Kimberly Herrin, star of ZZ’s ‘beautiful legs’ video, dies at 65

Model and actress Kimberly Herrin, who captured the attention of rock fans with ZZ Top’s 1984 video for “Legs”, has died at the age of 65.
The cause of death was not disclosed. The obituary in the Santa Barbara News-Press simply states that she passed away “peacefully” on October 28.
After graduating from high school in 1975, Herring began modeling. The curvaceous blonde graced the covers of numerous magazines, including the March 1981 issue of Playboy, where she was named Playmate of the Month.
Two years later, ZZ Top released their incredibly successful Eliminator album. The videos for “Gimme All Your Lovin’” and “Sharp Dressed Man” feature three beauties often referred to as the ZZ Top girls. Initially, Herrin was not part of the group, but before working on the video for the third part of the ZZ Top Girls trilogy “Legs”, a place appeared.
“I was in Los Angeles with friends. I got up late. I caught a cold,” Herring recalled in a 2013 interview. “I checked my [autoresponder] in Santa Barbara and there was a [ZZ Top] casting. I was there today and I had an hour. I was crazy.
The model rushed to the audition – without traditional fashion and makeup – and impressed the group in a different way.
“They called my name and I got to know the guys in the band,” Herring recalls. “I apologized for coming. Then I asked if anyone had mineral water, or even better beer. They must be thirsty too. They brought beer and we started talking about everything – motorcycles, chili chefs, Santa Barbara… …they’re really nice people. We hit it off.”
Herrin will be credited in Legs, getting a high-profile role as a red-haired blonde. The video became an MTV staple and won its first VMA for Best Group Video in 1984.
After filming wrapped, Herrin reportedly kept in touch with ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons, sometimes joining the band backstage at shows when they met. ZZ Top later brought her back to work on the video for their 1985 single “Sleeping Bag”.
The popularity of the “Feet” music video helped Herrin land more prominent roles, including roles in Romancing the Stone, Road House, and Beverly Hills Cop 2. The model also had a memorable cameo in Ghostbusters where she played the ghost from a dream that appears above Dan Aykroyd’s character Ray.
Herrin also continued to appear in music videos throughout the 80s, including David Lee Roth’s version for “California Girls” and the 1987 Kiss feature video Exposed.
In addition to modeling, Herrin dabbled in several other jobs. She briefly owned a women’s clothing company and later wrote The Book of Sex. She later made her own jewelry and continued to live in Santa Barbara until her death.