Lou Zivkovich: Canadian Centerfold

Lou Zivkovich

Man of the Month

Playgirl Magazine, July 1974

Photographed by Norbert Jobst

'The girls, lol. The groupies.  They figured the ball players were big spenders.  Some were, I guess.  But most of the time they were disappointed.'

Now I'm not 100% sure, (maybe someone can help verify) but I do believe that Lou Zivkovich was Playgirl's first 'openly' Canadian Centerfold.  The magazine was first published in June of 1973 and Lou made his debut as Man of the Month the following year in July of 1974.  His Canadian roots were an important piece of the article.  Not only was Zivkovic is the son of Canadian immigrants, he was also a defensive end for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League, (CFL).

'Lou Zivkovich is restless.... Five years of pro football in the Canadian leagues can't be set aside just like that.  The excitement of being on the move.  Of taking new challenges every week.  The girls hanging around the motel lobbies waiting to hook a player for the night.'

At the time of his naked debut, Zivkovich was 33 and living in the United States.  After receiving a degree in Physical Education and English at the University of Miami, the muscular 6'4" strapping Canadian was flown to Hawaii by the magazine for his magazine layout.  Copies of the magazine quickly became something of a collector's item and even sparked brief talk of an acting career for Zivkovich. (He played a supporting role in a McMillan and Wife episode which aired on October 26, 1975. 

'At one time, like when I was a kid; the most important think was getting into a girl's pants.  These days, sex isn't the ultimate experience.  There's more stress on companionship.  I like that.'

Sadly there was fall-out for Zivkovich which the magazine wrote about in a follow-up on their man of the month the following year.  At the time the magazine came out, Zivkovich was working as a Physical Education teacher at a high school in in Apple Valley, California.  The school fired him, charging that his appearance as Playgirl's centerfold demonstrated he was not a proper role model for the students.  Many of Zivkovich's fellow teachers, as well as many of his students protested and came to his defence.

'I don't see anything wrong with a nude body that is a work of art.'

Lou Zivkovich

The case went to a state appeals panel which admonished Zivkovich for a "mistake in judgment" but ruled in March 1975 that he could not be fired.   The following year Zivkovich took another stab at acting, appearing with other muscled hunks with Mae West in a CBS TV special titled "Dick Cavett's Backlot USA." Mae West's biographer described Zivkovich as not only one of West's co-stars, but also a 'frequent escort' to the Hollywood bombshell.