Michelle Bauer — Biography
Michelle Bauer, born on October 1, 1958, in Montebello, California, is an American adult film star, B-movie actress, scream queen, and bondage model. She gained prominence as Penthouse magazine's Pet of the Month in July 1981. Under the stage name Pia Snow, she featured in the cult adult film Cafe Flesh in 1982, expressing satisfaction with her participation in the movie and the promotional materials for other adult films, although she opted for a body double during the intimate scenes. Bauer worked on several adult film projects as Pia Snow, including titles like Bad Girls, Bizarre People (in bondage attire), and Nightdreams, among others.
Her work as a Penthouse centerfold opened doors, leading her to an acting role for the Playboy Channel and an audition with director Fred Olen Ray. After being impressed by her performance, Ray offered her a role on the condition that she would dye her hair black. Bauer’s first venture into B-movies came with The Tomb in 1986, marking the beginning of her career in the genre.
Bauer is known by her married name, which she took from her first husband. Following their divorce, he filed a lawsuit to prevent her from using the name for her work. In an attempt to rebrand, she went by Michelle McClellen, taking her second husband's surname, for her role in the 1988 film Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers, but faced resistance from the media and eventually reverted back to Bauer, a name her first husband later accepted.
Apart from her notable role as Penthouse Pet in July 1981, Bauer has been featured prominently in adult magazines throughout the early to mid-1980s under various aliases, including Kim Bittner and Georgina Duffield. Her journey in the entertainment industry has been spotlighted in the 2011 documentary "Screaming in High Heels: The Rise and Fall of the Scream Queen Era," directed by Jason Paul Collum.
Her work as a Penthouse centerfold opened doors, leading her to an acting role for the Playboy Channel and an audition with director Fred Olen Ray. After being impressed by her performance, Ray offered her a role on the condition that she would dye her hair black. Bauer’s first venture into B-movies came with The Tomb in 1986, marking the beginning of her career in the genre.
Bauer is known by her married name, which she took from her first husband. Following their divorce, he filed a lawsuit to prevent her from using the name for her work. In an attempt to rebrand, she went by Michelle McClellen, taking her second husband's surname, for her role in the 1988 film Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers, but faced resistance from the media and eventually reverted back to Bauer, a name her first husband later accepted.
Apart from her notable role as Penthouse Pet in July 1981, Bauer has been featured prominently in adult magazines throughout the early to mid-1980s under various aliases, including Kim Bittner and Georgina Duffield. Her journey in the entertainment industry has been spotlighted in the 2011 documentary "Screaming in High Heels: The Rise and Fall of the Scream Queen Era," directed by Jason Paul Collum.
