Rachael Robbins - Behind the Scenes with Mike James

At my request, my friend, esteemed pinup photographer Mike James, once again delved into his photo archives to come up with some candid, behind-the-scenes shots of another one of the lovely ladies who's worked with him over the last several years.

Rachael Robbins, who was included in my first James Girls feature and a subsequent solo interview, has compiled a long and impressive modeling and acting resume that includes Playboy magazine to, more recently, her outstanding performance as the leader of the Van Houten sisters in Ken Del Vecchio's horror Bleeding Hearts. The above 2007 shot of Rachael relaxing while Mike was setting up for a shoot, as well as all of the following photos, are being published here for the first time, anywhere.

Tina Krause - Behind the Scenes with Mike James

Actress Tina Krause was featured in my second installment on the models of prominent pinup photographer Mike James. She first shot with Mike in 1997 and has done shoots with him almost every year since. She's appeared with Mike at trade shows and events as the official spokesmodel for Azimuth Design, as well as appeared in print ads for the company. In essence, James Girl Tina is to Azimuth Designs, what Hooters Girl Lynne Austin was to Hooters restaurants.

Vida Ghaffari

As one of the top entertainment journalists in Hollywood, as well as an actress herself, Vida Ghaffari feels equally comfortable on either side of interview mic. She's covered film premieres, red carpet events, and shows all around Hollywood, interviewing everyone from small business owners to A-list celebs, including some Iranian personalities in Farsi, which is her mother tongue. She's also covered quite a few eminent fashion shows of top Hollywood designers, often while wearing their creations.

Although she enjoys hosting and conduction interviews, Vida is currently focused more toward her acting career. Her credits on the small screen include Green Manor, It Casting, and The Mindy Project, in which she appeared in the pilot episode. Filmwise, some of the titles on her list are the short Cross My Heart, Grunder Oakley Productions' Natural Born Filmmakers, and Mark Savage's highly anticipated Circus of Dread, which has been causing a buzz around the indie horror community, preceding its release. Vida's been the voice behind many commercials and animated films, as well. Notably, the 2014 comedy short Lovesick Fool - Love in the Age of Like, in which she worked with Dominic Polcino, one of the top animation directors in the business.

It's no surprise Vida's become a prominent name the Los Angeles entertainment community and has been recognized for her endeavors. This past June, she was honored with an award from the West Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce for her outstanding work. More recently, she was the recipient of an entrepreneur award from The World Networks, and of course, she granted Idol Features the following interview. Above photo courtesy of Vida herself.

2014 Christmas Compilation

With Christmas around the corner, here are a selection of some of the lovely and talented ladies whose interviews and featured articles have graced the pages of this site, decked out in the spirit of the season. Starting it off is actress and talk show hostess Michelle Tomlinson who could have, but did not bake that pie herself. A big thanks to all the ladies here, especially to the ones who took the time and effort to take a photo exclusively for this feature. Happy Holidays!

Tammie Baird

Award-winning Hollywood stuntwoman Tammie Baird grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. The eldest of six children, Tammie studied gymnastics as a child until her mother deemed it too dangerous and made her quit. Needless to say, it didn't make Tammie shy away from risky activities. Quite the opposite, in fact. She's since doubled for numerous A-list actresses when their characters have gotten in fights, been slammed on concrete, and hit by cars, just to name a few things. Despite all that, she says she's never had any serious injuries, just a few aches and pains the next day.

When not on the set, Tammie can often be found swinging from the Traveling Rings at Santa Monica, which, she tells me, relieves her of all stress and makes her feel weightless and free. She says her "to do" list includes (probably to the horror of her mom) hanging from outside of a helicopter, crashing through glass, and doing a car-to-car transfer. (Yes, of course while they're moving fast.)

Also an avid Pez collector (which is probably something only those close to her knew until now), the above photo of Tammie with two of her most prized Pez dispensers; Inspector Clouseau and the Pink Panther, is courtesy of Tammie, herself.

Dahlia Derriere

Model Dahlia Derriere was one of the "James Girls" featured here in July, whom I found to be particularly charming and gracious. So charming, I asked her if she'd be interested in giving me an interview for a solo feature, so readers could find out a little more about her, and here it is.

Even though she considers herself a just regular girl who likes to model on occasion, Dahlia is currently one of the premiere pinup models on the East Coast. She's graced the pages of such popular magazines as Retro Lovely, Tease and Cake, and has an soon-upcoming feature in the debut issue of Tinsel. Her images have also adorned posters, calendars, and billboards in and around her region and she often poses for area artists. "It is such a delight to see different interpretations of yourself put to paper," she says.

Also a lady with a good head on her shoulders, Dahlia has some words of wisdom for young ladies interested in going into modeling, whether it be professionally or just as a sideline. The above, unedited, photo is courtesy of Dahlia, herself, proving to those who haven't had the pleasure of meeting her, that her beauty is no studio creation.

Carly Capra Lights up the 4th of July

Since my interview with Carly Capra last October, the Texas-based actress has kept pretty busy. Among her recent projects that are currently in post production is Michael Crum's Allegiance of Powers where she's been cast as a girl with supernatural powers, similar to telekinesis, that allow her to move throw, and collide objects. Slated to be released in September, Carly says of the film; "The movie is filled with messages; action, sex appeal, humor, deception, gore and major special effects. They even incorporate comic book-like scenes into the movie. No one in the indie industry has made a movie like this."

She's currently filming Jim DeVault's Blood Reunion 2: Madeline, which is the second part of of a trilogy. It's also scheduled to be released later this year and like the first part, the storyline features the main characters returning to their childhood home, where some may meet their ends. Carly says of her character Izzy; "She’s a sexy young girl who may or may not make it out alive. This is one of the sexiest roles I’ve played."

Also a former member of the Cowtown Hotties promotions and bikini team, Carly still does occasional photo shoots. One of the most notable recent ones being a Nightmare on Elm Street homage with photographer Jeremy Campbell in which Carly portrayed a sexy female Freddy Kruger, minus the burns. She's also featured in Malevolent Magazine #3, which is having its release party the day after this goes to press. Above photo courtesy of Carly herself.

Susan Kiger - Never Before Seen Photos

In response to my piece on whatever happened to former Playboy Playmate and actress Susan Lynn Kiger, I've had several readers post comments and send me messages telling me of times they spent with the lovely Miss January 1977. Some said they had the pleasure of knowing Susan personally, while others shared their recollections of meeting her at promotional events and fan signings during her all-too-brief modeling and acting heyday.

Tony M., a reader who met Susan a little more than a year after her Playmate issue hit the stands, sent me the photo scans you see here. He took the photos during Susan's appearance at the 1978 Sacramento Autorama car show, which is an annual event still held to this day. Tony's also been gracious enough to allow me to publish these photos here, for the first time anywhere.

Terissa Kelton Welcomes 2014

Ringing in 2014 is the very lovely actress Terissa Kelton, whom I had the pleasure of interviewing back in April of 2012. After contacting Terissa a couple of weeks ago, regarding her being part of the Christmas Compilation piece here (which she was), I saw that she'd been very busy since we last spoke. She's still one of the top talents with Twitchy Dolphin Flix, working on both sides of the camera. In 2013, she made appearances at several of the most popular indie film festivals in the US to promote movies she'd done in the two preceding years, which included Abram's Hand and Dear Boss Ripper.

With no less than three more completed films to her credit and a delve into professional modeling in 2013, I asked Terissa to bring me up to date with her projects since our first interview, which she graciously did. Credit for the above, and exclusive, photo goes to Chris Copple and Terissa, herself.

2013 Christmas Compilation

After catching Kristina Michelle (above) in her very recent holiday photo shoot with Scott T. Morrison of Discovery Photo, it gave me the idea for this Christmas-themed post featuring some of the ladies I've had the pleasure of interviewing over the past few years. A big thanks to all of them for sending me their photos, some of which were taken by them, exclusively for this feature. (Clicking on their names will take you to their interviews here.)

Bada on Saturday Night Live Korea

Saturday Night Live Korea made its debut in December of 2011 and has since done quite well in the ratings. Closely patterned after the long-running "live from New York" original, SNL Korea is considered to be in its fourth season, as Korean TV seasons are relatively short. This excerpt from a July 2012 skit features the show's host, singer/actress Bada (Sea) overseeing auditions to choose two new singers to flank her in "SES II."

Annette Lawless

News reporter Annette Lawless has been with WJW Fox 8 in Cleveland for the last two years, after moving there from her native Kansas, where her heart still seems to be. The Kansas State alumna and die hard Wildcats fan, has recently branched out into acting, which is how I first noticed her. Annette plays the villainess "Pandora" in the upcoming action fantasy film Lady Dragon, written and produced by Kristina Michelle.

Besides covering news stories for Fox 8 and her acting gigs, Annette co-hosts the podcast show Hottie and the Jerk, is a wiz in the kitchen and an experienced bowler, recently scoring a 238. She's also very knowledgeable about the best places to eat in Cleveland (and you owners whose restaurants she's given praise to here, should show her your gratitude). Learn more on Annette in my following interview with her. For those who haven't heard of her before; you'll probably someday remember seeing her here first, before she became a famous actress, cooking show host, or pro bowler, depending on which path she takes and assuming she doesn't stick with news journalism..

Cat Tanchanco

I've done a few articles on Youtube makeup "gurus" in the past, but Cat Tanchanco's skills set her apart from many of the rest, as do her finished products. Cat, who's better known by her Youtube subscribers and Twitter followers as "Audfaced," believes that makeup is a "creative outlet to express different personalities, moods and features already within yourself." It's something she makes clearly evident, whether transforming herself into a well-know character from film or stage, or one of her original creations.

Currently a film student at CalArts, near Los Angeles, Cat has a very popular Youtube channel (with over 41,000 subscribers to date), where she does her best to honor her viewer's requests and give step-by-step instructions as she becomes something that would rival any Hollywood professional's creation. However, what's all the more impressive is that she works within a limited budget, using modest equipment and her bathroom for a studio. Despite that, she even incorporates some pretty impressive theatrics into her video tutorials, all of which she produces solely herself. Also a skilled photographer, nearly all of the photos you see of her in character, such as the above Bellatrix Lestrange-inspired look, were taken by Cat, herself.

Miss Misery Revisited

Since my last visit with San Francisco horror hostess Reyna Young, aka Miss Misery, she's earned an even higher profile among Bay Area horror aficionados. Her weekly TV show, Miss Misery's Movie Massacre (viewable throughout California on AT&T U-Verse) has quickly gained over 10,000 viewers, so far. Besides the classic horror and sci-fi movies she features on the show, her guests include some of the top names in the independent horror film industry, comic book authorities, as well as segments with fellow horror personalities and local celebs.

I recently caught up with Reyna for an update (and a little exclusive info) on her upcoming convention, "Miss Misery's Days of Terror" which is being held next month in Sacramento.

Dayna Fuller

East Bay Area fitness model Dayna Fuller first caught my attention after I saw a photo of her in the gym, next to her workout partner, KPIX's Roberta Gonzales. I had the pleasure of interviewing Roberta for this site in January of this year and considering her achievements, I knew Dayna couldn't be any slouch to keep up with her in the gym.

I figured Dayna was a lady who was serious about her workouts and after contacting her about being featured here, I saw I was right. Despite having a fun and goofy side to her, Dayna doesn't take fitness lightly. Even though she's not currently competing (but is considering getting back into it), she spends five days a week in the gym and out on the running trails ....and the photo at left shows that's definitely no exaggeration.

Also an avid sports fan, Dayna's done promotional modeling for the Oakland Raiders and is a season ticket holder. She also frequents A's games to cheer on the green and gold. Her "lighter" activities include river rafting, compound bow shooting, and of course, collecting photos of five-star hotel restroom toilets.

1993 Lakeport Revival Bikini Contestants

Back in 1993, the band I was in at the time, was booked to play a weekend at a club in Lakeport, California, which is about a two hour drive north of San Francisco. While I was up there, I caught a poster advertising the Lakeport Revival Classic Car Show (now defunct), which included a bikini contest, at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Me, being a fan of classic cars and an even bigger fan of bikini contests, decided to go check it out and I made sure to bring my camera along. (35mm, this was the pre-digital age.)

Most of the contestants were from  Northern California (Santa Rosa, Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, etc.) and were obviously professional or semi-professional models, with one notable exception, who gave away her amateur status with her less-than-perfect posture. I don't remember who won, or even the names of any contestants, but "Stars and Stripes Girl" here, was the show-stealer who got the biggest response from the crowd once she dropped her white blazer to show her patriotism.

As I look at these photos now, I notice there doesn't seem to be any real differences between the hair and fashion styles of these ladies vs. those whom would be competing in such contests today. However, I can point out the absence of tattoos and piercings (visible ones, anyway) on these ladies vs. the inked and body jewelry-laden bodies you'd be likely to see in bikini contests these days.

Roberta Gonzales

If you live in a metro area where there are several local news stations to choose watching, you might gravitate toward a particular one, for one reason or another. In my case, it's KPIX Channel 5 in San Francisco, whose chief meteorologist is Roberta Gonzales. Besides having never been wrong about the weather, Roberta's bio reads like that of the main female character in an action movie.

To say Roberta has a busy schedule is an understatement. Besides being in the studio Monday through Friday to deliver the weather report four times a night on live TV, she also delivers it every half hour from 3:00PM to 9:00PM on KCBS radio. Her days "off" are usually spent training for whatever the next marathon or triathlon she'll be competing in and attending events for charities she actively supports. At one such event, she rappelled down a 38-story building. Oh, and if the San Jose Sharks are playing at home, the avid hockey fan can often be found in "The Tank," cheering them on.

Just last evening, Roberta found time in between news broadcasts at KPIX studios, to personally answer my e-mail questions and send me the online hello you see above. Even though our correspondence was through e-mail, Roberta, obviously not one to put things off until later, replied to me so quickly, it was practically a real-time interview.

The Last of the Derrick Dolls

Back in 1996, when the city of Nashville, Tennessee was courting the then-Houston Oilers to move to Music City (and become the now-Tennessee Titans), some of the Oilers Cheerleaders, nicknamed the "Derrick Dolls," made this promotional appearance at the Nashville City Fairgrounds. Unfortunately, I didn't get any interviews or names the day I took these photos, but if anyone recognizes any of these ladies and can give a name and/or some information on her or (better yet) is one of these ladies and would be willing to grant me and interview; please contact me!

Korean Narrator Models

Not to be confused with racing or car show models, narrator models, also called "doumi," (Korean word for "helper") have been a fairly common sight on city sidewalks and in stores of South Korea since the early 90s.

Hired through agencies by businesses promoting grand openings, special events or sales, these ladies can be found outside the entrances to night clubs, restaurants, stores, or even in supermarkets like Jang Yoon-jeong, the lovely lady pictured at right (and not to be confused with the singer of the same name). Their duties include such things as handing out flyers and promo freebies, delivering sales pitches, and dancing to pulsating techno music pumped out by large PA systems under archways of colorful balloons. In addition to their appearance, these girls are chosen through auditions for their speaking and dancing abilities, and have to be of a certain size, in order to fit into the outfits provided to them.

Korean Ero Actress Oaem Da-hye

It came as no surprise when I recently read that the model featured on the poster for the 2007 South Korean movie Cadaver (above) isn't actress Han Ji-min, who stars in the film, but in fact, is adult video actress (or "ero" actress, as they're called in Korea) Oaem Da-hye (pronounced "Ohm Da-hae"). Even though Da-hye didn't appear in the mainstream film, she has appeared in many other things.