Maybe some of you have forgotten about the infamous Anna Nicole Smith, but we certainly haven’t. As soon as you see a photo of her, though, we’re sure you’ll quickly recall the strong presence that she had. The former Playboy Playmate didn’t have an easy life, although, at moments, her life and career seemed quite glamorous. As you may or may not know, the cover girl lived a very short life – she only made it to the age of 39.
Known for her curves and her striking resemblance to Marilyn Monroe, Smith dreamed of bigger and better things, which resulted in a rollercoaster life. Her life was wild and weird, but more than anything, it was tragic. The small-town girl from Mexia, Texas certainly did achieve a level of success, but her demons followed her throughout her life. Nonetheless, Smith brought laughter and joy to many people’s lives.
Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and remind you of some things you may have forgotten about the model and reality star.
14 She Left Behind A Daughter
The stunning Smith passed away in 2007, and her only daughter, Dannielynn Birkhead, was only a few months old then. What does this mean? Well, Dannielynn, who looks almost identical to her late mother, grew up without her. Not only did her ex-boyfriend, Larry Birkhead, have to pick up the pieces after her death, but he also had to raise a baby girl on his own.
13 She Grew Up Very Poor
Smith, who was born on November 28th, 1967, didn’t have it easy. The statuesque model came from a broken family, as her parents divorced when she was very young. She rose to fame as a poor single mother (she had a son named Daniel in 1986), from Mexia, Texas who worked for a fried chicken joint as an early teen. She and her mother had nothing – so much so, that they had to steal toilet paper from gas stations.
12 She Married Young
Smith was the face behind the fashion brand, Guess, and at 26, she married for a second time. She settled into marriage with the incredibly rich oilman, J. Howard Marshall, who was 63 years her senior. It was definitely weird, but it didn’t last long. Marshall died a little over a year after their nuptials.
11 She Began As A Dancer
Having grown up in extreme poverty, Smith fell behind in school and was unsuccessful. Her earnings as a waitress couldn’t sustain her and her son, so she found a job as an exotic dancer. She may have been from humble beginnings, but she spent her early 20s giving lap dances to men to survive. After that, modeling fame must have felt so good.
10 She Had Her Own Reality TV Show
This show ran for two years. It was the typical reality TV format. Anna Nicole was followed by cameras as she lived her glam life. Overall, the show wasn't a massive hit or a program that thrilled critics, but it did stay on the air for three seasons.
9 She Had Small Roles
Smith had small roles in several TV shows and movies, but not enough to be credited as a Hollywood actress...or to be taken somewhat seriously. Her most memorable small role was in Naked Gun 33 1/3 (pictured above), as the seductive girlfriend. One film she starred in - Illegal Alien - was released after her death.
8 Third Time's A Charm?
Smith’s marriage to the 89-year-old oil tycoon was not her first. Yes, before that, she was married to Billy Wayne Smith, whom she divorced in 1993. However, after Marshall passed away, the flamboyant Playmate engaged in another relationship, with Larry Birkhead, who was her last lover. Larry is the guy in this pic.
7 She Went To Court
14 months after Smith and Marshall married, he passed away, which resulted in a contentious legal battle over his billion-dollar inheritance. The problem? Marshall’s family (especially his son, Pierce) didn’t want Smith to receive even a dime of his money. According to EOnline, sadly, after a rigorous fight, in 2011, the courts decided her daughter, Daniellelyn, was to not get a penny.
6 She Lost Her Son
Her son, Daniel, was born in 1986 and was the product of her first marriage. In 2006, Smith welcomed a baby girl into the world, but days later, her son tragically passed away. She and her son had a close-knit relationship and were inseparable. Smith was overcome with grief when she lost her son, and she was destined to pass away due to an accidental overdose, just like him.
5 Her Life Was A Lot Like Her Idol's
When we think of Anna Nicole Smith, most of us think of the legendary Marilyn Monroe. Smith did not have the talent of Monroe, but she tried to emulate her idol throughout her entire career.
According to EOnline, Smith said once that she’d often travel around with Monroe’s films in her bag. When you take a step back and compare the two, their rags-to-riches lives were oddly similar, including their deaths.
4 She Had Enhancements
Marshall, her billionaire ex-husband, got her every lavish thing she wanted – that included breast enhancements, according to Fox News. The Playboy model was known for being voluptuous and very curvy, but don’t kid yourself, it wasn’t all-natural. She was certainly living large in many ways. The Anna Nicole Smith we knew had a slew of cosmetic surgeries.
3 She Went Bankrupt
The former Playboy Magazine Playmate was broken by the death of her son...and financially broke. In 1996, according to The Wall Street Journal, she filed for bankruptcy protection. Sadly, at the time of her death, she was broke and in debt. She soothed his worried with painkillers but took too many of them by accident.
2 She Loved Animals
Above everything else, Anna Nicole Smith was a proud PETA supporter. Her dedication to animal rights was exceptional, as she used every possible opportunity to speak out about animal rights. As PETA stated, she was outraged by animal cruelty and would do all she could to stop that problem while she was alive.
1 She Was Funny, But...
Smith was much like Monroe - funny, loud, vivacious, and beautiful on the outside, but lonely and fragile on the inside. The entire world watched her act out, and although it may have been unintentionally comedic at first, towards the end, it was tragic. In private, the reality star was insecure.