The Real Reason Behind Her Name Change Is Up For Debate
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Benton was originally born Barbara Klein, but changed her name to the iconic Barbara Benton before achieving mass fame. The reason for the name change isn’t totally clear. While some say Hugh Hefner convinced the star to adopt a more marketable name, it may have actually happened when she landed a roll in the 1969 German film What’s a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Business like This?
According to People, producers on the film wanted the actress to have a more American-sounding name. She adopted the famous stage name and never looked back.
