Dayle Haddon was not only a model and actress but also a pioneering activist. Her most significant contribution may be her role in advocating for the inclusion of ‘older’ models in the fashion world and challenging age restrictions. A former Sports Illustrated model who made headlines by returning to the industry as a widow, Haddon has passed away in her Pennsylvania home, reportedly due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
The Passing of Dayle Haddon
Authorities in Bucks County discovered Haddon, 76, unresponsive in a second-floor bedroom on Friday morning after emergency services were alerted to an unconscious individual at her Solebury Township residence. A 76-year-old man, later identified by police as Walter J. Blucas from Erie, was hospitalized in critical condition.
First responders detected elevated levels of carbon monoxide inside the home, and local police reported on Saturday that the investigation revealed “a malfunctioning flue and exhaust pipe on a gas heating system was the source of the carbon monoxide leak.” Two paramedics were taken to the hospital due to carbon monoxide exposure, and a police officer received treatment on-site.
Haddon’s daughter, Ryan, shared on social media that her mother was “everyone’s greatest champion. An inspiration to many.”
“She had a pure heart, a rich inner life, and touched countless lives. It was a life well lived. Rest in Light, Mom,” she expressed.
Early Days in Modelling
Born in Toronto in 1948, Haddon began her modelling career as a teenager to fund her ballet lessons. As stated on her website, she launched her career with the Canadian ballet company Les Grands Ballet Canadiens in the 1960s, leading to her entry into modelling.
During her modelling career, Haddon graced the covers of Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and Esquire during the 1970s and 1980s, including the 1973 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. She also had roles in approximately two dozen films from the 1970s to the 1990s, including 1994’s “Bullets Over Broadway,” featuring John Cusack.
Revolutionizing the Modelling Industry
After giving birth to her daughter, Ryan, in the mid-1970s, Haddon stepped away from modelling, but she had to return to work following her husband’s death in 1991. Upon her return, she encountered a more challenging environment in the modelling industry: “They told me, ‘At 38, you’re not viable,’” Haddon recounted to The New York Times in 2003.
Employing a modest job at an advertising agency, Haddon reached out to cosmetic brands, pointing out the burgeoning market for beauty products aimed at aging baby boomers. She ultimately secured a contract with Clairol, then Estée Lauder, and later L’Oreal, for whom she promoted anti-aging products for over a decade. Haddon also hosted beauty segments for CBS’s The Early Show. “I kept modelling, but in a different way,” she explained to The Times, “I became a spokesperson for my age.”
In 2008, Haddon founded WomenOne, an initiative focused on expanding educational opportunities for girls and women in marginalized communities including Rwanda, Haiti, and Jordan.
(With inputs from AP)
