Edmund Leja – Photographer
Edmund Leja started as a photographer in Detroit, in the mid 1940s. He became more prolific in 1945, before moving to Hollywood California in 1952. He began hiring models there on weekends to shoot on location and in and around his home, and selling photos to a variety of publications.
Edmund Leja
He was based in West Hollywood and Studio City, where the early Southern California nude photography industry started. While a lot of his photos were in and around his home, he preferred working outdoors. Andre de Dienes was a colleague. The two shared contracts with many early models, including several that would become Playboy Playmates.
They both photographed Playmate of the Month Diane Webber (Miss May 1955 and Miss February 1956), Collette Berne (July 1960), Sue Snow and Tammy Saunders. Leja discovered and photographed three additional Playmates for Playboy magazine. They were Teddi Smith (Miss July 1960), Donna Michelle (Miss December 1963) and Lori Winston (Miss June 1964, and Playmate of the Year 1964.) During his career, Leja photographed over 200 models and created over 100,000 images between the 1940s and the early 1980s.
Most interesting to me, he shot women of all ethnicities. These model include Natasha Pidgue in 1964, Cheryl Stewart in 1966, Millicent Hutson in, 1966 Greta Saffel in 1967, Doris Ayala in 1970, Marcelle Booker in 1972 and Keli Stewart in 1978.
His official website is currently down, but I hear through the grape vine that it maybe back soon. http://edmundlejavintagenudes.com/
Known Models
Alice Roles
Aprille Lytell
Araya Emery
Barbara Caron
Barbara Peckinpaugh
Betty
Beverly Standley
Bonnie Clarke
Brandy Case
Brigette Baum
C. Amsterdam
Candy Walker
Carol McBee
Carol Weisskopf
Carole Wooley
Cecile Allain
Celeste Rauschert
Charlotte Stewart
Cheri Enid
Cheryl Stewart
Christmas Mitchell
Colette Berne
Concert Mayol, Paris
Cynthia Gaede
Cynthia Gant
Cynthia Simpson
Daisy Hellman
Damian Zish
Dee Matteson
Denise Daniel
Diane White
Donna Michelle
Donna Rogers
Donna Scott
Donna Stanley
Doris Ayala
Freddi Robbins
Gail Vandermost
Gigi Frost
Glenda Graham
Gloria Knight
Gloria O’Cana
Goldie Gibson
Greta Saffell
Helena Clayton
Jeani Mack
Jessie Baker
Jetta Salling
Joan Kress
Judy Moore
Kathy Knowblock
Kathy Price
Keli Stewart
Kellie Everts aka Rasa Von Werder – Stripper for God
Kitty Randall
Koval Crane
Laine Carliss aka Honey Harmon
Laura Stevens
Laurene Dulac
Lee Lane
Leona Uris
Linda Curry
Linda Smith
Lois Bishop
Lori Winston aka Julie Cron
Lorie Armbrust
Lovie Harris
Luana Chilton
Lynde Redden
Madeline Castle
Marcella Brooker
Margie Fisco
Marguerite Empey aka Diane Webber
Marian Bartta
Marilyn Wesley
Mary Beth Meaky
Mary Vallade
Maureen Cross
Maya Malbasa
Mickey Jines
Millicent Hutson
Monica Smith
Mykt Gaber 2
Nan Burns
Natasha Pidgue
Nell Bedell
Niki Sharrock
Pat Connely
Pat Larsen
Pat O’Connell
Patti Conley
Patty Barrick
Peggy Cochran
Rita Ritman
Robin Caulkins
Ronnie Powers
Sandra Henderson
Sandy Dempsey
Sharon Matt
Sharron Myers
Shawn Daley
Sherry Everett
Shirley Kilpatrick
Shirley Skates
Sue Parker
Sue Snow
Susan Szaley
Susan Temmer
Sylvia Hand
Sylvia Wright
Tammy Saunders
Teddi Smith
Teresa Malloy
Terri Dolan aka Teri Hannon
Terry Knight
Toni Webster
Vici Larraine
Vincene Cradduck aka Vincene Wallace
Vivian Gursten
Wendy Wyatt
Yvonne Pellicano
