1963 |publisher=New York, Boxoffice |others=Media History Digital Library}}</ref> appearing in three of the 'beach party' movies.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Stanfield |first=Peter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cghgDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Delores+Wells%22&pg=PA40 |title=Hoodlum Movies: Seriality and the Outlaw Biker Film Cycle, 1966–1972 |date=2018-07-13 |publisher=Rutgers University Press |isbn=978-0-8135-9905-2 |pages=39–40 |language=en}}</ref> More steadily she was a Playboy Bunny<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kathryn Leigh Scott |url=http://archive.org/details/bunnyyears00scot |title=The Bunny years |date=1998 |publisher=Pomegranate Press |isbn=978-0-938817-43-7 |pages=57}}</ref> at the Chicago Playboy Club, where she made $1000 a week.<ref name=":0" /> After her career at Playboy, she worked as a makeup artist for Alice Cooper and in the business office of the Oakland Raiders.<ref name=":2" /> She worked briefly as secretary to Linda Lovelace.<ref name=":0" />

Wells died in Phoenix, Arizona, at the age of 78.<ref name=":2">{{cite news |last=Gregg |first=Becca Y. |title=Not Forgotten: Centerfold remembered as loving mother |url=http://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/not-forgotten-centerfold-remembered-as-loving-mother |url-access=subscription |newspaper=Reading Eagle |date=March 26, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013225025/https://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/not-forgotten-centerfold-remembered-as-loving-mother |archive-date=October 13, 2016}}</ref>

==Filmography== * ''87th Precinct'' - "My Friend, My Enemy" (1961) .... Clerk<ref name=":3" /> * ''The Bob Cummings Show'' - "Roamin' Holiday" (1961) * ''Thriller'' - "'Til Death Do Us Part" (1962) .... Flo * ''Beach Party'' (1963) .... Sue<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/motionpictureexh69jaye_0 |title=Motion Picture Exhibitor (Apr-Jun 1963) |date=1963 |publisher=Philadelphia, Jay Emanuel Publications, Inc. |others=Media History Digital Library |pages=19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1963-05-14 |title=Oh! To be a fish |pages=32 |work=The Tampa Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103718748/oh-to-be-a-fish/ |access-date=2022-06-14}}</ref> * ''Burke's Law'' - "Who Killed Alex Debbs?" (1963) .... Dream Girl<ref name=":3" /> * ''The Time Travelers'' (1964) .... Reena (Danny's love interest)<ref name=":1" /> * ''Bikini Beach'' (1964) .... Sniffles * ''Muscle Beach Party'' (1964) .... Sniffles<ref>{{Cite news |date=1964-04-22 |title=Clipped From The Daily Times |pages=2 |work=The Daily Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103718169/the-daily-times/ |access-date=2022-06-14}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> * ''Banning'' (1967) .... Girl at Pool * ''A Guide for the Married Man'' (1967) .... Very Attractive Woman<ref name=":0" />

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Playmate|delores-wells}} * {{IMDb name |id=0920177}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wells, Delores}} Category:1937 births Category:2016 deaths Category:Actresses from Reading, Pennsylvania Category:1960s Playboy Playmates