Editing Russ Meyer (section)

== Early years ==
Russ Meyer was born in [[San Leandro, California]], the son of Lydia Lucinda (Hauck) and William Arthur Meyer, an Oakland police officer.<ref>McDonough 2004, p. 24.</ref><ref>[http://www.californiabirthindex.org/birth/russell_a_meyer_born_1922_722389 Russell A Meyer, Born 03/21/1922 in California | CaliforniaBirthIndex.org<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/24/books/chapters/0724-1st-mcdon.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 | work=The New York Times | first=Jimmy | last=McDonough | title=Big Bosoms and Square Jaws | date=July 24, 2005}}</ref> His parents were both of [[German Americans|German]] descent.{{citation needed|reason=It seems equally possible that he was of Jewish descent.|date=October 2016}} Meyer's parents divorced soon after he was born, and Meyer was to have virtually no contact with his father during his life. When he was 14 years old, his mother [[pawnbroker|pawned]] her wedding ring in order to buy him an [[8 mm film]] camera. He made a number of [[amateur film]]s at the age of 15, and served during World War II as a U.S. Army combat [[cameraman]] for the 166th Signal Photo Company, ultimately attaining the rank of [[technician third grade]] (equivalent to [[staff sergeant]]).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bonhams.com/auction/26882/lot/257/a-russ-meyer-group-of-memorabilia-related-to-his-army-career/ | title=Bonhams : A Russ Meyer group of memorabilia related to his Army career }}</ref>

In the Army Meyer forged his strongest friendships, and he would later ask many of his fellow combat cameramen to work on his films. Much of Meyer's work during World War II can be seen in [[newsreel]]s and in the film ''[[Patton (film)|Patton]]'' (1970).<ref>McDonough 2004, p. 44.</ref>

On his return to civilian life, he was unable to secure cinematography work in Hollywood due to a lack of industry connections. He made [[sponsored film|industrial films]], freelanced as a still photographer for mainstream films (including ''[[Giant (1956 film)|Giant]]''), and became a well-known [[glamour photography|glamour photographer]] whose work included some of the initial shoots for [[Hugh Hefner]]'s ''[[Playboy]]'' magazine. Meyer would go on to shoot three ''Playboy'' [[centerfold]]s during the magazine's early years, including one of his then-wife [[Eve Meyer]] in 1955. He also shot a pictorial of then-wife [[Edy Williams]] in March 1973.<ref>McDonough 2004, chapters 1–3.</ref>