| Liz Renay | |
|---|---|
At the Miss Exotic World Pageant, 2006. Photo Michael Albov |
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| Born | Pearl Elizabeth Dobbins 14 April 1926 Chandler, Arizona |
| Died | January 22, 2007 (aged 80) Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Spouse | Paul W. McLain (1944-?), Thomas W. Freeman (1966-?), Gerald E. Heidebrink (1976-1983) |
Liz Renay, née Pearl Elizabeth Dobbins (April 14, 1926 - January 22, 2007) was an American author, actress and convicted felon, who appeared in John Waters' film Desperate Living (1977).
She was born Pearl Elizabeth Dobbins on April 16, 1926 in Chandler, Arizona to "evangelical parents."
Renay was mobster Mickey Cohen's girlfriend. Renay was convicted of perjury and served 27 months at Terminal Island.[1]
In her book, My First 2,000 Men, she claimed flings with Joe DiMaggio, Regis Philbin, and Cary Grant among many other male celebrities. She and her daughter, Brenda, toured with a striptease act. The act ended when Brenda committed suicide on her 39th birthday in 1982.
Renay's other books include My Face for the World to See and Staying Young (Lyle Stuart, 1982). My Face for the World to See was reissued in 2002, headlined "A Cult Classic," with a foreword by John Waters. Waters integrated the title into the dialogue of his film Female Trouble (1974), prior to working on his film Desperate Living with Renay.
Renay died at age 80 on January 22, 2007, in her adopted hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada, from cardiac arrest and gastric bleeding.[2] She was survived by a son, John McLain, from her second marriage.
Liz was married a total of seven times, being divorced five times and widowed twice. She had at least two children: Brenda, and John McLain.