Brenda Venus
Encyclopedia
Brenda Venus is an actress, author, ballet dancer, director, and producer. In her early 20s, Brenda Venus met the famed Henry Miller
in June 1976. He became her mentor and she his muse. Over 4,000 pages of letters were written by Henry Miller which were later collected into the book, "Dear, Dear Brenda" – The Love Letters of Henry Miller to Brenda Venus'(ISBN 0-688-02816-0). In addition, she is a best-selling author: "Secrets of Seduction for Men" and "Secrets of Seduction for Women." Her books have been translated into 37 languages. Publishers William Morrow and E.F. Dutton sent her on a worldwide publicity tour making various appearances on TV, radio and press interviews. For over 6 years, Venus wrote a column for Playboy
and freelanced for Cosmopolitan
, Details
and Esquire
.
, then a ballerina for American Ballet Theatre
, fashion and swimsuit model, film actress and later a producer, director and editor of documentaries. Also, she is a photographer and cinematographer. She also had her own radio show on KROC in Salt Lake City, Utah.
included her photo in his last photo album of famous movie stars. and Pompeo Posar
, photographed Venus for a magazine.
Ken Marcus
, a protege of Ansel Adams
, was Venus' sole photographer for over 10 years and published a book of black-and-white photos, titled Venus.
Artist Gary Dobry painted a series of works inspired by Venus for a 2010 exhibition called Mentors at the Zhou B Art Center/Art Matrix Gallery, Chicago.
and several other films. She also appeared as a host/narrator in, Love & Sex in LA
She appeared on the soap opera The Bold And The Beautiful
. She also appears in a short documentary film, Dinner With Henry.
.
In his book Joey, Miller wrote of Venus: "To love at the end of ones life is something special. Few women can inspire that sort of love. To wake up with the words on love one one's lips--what bliss! Just to say "Brenda" puts me in ecstasy."
Miller's long-time friend and confidant, fellow novelist and poet Lawrence Durrell
wrote in the introduction to Miller's book Dear, Dear Brenda that: "The role of Brenda Venus will keep its interest and importance also as a memorial of his last great attachment--an Ariel to his Prospero... She enabled him to dominate his infirmities and to experience all the Joys of Paradise."
According to writer Ed Millis, Venus was a source of inspiration to the aging and ailing Miller: "Brenda was 20, Henry was 84. She was a beautiful Southern belle, "The Boticelli of Mississippi" -- he called her. Henry, the renegade intellectual, the writer, had taken millions of us to the sexy Tropic of Cancer
and Capricorn. Now he was sick and slowly recuperating. He needed a lift in spirits... Brenda the Muse breathed life into her mortal charge and gave him reason to live. He wrote her over 4,000 letters and gave her focus and fine tuning!"
were cast along with Olympic Gold Medalist, Svetlana Khorkina
, who played the title role.
Henry Miller
Henry Valentine Miller was an American novelist and painter. He was known for breaking with existing literary forms and developing a new sort of 'novel' that is a mixture of novel, autobiography, social criticism, philosophical reflection, surrealist free association, and mysticism, one that is...
in June 1976. He became her mentor and she his muse. Over 4,000 pages of letters were written by Henry Miller which were later collected into the book, "Dear, Dear Brenda" – The Love Letters of Henry Miller to Brenda Venus'(ISBN 0-688-02816-0). In addition, she is a best-selling author: "Secrets of Seduction for Men" and "Secrets of Seduction for Women." Her books have been translated into 37 languages. Publishers William Morrow and E.F. Dutton sent her on a worldwide publicity tour making various appearances on TV, radio and press interviews. For over 6 years, Venus wrote a column for Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
and freelanced for Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan (magazine)
Cosmopolitan is an international magazine for women. It was first published in 1886 in the United States as a family magazine, was later transformed into a literary magazine and eventually became a women's magazine in the late 1960s...
, Details
Details (magazine)
Details is an American monthly men's magazine published by Condé Nast Publications, founded in 1982. Though primarily a magazine devoted to fashion and lifestyle, Details also features reports on relevant social and political issues.-History:...
and Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
.
Early career
Brenda Venus began her career as a beauty queenBeauty Queen
"Beauty Queen" is the second song from Roxy Music's second album, For Your Pleasure. The lyrics refer to Ferry's girlfriend, Valerie Leon, one-time UK beauty queen, B-movie actress and model working in the Newcastle area, circa 1973.-Musicians:...
, then a ballerina for American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
, fashion and swimsuit model, film actress and later a producer, director and editor of documentaries. Also, she is a photographer and cinematographer. She also had her own radio show on KROC in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Photographs and paintings of Venus
George HurrellGeorge Hurrell
George Hurrell was a photographer who made a significant contribution to the image of glamour presented by Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s.-Early life:...
included her photo in his last photo album of famous movie stars. and Pompeo Posar
Pompeo Posar
Pompeo Posar was a Playboy magazine staff photographer who photographed many centerfold spreads and accompanying pictures of women featured as playmate of the month...
, photographed Venus for a magazine.
Ken Marcus
Ken Marcus
Ken Marcus is an American photographer, known for his glamour photography with Penthouse and Playboy magazines. For over 30 years he has produced hundreds of centerfolds, editorials, album covers, and advertisements. His work is shown in galleries, published in books and magazines...
, a protege of Ansel Adams
Ansel Adams
Ansel Easton Adams was an American photographer and environmentalist, best known for his black-and-white photographs of the American West, especially in Yosemite National Park....
, was Venus' sole photographer for over 10 years and published a book of black-and-white photos, titled Venus.
Artist Gary Dobry painted a series of works inspired by Venus for a 2010 exhibition called Mentors at the Zhou B Art Center/Art Matrix Gallery, Chicago.
Film and TV
Brenda Venus appeared in the Clint Eastwood film, The Eiger SanctionThe Eiger Sanction (film)
The Eiger Sanction is a 1975 American action thriller based on the novel The Eiger Sanction by Trevanian, a pseudonym for the American author, Dr. Rodney William Whitaker. The film was directed by Clint Eastwood, who also starred as Dr. Jonathan Hemlock.-Plot:Dr...
and several other films. She also appeared as a host/narrator in, Love & Sex in LA
- Kung Fu-The Demon GodKung Fu (TV series)Kung Fu is an American television series that starred David Carradine. It was created by Ed Spielman, directed and produced by Jerry Thorpe, and developed by Herman Miller, who was also a writer for, and co-producer of, the series...
with David CarradineDavid CarradineDavid Carradine was an American actor and martial artist, best known for his role as a warrior monk, Kwai Chang Caine, in the 1970s television series, Kung Fu, which later had a 1990s sequel series, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues... - FMFM (film)FM is a 1978 directed by John A. Alonzo, and starring Michael Brandon, Eileen Brennan, Alex Karras and Cleavon Little. The screenplay was written by Ezra Sacks.This film was produced by Universal Pictures, and originally released to movie theaters in 1978....
- 48 Hrs.48 Hrs.48 Hrs. is a 1982 American action comedy film directed by Walter Hill, starring Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy as a cop and convict, respectively, who team up to catch a cop-killer. The title refers to the amount of time they have to solve the crime. This was Eddie Murphy's film debut , and Joel...
- ValentinoValentinoValentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani , best known as Valentino, is an Italian fashion designer and founder of the Valentino SpA brand and company. His main lines were Valentino, Valentino Garavani, Valentino Roma, and R.E.D...
- The Ballerina
- Against a Crooked SkyAgainst a Crooked SkyAgainst a Crooked Sky is a 1975 American Western film directed by Earl Bellamy and starring Richard Boone, Stewart Petersen, and Henry Wilcoxon.- Plot summary :...
- Love & Sex in LA
She appeared on the soap opera The Bold And The Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987....
. She also appears in a short documentary film, Dinner With Henry.
Relationship with Henry Miller
Venus met American novelist Henry Miller when she was in her early twenties, and became his museMuse
The Muses in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture, that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths...
.
In his book Joey, Miller wrote of Venus: "To love at the end of ones life is something special. Few women can inspire that sort of love. To wake up with the words on love one one's lips--what bliss! Just to say "Brenda" puts me in ecstasy."
Miller's long-time friend and confidant, fellow novelist and poet Lawrence Durrell
Lawrence Durrell
Lawrence George Durrell was an expatriate British novelist, poet, dramatist, and travel writer, though he resisted affiliation with Britain and preferred to be considered cosmopolitan...
wrote in the introduction to Miller's book Dear, Dear Brenda that: "The role of Brenda Venus will keep its interest and importance also as a memorial of his last great attachment--an Ariel to his Prospero... She enabled him to dominate his infirmities and to experience all the Joys of Paradise."
According to writer Ed Millis, Venus was a source of inspiration to the aging and ailing Miller: "Brenda was 20, Henry was 84. She was a beautiful Southern belle, "The Boticelli of Mississippi" -- he called her. Henry, the renegade intellectual, the writer, had taken millions of us to the sexy Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Cancer (novel)
Tropic of Cancer is a novel by Henry Miller which has been described as "notorious for its candid sexuality" and as responsible for the "free speech that we now take for granted in literature." It was first published in 1934 by the Obelisk Press in Paris, France, but this edition was banned in the...
and Capricorn. Now he was sick and slowly recuperating. He needed a lift in spirits... Brenda the Muse breathed life into her mortal charge and gave him reason to live. He wrote her over 4,000 letters and gave her focus and fine tuning!"
Russian Play
On her birthday, November 10, Russia's prime minister Vladimir Putin requested that she visit Moscow as his guest. The invitation was to attend the opening performance of Venus, a play about her life by a famous Russian playwright . Members of the Bolshoi BalletBolshoi Ballet
The Bolshoi Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia. Founded in 1776, the Bolshoi is among the world's oldest ballet companies, however it only achieved worldwide acclaim by the early 20th century, when Moscow became the...
were cast along with Olympic Gold Medalist, Svetlana Khorkina
Svetlana Khorkina
Svetlana Vasilyevna Khorkina is a popular Russian gymnast and seven-time Olympic medalist, who is now a deputy at the Russian State Duma. With an unprecedented nine gold, eight silver, and three bronze World Championships medals, she is one of the most successful female gymnasts of her era and has...
, who played the title role.