Lynne Austin

In 1976, at a high school gymnasium in Florida, Lynne Austin and her cheerleading squad were taking over a pep rally by storm. Students cheered on as the cheerleaders shook their pompoms—it’s hard to imagine that back then, cheerleader Lynne wasn’t a fan of attention. “I wasn't exactly the girl to be seen with—a little less than eye-catching,” says the all-natural blonde. “I was the only cheerleader not up for homecoming queen. And my mother used to ask other mothers to have their boys take me out.” Even though Lynne was embarrassed by her mother’s antics, she knew mother knows best. After working at a job she hated, her mother convinced her to try out for a bikini contest—and since Lynne always had to listen to her mother, she signed up for her first contest. “I started doing bikini contests on a wing, a bikini and a prayer. Hell, my mom even bought me my first bikini,” laughs Miss Austin. It was during one of these contests that she caught the attention of six fellas who had just come up with a brilliant idea for a restaurant called Hooters. One of the six, Ed Droste, spotted her at the contest and knew she was what he and his partners were looking for. “I was looking for a cheerleader type with a fantastic body to do my promotion,” says Ed. The fellas convinced Miss Austin to quit her job and work for them as the first-ever Hooters girl. Soon enough busty Lynne had invaded everyone’s television set, radio and was popping up on billboards. Her quick taste of stardom was all she needed to be hooked. “I’ll open any door that’s knocking—a Hooters commercial today, MGM tomorrow,” says the former wife of Phillies catcher, Darren Daulton. The next door that Lynne opened was a door with the icon bunny on it and she couldn’t have been happier. She was made Miss July 1986 in the United States and was voted Playmate of the Year 1987 by the Playboy’s Dutch counterparts. Even though Lynne is a Playboy and Hooters sex symbol, don’t think that means that she’s above telling it like it is and putting a man in his place. “If there's one thing I can't stand, it's a guy who cheats,” says the Playmate. “When it comes to guys, you seek your own level. If you're looking for dirt, you'll find it. If you just want a good time, you'll have it.” Amen, Miss July 1986.