Pamela Austin is an American retired actress best known for her string of high-profile Dodge automobile commercials in the mid-1960s, her appearances in two Elvis Presley films, and her starring role in the 1967 adventure-comedy The Perils of Pauline. With her bright, buoyant screen presence and dancer’s poise, she became one of the most recognizable commercial faces of her era before transitioning into film and television.
Early Life
Austin was born in Omaha, Nebraska. Her childhood included time abroad when her father served a tour of duty with the U.S. Air Force in Europe. After returning to the United States, she studied dance at Sacramento State College. Seeking work as a performer, she moved to Hollywood, where she found an early foothold as a dancer in Tony Martin’s popular nightclub act.
Career
Austin made her film debut in the early 1960s, earning supporting roles in titles such as Rome Adventure (1962) and the musical Hootenanny Hoot (1963). She also appeared in two Elvis Presley movies: Blue Hawaii (1961) and Kissin’ Cousins (1964), which helped bring her wider visibility.
Dodge Rebellion Girl
Her breakthrough, however, came not from film but from advertising. Between 1964 and 1967, Austin became nationally famous as the spirited, quick-witted heroine of a widely seen series of Dodge commercials. Dubbed “The Dodge Rebellion Girl,” she starred in nearly twenty ads that played like miniature adventure serials—dangling from rooftops, escaping sharks, leaping from cargo planes, and surviving a constant parade of comic perils.
Each spot ended with her signature line: “The Dodge Rebellion wants you!”
The campaign made her a household name and led to film offers, magazine profiles—including a three-page feature in TV Guide—and frequent talk-show bookings. By 1968, Dodge shifted its campaign to new branding, but Austin’s imprint on 1960s pop culture was already sealed.
Film and Television
Austin parlayed her commercial fame into a lead role in The Perils of Pauline (1967), a comedic update of the classic silent serial. The film’s marketing directly referenced her Dodge persona, touting her as the daring damsel who had already survived every imaginable televised stunt.
In 1968, she joined the inaugural season of Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In as a semi-regular performer. Austin appeared in sketches, musical segments, and one of the earliest examples of a music video—set to “Buy for Me the Rain” by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
Her later screen appearances included the TV movie Evil Roy Slade (1972), the period drama Agatha (1979), the British comedy No Surrender (1985), and her final film role as a singer in The Dressmaker (1988).
Austin quietly stepped away from acting after the late 1980s.
Selected Filmography
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Blue Hawaii (1961) – Selena Emerson
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Rome Adventure (1962) – Agnes Hutton
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Hootenanny Hoot (1963) – Billie-Jo Henley
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Kissin’ Cousins (1964) – Selena Tatum
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The Perils of Pauline (1967) – Pauline (lead role)
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Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In (1968) – Semi-regular
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Evil Roy Slade (1972) – Betsy Potter
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Agatha (1979) – Pierrot #2
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No Surrender (1985) – Organist
