'''Vickie Lynn Marshall''' (born '''Vickie Lynn Hogan''' on November 28, 1967), better known as '''Anna Nicole Smith''', is an American actress and model who first gained popularity as ''
Playboy'' magazine's 1993 Playmate of the Year. Her career and public image subsequently suffered as her weight gain and bizarre antics were put on display in supermarket tabloids and in her short-lived reality television show. More recently, Smith slimmed down and became the spokesperson for a weight loss supplement.
Her highly publicized marriage to entrepreneur J. Howard Marshall, 63 years her senior, resulted in a lengthy and ongoing legal battle over his estate following his death. Her case, ''Marshall v. Marshall'', reached the U.S. Supreme Court in February, 2006, on a narrow constitutional issue over the right of a federal judge to intervene in a state probate case. On May 1 2006, Smith won the Supreme Court case 9-0.
Early life
Anna Nicole Smith was born in Houston, Texas. When she was very young, her family moved to Mexia, a small town 127 km (79 mi) south of Dallas. Her father left the family when Smith was a child and she was raised by her mother and aunt. While growing up, Smith told others that she wanted to be the next Marilyn Monroe. Smith worked at a fried chicken restaurant in her late teens, where she is rumored to have married an unidentified cook. On April 4, 1985 she married Billy Smith, aged 17 and 16 respectively. The next year, she gave birth to her first child, Daniel Smith. In 1987, she divorced Billy and became a single mother.
In her early 20s, before becoming an exotic dancer, Smith worked at a variety of low-paying jobs while supporting her son Daniel. While working as an exotic dancer at a nightclub in Houston under various names including Nikki, Robin and Anna Nicole, she met oil billionaire J. Howard Marshall, a frequent customer of the strip club. With Marshall’s money, Smith had cosmetic surgery to increase her breast size, paid for photographers, publicists, wardrobe, living expenses, hair and make-up stylists, bodyguards, talent agents, attorneys and a host of other support staff.
''Playboy'' and modeling career
Smith's career took off after appearing on the cover of the March 1992 issue ''
Playboy'' magazine wearing a low-cut evening gown. She secured a contract to replace supermodel Claudia Schiffer in the Guess? jeans ad campaign in a series of sultry black and white photographs. Smith then posed nude for ''
Playboy'' as the May 1992 centerfold (under her given name). Tall, blonde, sexy and zaftig, Smith was subsequently called "the next Marilyn Monroe" in press
