Azizi Johari
| Azizi Johari | |
|---|---|
| Playboy centerfold appearance | |
| June 1975 | |
| Preceded by | Bridgett Rollins |
| Succeeded by | Lynn Schiller |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 24, 1948 New York City, United States |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
Azizi Johari is the pseudonym of a Black American model and actress who was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for June 1975.
Early life
Azizi Johari was born in New York City on August 24, 1948. Due to her father's military service, her family moved frequently before settling in Seattle, where she attended high school and college.[1] While in school, she formed a singing group called the Marvelles with two friends and released the single "Call Me Back". She later moved to San Francisco and worked as a stewardess for United Airlines.
Modeling and acting
Johari joined the Black Arts West theatre group and appeared in productions of A Raisin in the Sun, Black Girl and Ladies in Waiting. She had an uncredited role in the 1974 film McQ.
She adopted the name Azizi Johari, meaning "precious jewel" in Kiswahili, and gained attention for the 1973 poster Supernatural Dream, which showed her seated with her head haloed by a large Afro wig.[a][3] Among the poster's admirers was Sammy Davis Jr., who included her in his touring show.[4]
She was photographed nude for Playboy as the June 1975 Playmate of the Month[5] and the following year appeared nude on the cover of Leon Ware's 1976 album Musical Massage.[6]
She was featured in magazines such as Jet and Players, appearing on several Players covers between 1978 and 1980.[7][8][9][10]
Her height (5 ft 6 in (168 cm)) and measurements (36–24–37) led to television appearances and roles in several films between 1976 and 1981. She was reported to be cast in the science fiction film Assassins in Time in 1979, though it was never released.[11]
Legacy
The 1987 video game Dungeon Master includes a playable character named Azizi, described in some manuals as a nod to Azizi Johari.[12][13][14]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | McQ[15] | — | Uncredited |
| 1976 | Rocky II[16] | Ringside girl | — |
| 1976 | The Killing of a Chinese Bookie[17] | Rachel | — |
| 1979 | Dreamer[18] | Lady | — |
| 1980 | Seed of Innocence[19] | Denise | Also released as Teen Mothers |
| 1980 | Exit Sunset Boulevard[20] | — | — |
| 1981 | Body and Soul[21] | Pussy Willow | — |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Episode or Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | The Six Million Dollar Man[22] | Girl | "Clark Templeton O'Flaherty" |
| 1977 | The Richard Pryor Show[23] | Blueberry | — |
| 1977 | Redd Foxx TV Special[24] | — | — |
See also
References
Notes
- ^ Johari's Supernatural Dream poster, originally published as part of a 1973 calendar by The Old School Inc. and later distributed as a poster, is briefly visible in Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film The Shining, hanging on the wall of Dick Hallorann's Florida apartment.[2]
Citations
- ^ Encyclopedia of African American Actresses. McFarland & Company. 2010. p. 177.
- ^ "FFFind: The picture of woman with afro in The Shining". Film and Furniture. July 23, 2018.
- ^ "Supernatural Dream poster". Oakland Museum of California. OMCA. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
- ^ "The Playmate". Playboy. Vol. 22, no. 6. June 1975.
- ^ "Azizi Johari – Playboy Playmate, Miss June 1975". Himeros Brothers.
- ^ Hanie, Hara (February 14, 2022). "Azizi Johari Is an American Model and Actress – 10 Unknown Facts".
- ^ "Azizi Johari 1978 photo".
- ^ "cover". Players. Vol. 7, no. 3.
- ^ "cover". Players. Vol. 9, no. 1.
- ^ "cover". Players. Vol. 9, no. 6.
- ^ "Starlog". Starlog. No. 26. September 1979. p. 14.
- ^ "Dungeon Master Handbook". FTL Games. 1987. p. 5.
- ^ "Appendix: Dungeon Master". Login. February 1990. p. 5.
- ^ "Azizi". Computer Game Review. No. 14. September 1992. p. 84.
- ^ "Jet". Jet. April 15, 1976. p. 56.
- ^ "Azizi Johari". Playboy Plus.
- ^ Lopate, Phillip (October 24, 2013). "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie: The Raw and the Cooked". The Criterion Collection.
- ^ Schmidt, J.R. (2017). The Bowling Chronicles. McFarland & Co. p. 111.
- ^ "Seed of Innocence (1980)". BFI.
- ^ "Azizi Johari". BFI.
- ^ Romano, Frederick V. (2004). The Boxing Filmography. McFarland & Co. p. 15.
- ^ Encyclopedia of African American Actresses. McFarland & Company. 2010. p. 177.
- ^ "Jet". Jet. July 28, 1977. p. 21.
- ^ "Jet". Jet. November 10, 1977. p. 24.
External links
- Azizi Johari at IMDb