Barbi Benton (born Barbara Lynn Klein; January 28, 1950)[1][2] is an American former model, actress, television personality, and singer.

She began as an extra on the show, but after host Hugh Hefner fell in love with Benton, her role was quickly elevated to co-host.

Benton (initially credited as Barbi Klein) appeared on the cover of Playboy four times: July 1969, March 1970, May 1972, and December 1985.

She soon landed a spot on television's Hee Haw doing short comedy sketches and often appeared as a dancer in some of the episodes of Season 5 and 6 (1971 to 1973) of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In.

She became a featured repeat performer on a number of popular 1970s American television series, including The Bobby Vinton Show, The Love Boat and Fantasy Island.

[6] Years later, when the television series The Girls Next Door visited her in Aspen, Colorado, she expressed gratitude that the two had remained friends.

Her final country album Ain't That Just the Way (1978) was released only in Scandinavia; the title track was a number one hit in Sweden for five weeks.

The same song was also a major hit for Lutricia McNeal in 1996, and was recorded by the Dutch singer Patricia Paay under the title Poor Jeremy in 1977.

This was a largely instrumental new age album for which Benton composed or co-composed all the songs, played piano and synths, and produced and arranged the work in collaboration with Jamil Szmadzinski.