Patty Mullen - Penthouse to Frankenhooker and Beyond

When I said to my colleague, Geo Brawn, that it looked like Patty Mullen was going to be hard to nail down for an online interview, but would be well worth the efforts to pursue, he replied; "Oh definitely. I mean, c'mon, she was Frankenhooker!" That, she was.

If you're a horror fan, then you undoubtedly know Patty from her iconic title role in Frank Henenlotter's 1990 cult B-horror classic, Frankenhooker. Perhaps you also remember Patty as Penthouse magazine's 1988 Pet of the Year. Some of you have memories of Patty that go even further back to when she was the August 1986 Pet of the Month.

However Patty is remembered first and foremost, she has a select legion of adoring fans. They show up to meet her at horror and comic cons, have her sign (occasionally) Penthouse and (mostly) Frankenhooker memorabilia, ask to her her say "Wanna date!?" and even show her their Frankenhooker tattoos. However, there was long hiatus between the release of the film that made Frankenhooker a household name among horror fans, and Patty's reemergence at horror and comic cons a few years ago. It was a hiatus that was filled with, as Patty puts it; good, bad, and ugly.

Whatever Happened to Suzee Pai?

Asian-American model-turned-actress Suzee Pai has the distinction of being Penthouse magazine’s first Asian Pet of the Month, as well as their first Asian cover girl, since she also graced her Pet issue’s cover (at right).

After her appearance as the January 1981 Pet of the Month, Suzee went on to an acting career that lasted through to the early 90s, with her most notable role as Miao Yin in 1986′s now-cult classic Big Trouble in Little China. Her last known film role was in the 1993 TV movie Extralarge: Ninja Shadow and she now resides in the “Whatever Happened to..?” file.

What follows is Suzee’s entire January 1981 Pet of the Month layout, which can be considered fairly mild by Penthouse magazine standards, especially compared to those of Penthouse’s later years.

The "Mansion Madame" Melissa Wolf

   

Former Penthouse Pet (June 1985) Lisa Ann Taylor, known professionally as Melissa Wolf, recently made headlines after she was arrested for running a brothel and call girl ring from her mansion in Atlanta's upscale suburb of Duluth. I'd hazard to say most, if not all, the allegations against her are probably true, and I sure can't tell you anything about the particulars of the case that you couldn't read in the numerous articles on it (one of the better ones here), but I can tell you that I did have the pleasure of meeting Miss Taylor/Wolf during her engagement at Nashville's Club Platinum in late-1994. I don't remember what songs she danced to or if she did her noted "Popsicle Disappearing Act" (and that sounds like something I'd clearly remember) but she jokingly told me she started very young, at 12, when I mentioned to her that it seemed like I'd seen her in magazines for years, but she couldn't be any older than me. I also observed her to be very gracious and she seemed very friendly toward the house dancers.