lung cancer of, 180–81
son of, 184, 185
Beard, Peter, 105–6, 119
Beatty, Warren, 80–81
Belafonte, Harry, 33–34, 51
Berbick, Trevor, 198
Bergen, Candice, 8, 52, 105
Beyoncé, 110
Bible, 181
Bill Cosby Show, The, 191
black history, 103–4
black models, 30, 63, 65, 73, 101, 119
Beverly as first on cover of Vogue, vii, viii, 94–104, 135
Iman, see Iman
Naomi Campbell, 65–66, 70, 118, 201
Naomi Sims, see Sims, Naomi
Pat Cleveland, 7, 9–10, 63–65
photography and, 69
Tyra Banks, 65–66, 70, 205
Bloomingdale’s, 75
Bowie, David, 212
Bratton, Dada, 15, 19, 26, 27, 35, 36, 56, 74, 75, 76, 86, 134, 154, 200
Brazil, 90–93
Brinkley, Christie, 50, 52, 104
Buck, Pearl S., 16
Buddah Records, 140
Burrows, Stephen, 63
Burton, Richard, 11
Taylor-Burton diamond, 11–12
Butts, Calvin O., 178, 181
Byrnes, Sean, 98
C
Caine, Michael, 138, 147, 151, 152
California:
Beverly’s move to, 220–21
Danny Sim’s move to, 225
Campbell, Naomi, 65–66, 70, 118, 201
Capri, Italy, 56–61
Carangi, Gia, 85–86, 116
Carey, Mariah, 140
Carroll, Diahann, 102, 137
Cartier, 11
Casablancas, Johnny, 135, 177–78
Charlene (friend), 144–45
Charlie’s Angels, 136–37
Cheetah Girls, The (Gregory), 73
Cher, 219
Chin, Alva, 73
Chisholm, Shirley, 228
Chow, Michael, 79
Chow, Tina, 79
civil rights movement, 9, 23, 25, 83
Claudia (friend), 120–21, 155
Claudine, 137
Cleveland, Pat, 7, 9–10, 63–65
Clinton, Bill, 117
cocaine, 85, 121, 128, 153
Beverly and, 84, 85, 155, 179, 182
Danny Sims and, 128, 153–54, 165, 168
Halston and, 10
Condé Nast, viii, 34–35
Cooper, Bruce, 96
Cooper, Wilhelmina, 96–98, 100, 103
Cosby, Bill, 191–95
Beverly drugged by, 193–95
Cosby, Camille, 194
Cosby, Ennis, 193
Cosby Show, The, 191–92
Cosmopolitan, 75
D
D’Amato, Cus, 199, 200
Dandridge, Dorothy, 101
Dan Tana’s, 205
Davis, Angela, 69
Davis, Clive, 140
Davis, Ossie, 227
Dean, James, 105
Dee, Ruby, 227
de la Renta, Oscar, 5
De Niro, Robert, 105, 201
Dickinson, Janice, 118
Dobson, Tamara, 102
drugs, 78, 83, 84, 85, 120–21
Beverly’s use of, 41, 78, 84, 85, 155, 179, 180, 181–82, 189–90, 223–24
Billy Potter and, 41, 44–45, 54, 78
Danny Sims and, 128, 153–54, 165, 168
Gia Carangi and, 85–86
heroin, 85–86
Lisa Taylor and, 82
see also cocaine
E
Earth, Wind & Fire, 138
Ebony, 27, 30, 101, 111, 116
École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture, 209
Elite Model Management, 135, 177–78
Beverly’s lawsuit against, 178, 185
Emotions, 138
Essence, 38, 49, 51, 73
Evangelista, Linda, 219
Evans, Robert, 80, 135–36
Exodus, 163–64
F
Farabee, James, 87–88, 94, 109–10, 162, 208, 209
Danny Sims and, 120–24, 126, 166–67
Fawcett, Farrah, 136
FBI, 153, 168, 173–77
feijoada, 92
Fire Island, 35, 36, 49
Fonda, Jane, 204
Ford, Eileen, 49, 50–58, 60–61, 82, 88, 93–97, 103, 135
Beverly’s parting of ways with, 97–98
Beverly’s Vogue cover and, 94–97
Casablancas and, 135
Wilhelmina and, 96
Ford, Gerard, 49, 56
Fordham University, 39, 41, 42
Ford Modeling Agency, 49, 50–52, 55, 96, 135
Beverly’s leaving of, 97–98, 135
modeling competition in Capri sponsored by, 56–61
Wilhelmina and, 96
Foreman, George, 200
Foster, David, 140
Franklin, Aretha, 140
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The, 204, 205
Furstenberg, Diane von, 5, 84
G
Gamble, Beverly, 29, 40, 51
Gigi (daughter of friend), 218, 223
Givens, Robin, 201–2
Glamour, 6, 34, 49, 51, 75, 93, 94, 99, 104
Beverly’s first assignment with, 35–38
Beverly’s meeting at, 34–35
Godfather Part II, The, 105
Good Times, 136
Gordy, Berry, 204
Gordy, Kerry, 204
Goude, Paulo, 217
Grace, Princess of Monaco, 5
Graham, Karen, 35
Greece, 93
Gregory, Deborah, 73
Grier, Pam, 102
Guest, C. Z., 32
H
Hall, Jerry, 52, 77
Halston, 4–8, 63, 84, 116, 211, 220
cocaine use of, 10
dinner parties of, 3–4, 5–13, 14, 63
home of, 7, 8–9
runway shows of, 5, 66–67
Hamel, Veronica, 35
Hansen, Patti, 76–77
Haring, Keith, 188
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, 161
Harper’s Bazaar, 99
Harrison, Rex, 138
Haskell, Nikki, 196, 219–20, 222, 224
Haywood, Spencer, 119–20, 121, 142, 208
Helmsley, Leona, 32
Hemingway, Margaux, 8
Herman, Paul, 196–97
heroin, 85–86
Hilton, Paris, 222
hip-hop, 76
Hoffman, Dustin, 80
Holden, William, 138, 147, 152
Holmes, Larry, 200
Holyfield, Evander, 203
Horne, Lena, 32, 101
House & Garden, 34
Houston, Whitney, 140
Huston, Anjelica, 8
Hutton, Lauren, 5, 35, 50, 52, 98
I
Iman, 70, 106–7, 118–19, 208, 212, 225
Bowie and, 212
daughter born to, 142
Haywood’s marriage to, 119–20, 121, 142, 208
IRS, 178
I Spy, 191
Italy, 56–61
J
Jackie Brown, 102
Jackson, Janet, 139
Jackson, Joe (father of Michael), 138, 139
Jackson, Kate, 136
Jackson, Michael, 138, 139, 219, 222
JAD Records, 125
Jagger, Bianca, 5
Jagger, Mick, 76, 77, 197
Jamaica, 130–31
James, Rick, 204
Jax’s Fifth Avenue, 31–34, 51
Beverly’s job at, 42–43, 68
Jay Z, 110
Jeffersons, The, 136
Jenny Shop, 26–27, 30
Jet, 101, 111, 116
João (guide/journalist), 91, 93
John, Elton, 215
Johnson, Beverly:
AA and, 218, 223–26
abortion of, 48
acting lessons of, 105, 137, 221
arrest for theft, 188
baby sh
ower of, 154–55
babysitting of, 20, 21
camel and, 148
cheerleading of, 24–25
childhood of, 3, 4, 15–23
clothing store jobs of, 26–27, 30, 42–43, 68
colitis of, 169–70
community college courses of, 52, 53
daughter of, see Sims, Anansa
drug use and drinking of, 41, 78, 84, 85, 155, 179, 180, 181–82, 189–90, 218, 223–24
in elementary school, 16, 17, 19, 21, 38
first modeling job of, 35–38
girls’ bullying of, 16, 19–20, 22, 38
grandparents of, 18, 22, 159–60, 166, 214
in high school, 24–25, 38
husbands of, see Potter, Billy; Sims, Danny
law career plans of, 16, 27, 39
massage therapist and, 149–52
modeling suggested to, 27, 29–31
move to California, 220–21
move to New York to model, 30–34, 40, 41
movie and television career of, 135–37; see also Ashanti
music career of, 138, 140–41, 152–53
neighbor’s molesting of, 20–22
at Northeastern University, 26–28, 29, 38–39, 52
pregnancies of, 47–48, 146–48, 152–55
in psychiatric hospital, 170, 171–72
reading of, 16, 19
return to modeling, 208–12, 217
smoking of, 223–24
success of, 74–75, 104
swimming of, 16–17
as swimming instructor at YMCA, 26, 29, 158
Johnson, Darren (brother), 185–86
Johnson, Gloria (mother), 1–2, 3, 14–15, 17–19, 21, 22, 24–28, 39, 44, 46, 47, 53, 93–94, 101, 103, 133, 152–53, 155, 173, 181, 185–86, 202
Alzheimer’s of, 2
Anansa at home of, 179–83
and Beverly’s entry into modeling, 1, 2, 30–31, 33–35, 38
Beverly’s first pregnancy and, 47–48
and Beverly’s marriage to Danny Sims, 126–27, 169
Johnson, Jack, 200
Johnson, Joanne (sister), 3, 15, 24, 25, 27, 36, 56
Beverly’s first pregnancy and, 47
at Fordham University, 39, 41, 42
Johnson, Leon (brother), 35–36, 60
Johnson, Sheilah (sister), 3, 15, 27, 36, 43, 56, 172, 173, 176
Beverly’s first pregnancy and, 47, 48
and Beverly’s marriage to Danny Sims, 167, 169
Johnson, Tim (father), 1, 15, 16, 19, 21–23, 25, 27, 28, 39, 44, 46, 53, 103, 133, 173, 185–86, 224
Anansa at home of, 179–83
and Beverly’s entry into modeling, 30–31, 35, 38
Danny Sims and, 126–27, 129, 169
Jones, Grace, 76, 87, 217–18
Jones, Quincy, 222
Joplin, Janis, 99
Jordan, Barbara, 228
K
Kardashian, Kim, 222
Kelly, Patrick, 116, 220
Kennedy, Caroline, 43
Kennedy, Jacqueline, 5, 32, 42–43, 75, 93, 105
Kennedy, John, Jr., 43
Kennedy, John F., 5, 16
Kennedy, Robert F., 25
Kenzo, 87
King, Coretta Scott, 70, 228
King, Martin Luther, Jr., 16, 23, 178
assassination of, 25
Klein, Calvin, 5, 84, 211–12
Kristofferson, Kris, 99
Kutcher, Ashton, 199
L
Ladies’ Home Journal, 97
Lauren, Ralph, 5, 84, 211
Law & Order, 220, 224
Legends Ball, 70–71, 72
Lieberman, Alexander, 35
Life, 62, 67, 97
Lionel (friend of Danny Sims), 174–75, 177
Lopez, Jennifer, 206
love, 41
Luna, Donyale, 30, 101
M
MacGraw, Ali, 5, 52, 136
McQueen, Steve, viii
Madeline (aunt), 41, 46
Mahogany, 137
makeup, 32, 66, 88
Naomi Sims and, 68–69
Malcolm X, 16
Mandela, Nelson, 213–14
Manilow, Barry, 140
Marley, Bob, 125, 162–64
Danny Sims and, 125, 130–32, 153, 162–65
death of, 164
health issues of, 163, 164
Max, Peter, 78, 79
Medina, Ahmad, 204
Medina, Benny, 203–6
Mimi (clothing store manager), 27, 31
Minnelli, Liza, 5, 10
Mirabella, Grace, viii
Miss J, 118
Mitchell, Coco, 73
models:
fair and equal pay for, 95
of color, 69; see also black models
weight and, 36, 78–79
Moore, Demi, 199
Morrison, Toni, viii
Motown, 204
Moutoussamy, Jeanne, 116–17
movie industry, 135–36
Beverly in, 135–37; see also Ashanti
Mr. Chow, 79, 197, 201
Murphy, Eddie, 197
N
NAACP, 23
Nash, Johnny, 125
Neiman Marcus, 166, 219
Newman, Paul, 105
Newton, Helmut, 80
New York, N.Y., 76
Beverly’s move to, 30–34, 40, 41
New York Daily News, 6
New York Metropolitan Opera, 88
Nicholson, Jack, 80, 81
1960s, 9, 30, 143
1970s, 6, 9–10, 76, 83
Northeastern University, 26–28, 29, 38–39, 52
Noth, Chris, 220, 224
O
Obama, Barack, 102–3
Onassis, Aristotle, 11, 42, 105
Oprah Winfrey Show, The, 72
P
Pacino, Al, 105
Parks, Rosa, 23
Pendergrass, Teddy, 160–61
Peretti, Elsa, 10
Perry, Richard, 204
Pleasant, Korby, 31–34, 42–43, 68
Potter, Billy (first husband), 4, 14, 40–48, 54–55, 75–76, 78, 83, 88–89, 145–46, 154, 162, 202
arrest of, 88–89
Beverly’s divorce from, 89, 90, 119, 145–46
Beverly’s marriage to, 53–54, 127
Danny Sims and, 126, 145–46, 154, 165, 173–74
drugs and, 41, 44–45, 54, 78
Potter, Jimmy, 45
Potter, Richardean, 45, 46, 53, 54, 88
Potter, William, 45, 46, 53, 54, 88
Preston, Billy, 204
Q
Queen, 215
Quinn, Gwen, 188
R
Randolph, Paul, 8
rap, 76
Rashad, Phylicia, 192
Ready for the World, 201
Richards, Keith, 76–77
Richie, Lionel, 138
Richie, Nicole, 222
Riperton, Minnie, 140
Rita (AA sponsor), 225–26
Robinson, Jackie, 103
Rolle, Esther, 136
roller skating rinks, 53, 86–87
Rolling Stones, 77
Ross, Diana, 70, 102, 137
Rubell, Steve, 83
runway shows, 5, 118
Fernando Sánchez, 208–11
Halston, 5, 66–67
Pat Cleveland and, 64
S
Sadie (Beverly’s aunt), 182–83, 189
St. Jacques, Sterling, 7, 9
Saint Laurent, Yves, 63, 87, 209
Saint Martin, 6
Sánchez, Fernando, 208–11
Sanford, Isabel, 136
Scavullo, Francesco, 85, 98–99
Scientology, 128, 130
Sears, 219
Self, 34
seventies, 6, 9–10, 76, 83
Sex and the City, 220
Shabazz, Betty, 228
Sharif, Omar, 138
Sims, Anansa (daughter), 158–62, 165, 166, 167, 172–73, 176,
177, 186, 213, 217, 221–23, 225
at Beverly’s parents’ home, 179–83
birth of, 155–57
Cosby and, 192–93
custody battle for, 182–90, 192, 207–8, 222, 223
Danny’s cutting hair of, 189
Fresh Prince and, 205
at James’s apartment, 166–67
Johnny Baylor and, 179, 180
Mike Tyson and, 199
move to California, 221
Sadie and, 182–83, 189
in South Africa, 213–17
Sims, Danny (second husband), 120–32, 133–35, 148–49, 158–70, 171–83, 202, 208, 221–22
Anansa’s birth and, 155–57, 161
Anansa’s hair cut by, 189
background of, 124
Beverly physically attacked by, 165–66, 168–69
Beverly reported for theft by, 188
Beverly signed into psychiatric hospital by, 170, 171–72
Beverly’s career and, 134–36, 138, 140, 152–53
Beverly’s marriage to, 126–27, 173
Beverly’s money taken by, 173, 176, 177
Beverly’s separation and divorce from, 167, 169, 171, 173, 175–77, 179, 181, 186, 187
Billy Potter and, 126, 145–46, 154, 165, 173–74
Bob Marley and, 125, 130–32, 153, 162–65
colonic machine of, 153
custody of Anansa and, 182–90, 192, 207–8, 222, 223
drugs and, 128, 153–54, 165, 168
Elite Model Management and, 135, 177–78
FBI and, 153, 168, 173–77
gun of, 168–69, 175
health habits of, 128–29, 153
infidelities of, 143–45, 148–49, 158–59
Jacksons and, 138–39
James Farabee and, 120–24, 126, 166–67
jewelry given to Beverly by, 123, 134, 174
Johnny Baylor and, 176–81
massage therapist and, 149–52
Mob and, 124, 165, 168, 174–75, 177
money issues and, 129–30, 165, 166
move to California, 225
paranoia of, 164, 168
partying of, 160–61
Scientology and, 128, 130
sons of, 141–42, 182, 183
in South Africa, 213–17
Sims, Eddie, 128, 144
Sims, Naomi, 30, 55–56, 62–73, 118, 219
Beverly’s first meeting of, 66–67
bipolar disorder of, 56, 72
cancer of, 72
death of, 56, 73
dinner parties of, 63, 73
Wilhelmina and, 96–97
Sinatra, Frank, 215
sixties, 9, 30, 143
skating rinks, 53, 86–87
Smith, Liz, 6, 12
Smith, Will, 204
Smith, Willi, 116, 220
snakes, 90–92
Soumaya, Mohammed, 10
South Africa, 213–17
Spelling, Aaron, 136
Spielberg, Steven, 149
Spinks, Leon, 200
Sports Illustrated, 113
Star Is Born, A, 99
Stax Records, 176, 178
Stein, Frances, 99–100, 101
Stern, Bert, 35
Stewart, Martha, 52
Stewart, Rod, 140, 215
Strasberg, Lee, 105
Streisand, Barbra, 99
Studio 54, 8, 13, 83–84, 219
Suga, 100, 116, 220
The Face That Changed It All Page 24