These days, we are surrounded by would-be celebrities in the form of social media influencers. It’s pretty much impossible to use your phone for a few minutes without encountering somebody who wants to be the next breakout viral star. That got us thinking, though, about someone who was a star in two very different careers before she became a surprise viral sensation.
Her name is Lynda Wiesmeier, and while she’s not exactly a household name, she has generations of fans thanks to her time as a model and as a movie star. Later, a photo from her final film went viral, revitalizing her image and popularity just when it seemed like the public had forgotten about her.
Just how did her career start? What was the movie that led to her viral moment, and whast did Wisemeir do after leaving the industry? Keep reading to find out!
Making a splash in Playboy
Lynda Wiesmeier’s earliest claim to fame is that she was a Playboy model. Before that, she was simply making ends meet by doing clerical work on behalf of a medical office. And make no mistake: her beauty turned the heads of pretty much everyone who walked into that office.
Her beauty was so great, in fact, that it put her on Hugh Hefner’s radar. In 1982, Wiesmeir didn’t simply appear in Playboy…she was the centerfold model! A couple of years after that she bid goodbye to clerical work altogether because she had a brand new career. Not as a model, though…as a movie start!
Her movie career takes off
The years following her Playboy issue were a real boost for Lynda Wiesmeier’s movie career. In very rapid order, she starred in such films as Real Genius, Teen Wolf, Malibu Express, and R.S.V.P. Just like that, she became the kind of supporting actor that 80s audiences could expect to pop up in just about anything.
In her Hollywood heyday, Wisemeir starred in several kinds of films, and she was never pinned down to a single genre. The single thing these different movies had in common was that they showcased the former Playboy model’s beautiful body. Sure, she might have mostly been eye candy, but it beat the heck out of working a desk back home.
Wiesmeier’s final film is a cult classic
She might have been able to sustain her career into the ‘90s and beyond, but Lynda Wiesmeier eventually decided to stop acting in films altogether. That made the 1987 movie Evil Town her final film. In some ways, it was a movie that brought her career full circle. You see, her costar was Keith Hefner, the younger brother of Playboy creator and all-around celeb, Hugh Hefner.
The movie also featured legendary performer Dean Jagger, but this wasn’t enough to keep the critics happy. Reviewers generally savaged Evil Town, complaining that it was a silly movie whose scenes were often cobbled together from earlier movies. The whole thing felt a little too “clip show,” though the film has earned cult status in recent years. Speaking of recent years, both this movie and Lynda Wiesmeier went viral decades later thanks to one particular Evil Town image.
A picture from Evil Town goes viral
We know what you’re thinking, by the way: Lynda Wiesmeier is a former Playboy model and Evil Town is a schlocky horror film. Put those facts together and you’re probably assuming that the movie image that went viral was very naughty. Instead, it’s a fairly innocuous image of Wismeier meeting Scott Hunter, a minor and largely forgotten actor.
The reason that the image went viral is that it is the perfect representation of the 1980s. Younger content creators often imagine the ‘80s as a wonderful of bright purple colors, but this Evil Town picture is much more down to Earth: two young people in genuine vintage clothing, standing in front of a classic Dodge.
The car is mostly brown (the true color of the ‘80s, none of this lo-fi purple stuff), and each character is wearing short shorts and colorful tops. They look great, and yet another reason the image went viral is that these two became “fashion goals” for countless people who stumbled on this image!
Leaving the industry, starting a family, and getting a terrible diagnosis
After leaving behind her modeling career and movie star days, Lynda Wiesmeier decided to settle down. She got married, and the two ended up raising her pair of children from a previous marriage. And Lynda took her career all the way back to the beginning, becoming a records manager for a law office in Lafayette, Louisiana. Sadly, these two eventually divorced, and she ended up moving to California, where she started making appearances at Comic-Cons where people would recognize her from the old days.
Sadly, Wiesmeir passed away far too young, dying at the age of 49. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor and succumbed to cancer back in 2012. This talented actor was taken from us far too early, but we will always remember how she could make any film that much better just by making a brief appearance. And we’ll most certainly be watching Evil Town tonight to honor her memory!