Biography
Bebe Buell is a former model and Playboy Playmate who dated several
rock stars in the '70s. She began modeling at the age of 17 and
moved from her hometown of Virginia Beach, Virginia, to New York
City. Shortly after moving to New York, Bebe met rock star Todd
Rundgren. At the time, she was living in a women's home run by
nuns. Bebe and Todd quickly began dating (Bebe says that she lost
her virginity to Todd), they moved in together, and they ended up
living together for six years. Although Bebe and Todd were in a
steady relationship, they both dated other people while they were
living together. Bebe's rock star lovers during the '70s have
included Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, Iggy Pop, David Bowie,
Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. When
Bebe posed nude for Playboy in 1974, she was one of the first
fashion models to become a Playboy Playmate, but her nude layout in
Playboy caused her to be fired by the prestigious Ford modeling
agency. Bebe continued to model but became better known in the
entertainment industry as a popular girlfriend of many rock stars.
When Bebe's daughter, Liv, was born in 1977, Todd Rundgren was
named as the father. Todd and Bebe broke up around this time, and
Bebe moved on to other rock stars such as Stiv Bators of the Dead
Boys and Rod Stewart. In 1978, Bebe began a passionate but volatile
affair with Elvis Costello, who was married at the time. But the
relationship ended within a year when Elvis decided to go back to
his wife. By the 1980s, Bebe was living in Maine and she attempted
to become a rock star by fronting the bands the B-Sides and the
Gargoyles. Although the bands released records, none were hits.
When Liv was 11, she found out her father was really Steven Tyler,
not Todd Rundgren. Bebe has said in interviews that she didn't want
to tell Liv who her real father was because of Steven's heavy drug
addiction at the time and Bebe thought he would be an unsuitable
father. Todd had known that he was not the biological father of Liv
but he had kept the secret in order to give Liv some semblance of a
stable home life. When the truth came out, it put a strain on the
relationship between Todd and Bebe. However, Liv and Steven were
able to form a familial bond and they are reportedly very close.
Liv also changed her name from Liv Rundgren to Liv Tyler. In the
'90s, Bebe had moved back to New York, became Liv's manager, and
helped launch Liv's successful modeling and acting career. Although
Bebe is no longer Liv's manager, she still remains close with her
daughter. In 1992, Bebe married for the first time to musician
Coyote Shivers, a much younger man. But the marriage ended in 1998,
and their divorce became final in 1999. Bebe, who is now engaged to
musician Jim Wallerstein, splits her time between her homes in New
York and Portland, Maine. She performs occasionally in nightclubs
as a solo act. Bebe's autobiography, "Rebel Heart: An American Rock
and Roll Journey," was published in 2001.
Biography courtesy of the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com).
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