William Figge was a professional photographer who, along with his wife Melba, ran a photography studio

Studio

A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...

 in Glendale, California

Glendale, California

Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...

. Figge was a combat photographer in World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. After the war, he failed to find work as a cinematographer, so he stayed with photography and specialised in portraiture

Portraiture

Portraiture may refer to:* The creation of any portrait, an artistic representation of a person, including** Portrait painting.** Portrait photography.** Self Portait. MS...

, shooting weddings and contributing to Playboy Magazine. Notably, he discovered many Playmate

Playmate

A Playmate is a female model featured in the centerfold/gatefold of Playboy magazine as Playmate of the Month . The PMOM's pictorial includes nude photographs and a centerfold poster, as well as a short biography and the "Playmate Data Sheet", which lists her birthdate, measurements, turn-ons, and...

s at weddings. Bill Figge, as he is sometimes called, shot 48 gatefold

Gatefold

A gatefold is a type of fold used for advertising around a magazine or section, and for packaging of media such as vinyl records.- LP covers :...

s and 3 covers. The couple ceased contributing to Playboy when the magazine became more risqué in the 1980s.

Bill and Melba had three sons, (Greg, Stephan and Eric,) and one daughter (Leslie). Greg and Leslie run the studio that their parents began, Figge Studios. Eric, the only child to have formal education photography, photographs architecture professionally.

Gatefolds

April 1965 - Sue Williams

May 1965 - Maria McBane

October 1965 - Allison Parks

1966 Playmate of Year - Allison Parks

June 1966 - Kelly Burke

July 1966 - Tish Howard

November 1966 - Lisa Baker

July 1967 - Heather Ryan

1967 Playmate of Year - Lisa Baker

November 1967 - Kaya Christian

December 1967 - Lynn Winchell

February 1968 - Nancy Harwood

March 1968 - Michelle Hamilton

April 1968 - Gaye Rennie

September 1968 - Dru Hart

February 1969 - Lorrie Menconi

April 1969 - Lorna Hopper

July 1969 - Nancy McNeil

January 1970 - Jill Taylor

March 1970 - Chris Koren

June 1970 - Elaine Morton

August 1970 - Sharon Olivia Clark

1971 Playmate of Year - Sharon Olivia Clark

June 1972 - Debbie Davis

August 1972 - Linda Summers

March 1973 - Bonnie Large

August 1973 - Phyllis Coleman

October 1973 - Valerie Lane

March 1974 - Pamela Zinszer

September 1975 - Mesina Miller

May 1979 - Michele