Sunset Boulevard billboard
Yesterday I was in one of those “Whatever Happened To?” modes and was thinking about Angelyne, the billboard queen of the 1980s who became a Hollywood icon by having a billboard of herself.
Her life was pretty mysterious and you can’t find too much information via Google.
She came from out of nowhere but did a few music videos (really good, like a cross between Blondie and Missing Persons and Berlin) and cameo appearances in movies, most famous, “Earth Girls are Easy.” But then she also did some low budget films in the 1970s. She also sang in a band called Baby Blue.
Angelyne didn’t have a rich husband who paid for these billboards, she was single and said the money came from investors. She was also a candidate in a 2003 California recall election.
No one knows the real age of this eccentric lady. In some recent photos she appears elderly with a ton of plastic surgery and make-up, but according to a Los Angeles register of voters list, which only has her first name, it said she was 44 in 2007, which doesn’t make sense considering that she was making films in the 1970s and was already an adult.
In 1996, The Neurotic Ousiders played tribute to her with their song, Angelina. I knew who they were singing about immediately!
And in 2012, her most famous billboard was used in the movie, “Rock of Ages.”
Angelyne in recent years, still driving her pink Corvette, with vanity license plate of her name
If you “Google” you’ll find so many cool things about Angelyne and discover that she has an amazing fan base. She’s often seen in Hollywood, driving her corvette. She’ll let fans take a picture if they purchase one of her t-shirts, for a mere $20, which she keeps in her trunk.
I think she’s kinda cute and endearing.
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta is the author of “Love Cats” available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback editions: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1681020513
Reblogged this on Maryanne's Jukebox.
Wow that’s a lot of surgery! Hugs Paula x
Think it is safe to say that Angelyne’s favorite color is pink.
LOL!!! You’re so funny, Andrew! Yes, I’d say that too 🙂
Angelyne must wake up everyday thinking that she will wear pink that day. Her pink eye shadow is too cool.
Yes! I love the pink eye shadow too. I used to wear that shade when I was 18 in the early 1980s and had bleached blonde hair as well. (But I was more punk rock looking, not hyper-sexy like Angelyne). What did you think of her song?
I will be 70 next year, or otherwise I may have liked that song more. I am more into 40’s and 50’s music. Imdb.com has this info on Angelyne. with her being born in Idaho in 1958, which would make her 55 this year. Also has this info on Angelyne:
Birth Name
Angyline Angelyne
Trade Mark
Her goal, to be “famous for being famous”
Her enormous bust
Platinum blonde hair
Sparkling blue eyes
Lisp, breathless voice
Trivia
Model
Noted for her flamboyant self-promoting billboards in Los Angeles.
Candidate for city council of Hollywood (if it secedes from Los Angeles) [2002]
Garnered 2,533 votes in the 2003 California governor’s recall election.
One of her billboards was featured in the opening credits of “Moonlighting” (1985)
In the movie Escape from L.A. (1996), with Los Angeles in ruins, Snake Plissken walks up Hollywood Boulevard and looks up to see a pristine Angelyne billboard.
In 2007, she was the subject of questions posed to celebrity guest Valerie Plame Wilson in an episode of the NPR radio show “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me!” during the segment “Not My Job”. Plame had no correct answers.
She is the author of an as-yet unfilmed screenplay “The Bra that Ate L.A.” about a mad scientist who invents a supernatural power-converting brazier.
Oh wow, you’re the Research King! Thanks so much for all that extra info. She’s definitely an interesting person.
Maryanne, Was surprised to find that info, but still not too sure of that age, since she looks older than 55 in the photo you posted.
Yes, I think older than 55 too, but I didn’t want to sound catty. No matter what age she’s still in great shape though, right?
Yes she is in great shape for whatever age she is. Very interesting lady and glad you wrote this post about her.
57 not 65. i am 53and was born in 1962 so her being four yeas earlier cannot make her 65
I fixed Andrew’s comment, Lilly, thanks! (And I put “55” since this blog was originally written two years ago, I took off two years). Thanks.
Sorry that would make her 55….never was any good at math.
I think she’ more like in her 60’s or 70’s now. I actually saw her in a Sav-On Drug Store in the Valley years ago. And well, I think there comes a time when women should stop trying to look as if they are still a teenager and dress more “gracefully”. I think it’s more becoming to be ourselves as we progress in time than to stay stuck and become like a cartoon. Ok, I tried to say all that as nice as I could…….
If Angelyn wants to stay dressing sexy until she is 80 years old it is her business. Look at Cher. As I write this Cher is in her late 60’s. And is not dressing to ‘become” her age. I admire Angelyne. Hell, she is in her 50’s not 150 years old.
Cool post, I had heard of Angeline before, as the woman who was famous in LA because she put billboards of herself up haha. It really epitomizes the whole stereotypical LA vibe I think, fame for the sake of fame and all that, not that I’m having a poke at it though! God knows the world needs it’s characters and eccentrics 🙂
Thanks for sharing Maryanne, as I’d never seen her before 🙂
Rohan.
Yes, definitely well put! I miss some of the characters I saw regularly when I worked in NYC and Hoboken, New Jersey. When I used to sell my art in Union Square, I’d see this woman who looked like an elderly version of Bridget Bardot, and dressed to the nines, make-up, hair, high heel shoes, still clinging to her youth. When I saw the elderly version of Angelyne, I immediately thought of the Bridget Bardot woman.
yes, I remember her! Though i don’t remember the music video at all. But when I see a billboard I remember the woman who posted herself on a billboard and became famous. This was a nice little trip down memory lane. Thanks for purring a name to the face. 🙂
When my husband and I were in the LA area visiting my Mother in law, we were sitting in traffic and a pink Corvette pulled up next to us with a flashy blonde driving. She pulled away and we saw the license plate reading, “Angeline”. My Mother in law said, “Oh she’s famous around here! She has billboards of herself all over”. That was my brush with Angeline.
Great story, Renee! Thanks 🙂
I’ve never heard of this woman! Or, if I have, I’ve forgotten her. Cute post!
I just saw her yesterday. My friend paid for a t shirt and picture but she covers most of her face with a magazine when you take the picture! She looked EXACTLY like the picture above!
Oh wow, cool story! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I just saw her today at Pavillions. She was in front of me buying a melon. I agree with Don- she looked EXACTLY like the picture. Same dress and everything! 🙂
That’s funny! I wondered what she ate, if she was into health foods or not 🙂
I saw her today on the 101 freeway. the same pink car but no blond wig
she looked very old and a strong receding hairline in the front
terrible
She’s on the Newsome recall ballot, as a replacement option for Governor.
I just want to give her a hug and an age appropriate Angelyne makeover.
Now that’s an idea! 😀
I see her alllll the time on the freeway here in Thousand Oaks where she lives. She is constantly leaving for Hollywood in the morning, and its funny to see her through the years out here. She has lived in ventura county for some time now I believe for how much I see her here. She still has it though.
Cool story, Seth! Thanks for sharing with us. She’s certainly a popular lady!
She didn’t have “investors”- she was/is a Prostitute. This is not a secret.
To My Info: You’re crazy, she’s not a whore, have you seen her close up? The skin on her breasts are almost translucent because it’s so thin. You can see every vein as the blood flows through her system, like a road map. She used to shop at the Whole Foods Market in Woodland Hills where I worked, and it was obvious that she was on an extremely limited budget. Sweet woman though, have to nod your hat at the fact that she has the balls to do what she does! She wanted to be famous, and by hook or by crook, she was going to be famous! Paris Hilton had her families wealth, as did Kim Kardashian, this broad did it from the ground up! Not too many people can say that for themselves. If she wants to toodle around L.A. in a pink Vette with her titties all exposed like that, well in my opinion, she’s earned it! Oh, one other thing, she’s not much of a conversationalist, has a very tiny voice, and always came alone. No girlfriends,no boyfriends, just her all by her lonesome!
I’m sorry, I wasn’t replying to you, I was replying to “My Info” who stated that she was a prostitute. I wasn’t trying to be rude, my intention was to say cut the lady some slack, to whomever “My Info” is. I wasn’t around in the heyday of her billboards, I just saw her as naother eccentric customer until someone filled me in about her.
Upon looking up bits and pieces about her on the web, and after meeting her in person, I came to realize that she was really quite the sex kitten in her day! Now that the years have past, people can be unbelievably cruel, and I can understand why she covers her face when people try to take her picture.
I enjoyed reading your blog, your article on catty women is very good too, so I apologize if it came off as if I was attacking you, it’s just sad to me that someone would want to make a statement about someone that they really don’t know that much about, she’s extremely private if you haven’t noticed!
Keep up the good work, and again, I really enjoy your writing! And yes, I did read the entire article, I just did not address my comment correctly!
Excellent points, Sleepy Brown. And always great to hear such wisdom from a young person. It’s true people can be unbelievably cruel to older people. I’ve experienced it when I was as young as 40 from a bunch of college graduates when I was still in the work force (and not self-employed, which is one of the reasons I become self-employed — a blessing in disguise!) Nevertheless, age-ism really sucks and those who are now dishing it out will be victims too some day — karma is a bitch, right? On a positive I’m so glad you’re enjoying my blog and writing. Have a great day! 🙂 xo
Can you fix my original post so that the readers can see that it is responce to “My Info” and then remove your responce and not post my follow up responce so it doesn’t look like were having a trolling war? Thanks!
P.S. Sorry about not addressing the original post correctly in the first place!
It’s all fixed. No worries 🙂
In searching for an update image of Angelyne for a blog post I wrote in 2012, I came across this page. Here is my encounter with the iconic Angelyne: http://musingsontheguidedpath.blogspot.com/2012/06/wounded-child.html
Great blog post, thanks for sharing! She’s a popular, intriguing lady. According to my site stats this post, which I wrote almost two years ago, gets more clicks than anything else I write. So, thanks to her, people are reading my other posts. 🙂
Guess who got her new pink vette. She only lives a couple blocks from me. I am tryin to post the pic of her in it but can’t. Sorry.
Seen her three times this year in hollywood and tonight on New Years eve in glendale california just a half mile from my home
Reblogged this on Crazy Pasta Child.
I say, Good for her for looking sooo cute. She stays out of trouble, and not asking anyone for a handout.
She was just here in Echo Park at Lassen’s. I was parked across from her and people were taking pics of her car. One girl went up to her and asked if she was famous. She was with a tall skinny guy. She looked like she has had lots of plastic surgery and was wearing heels and short skirt. She was walking into Walgreen’s when I left. When I walked into Lassen’s there were 4 employees talking about her with one telling them about her billboard’s in the 80s.
I meant to also say I worked at Capitol Records in mid to late 80s and remember having to walk past her billboard.
Wow, that’s a cool job you had 🙂
Thanks for your Angelyne updates!
I just spot and her and Oxnard
She us actually Renee Goldberg, born in 1950 (65 years old), and went to James Monroe High School in the San Fernando Valley (same time as me). She was a redhead back in the day. Here’s the info: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/angelyne-la-billboard-diva-30-years-1025678
Oh my goodness, thanks so much for the link! And she was adorable as a young redhead.
She lives here in Ventura, California.
She shops at Trader Joe’s and Sprouts.
She still drives her Barbie Pink Corvette.
She’s still Angeline!
She came into Sprouts in Ventura yesterday.
I spelled her name wrong. Sorry.
Hello we are looking for the copyright owner of the Billboard photo with Pink Corvette
Please email or text us !
We have an original song about Angelyne
She graduated from high school in 1967 so if she was 17 or 18 at that time she would be in her early 70’s.