Phyllis Brown
In 1950s Hollywood, Vikki Dougan gained recognition as a striking model and actress known for her captivating looks. Born Edith Tooker in Brooklyn, Dougan was already making a name for herself as a teenager in the modeling world.
Her breakthrough came in 1948 when she won the title of New York Skate Queen, which brought her into the spotlight and paved the way for her Hollywood career.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Dougan appeared in several films, including “The Great Man” (1956) and “Hound-Dog Man” (1959). Her beauty and bold style earned her prominent features in LIFE magazine and a photo spread in Playboy, further elevating her profile.
Let’s take a moment to admire the stunning photos that made Vikki Dougan unforgettable and explore how she earned the nickname ‘The Back.’
The Creation of ‘The Back’
Vikki Dougan’s rise to fame in the late 1950s was no coincidence—it was a carefully orchestrated publicity move by Milton Weiss, a publicist for Batjac Productions, the film company founded by John Wayne.
Weiss saw an opportunity to make Dougan stand out in Hollywood’s crowded scene by focusing on an often-overlooked part of her body: her back.
At the 1957 Golden Globes, Dougan wore a daring, custom-made pink satin backless gown.
As she walked onto the stage to present the award for Best Supporting Actor to Earl Holliman, she gracefully let her mink stole slip to the ground, revealing her toned and flawless back to an enthralled audience.
This moment quickly became tabloid fodder, with Erskine Johnson famously writing in his column: “Dougan’s dresses are lower in the back than a teenager’s hot rod.”
Much like Betty Grable, who became famous for her legs, and Jane Russell, known for her bust, Dougan’s back became a phenomenon.
Her bold fashion choices made her a red carpet staple, landing her in major magazines.
However, as Dougan later reflected in a 2021 interview with The New York Times, “It is not symbolic of who I am. It wasn’t really me. I was playing a part.”
Stunning Photos of Vikki ‘The Back’ Dougan
1. Vicky Dougan at the premiere of the film “Island of the Sun”, 1957
2. Vicky Dougan in the 1950s
3. Ms. Dougan attending the premiere of the movie, “Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison” in Los Angeles.
4. Vikki Dougan at an event in 1956
5. Vikki Dougan on a modeling job, 1953
6. Vikki Dougan in a 1953 LIFE story about how she balanced her various careers
7. Wide-eyed hopeful: in 1952
8. For a 1952 LIFE story Vikki Dougan showed the different wigs she wore to get more modeling work
9. Model and actress Vikki Dougan, 1957
10. Model and actress Vikki Dougan, 1957
11. Vikki Dougan in a party, 1957
12. Vikki Dougan during a fitting
13. Vikki Dougan alongside other models, wearing one of her signature backless gowns
14. Vikki Dougan posing on a bed, wearing what appears to be a delicate, sheer backless garment
15. Model and actress Vikki Dougan, 1957
16. Vikki Dougan lounging poolside in a sleek, black backless swimsuit
17. Vikki Dougan lounging poolside in a black backless swimsuit
18. Vikki Dougan lounging poolside
19. Modeling a backless bathing suit, in 1957
20. Vikki Dougan, 1957
21. Ms. Dougan in Los Angeles in 1957
22. Vikki Dougan in Los Angeles, 1957
23. Vikki Dougan walked past crowded park benches in Los Angeles, 1957
24. Model and actress Vikki Dougan wore a backless dress while walking in Los Angeles, 1957
25. Vikki Dougan and Manning Ross at the 1957 Academy Awards in Los Angeles
