A Bunny's Tale

A Bunny's Tale
Genre	Biography comedy-drama
Written by	Deena Goldstone Lynn Roth
Directed by	Karen Arthur
Starring	Kirstie Alley
Theme music composer	Paul Chihara
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Producers	Stan Margulies Joan Marks Janette M. Webb
Cinematography	Gayne Rescher
Editor	Millie Moore
Running time	104 minutes
Production company	ABC Circle Films
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	February 25, 1985 (1985-02-25)

A Bunny's Tale is a 1985 American made-for-television comedy-drama based on American feminist icon and journalist Gloria Steinem's experiences working as a Playboy Bunny in 1963, as described by her 1963 article "A Bunny's Tale" (published in Show magazine in two parts). ^{[1] [2]}

It stars Kirstie Alley as Steinem. ^{[3] [4]}

Plot

Engaged by a magazine to write an investigative article on publisher Hugh Hefner's nightclub chain, Steinem poses as a young woman named "Marie" and enters the Bunny training program at the New York City Playboy Club. ^[5] Outfitted with phony ears, a fuzzy tail, and a revealing costume, she learns the proper method of serving drinks, the "bunny dip", ^[6] and how to fend off customers who ignore Hefner's "look but don't touch" policy.

As she navigates her new reality, Steinem witnesses the financial struggles, vulnerability, and lack of dignity experienced by the women working as Bunnies. She observes firsthand the exploitative nature of their employment, which includes low wages, tip sharing by the club, mandatory fees for costume upkeep, and a culture that reduces them to sexual objects, even as the club attempts to maintain a chaste image.

Through her undercover assignment, Steinem experiences an "awakening" to the complexities of gender roles and the exploitation hidden beneath the façade of the "glamorous" Playboy lifestyle. The film also features a dramatic subplot involving her boyfriend, who expresses friction and crisis upon learning about her secret life as a Playboy Bunny. Ultimately, the experience provides Steinem with the material and personal conviction that would help launch her career as a powerful voice for feminism.

Cast

• Kirstie Alley as Gloria Steinem
• Cotter Smith as Ned Holcomb
• Deborah Van Valkenburgh as Pearl
• Joanna Kerns as Andrea
• Lisa Pelikan as Lee
• Delta Burke as Margie
• Mary Woronov as Miss Renfro
• Diana Scarwid as Toby
• Romy Windsor as Bobbi
• Randi Brooks as Marybeth
• Dee Dee Rescher as Hazel
• Chick Vennera as Frankie
• Stanley Kamel as Jerry
• James T. Callahan as Phil
• Katie Budge as Gwen
• Madison Mason as Luther Baines
• Lela Rochon as Charlotte
• Chanelle Lee as Sherry
• Charles Winters as Greg
• Randy Hamilton as David
• Richard Lefevre as Willie
• Keith Mills as Doctor
• Teddy Wilson as Older Club Employee (credited as Theodore Wilson)
• Patricia Ayame Thomson as Playboy Bunny (credited as Patricia Thomson)

References

1. Steinem, Gloria (May 1963). "A Bunny's Tale Part I" (PDF). Show. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 18, 2014.
2. Steinem, Gloria (June 1963). "A Bunny's Tale Part II" (PDF). Show. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 24, 2015.
3. Preston, Marilynn (February 25, 1985). "Bunny Story Launched Steinem - Later". The Cincinnati Enquirer – via newspapers.com.
4. Higgins, Bill (June 2020). "Kirstie Alley Played Gloria Steinem in 1985". Hollywood Reporter . Vol. 426. p. 36. ProQuest   2447579512.
5. Dawidziak, Mark (February 25, 1985). "Forget the title; 'Bunny's Tale' is quality feminism". The Akron Beacon Journal – via newspapers.com.
6. Peterson, Bettelou (February 25, 1985). "Bunny role suits actress no better than Steinem". Detroit Free Press – via newspapers.com.

External links

• A Bunny's Tale at IMDb
• O'Connor, John J. (February 25, 1985). "'BUNNY'S TALE' FROM GLORIA STEINEM". The New York Times . Retrieved October 11, 2008.