RIP Jeff Sleppin
April 12, 1955 – February 3, 1996
Jeff was one of the most innovative, talented & kind Fashion Photographers from 1970 to 1996 when he suddenly passed away at age 40 of a heart attack.
Jeffrey Sleppin filmed this now infamous video of Gia in 1982.
Gia was with Elite Models at this time. This video was supposed to jump start her comeback.
Clips of Jeff’s video were shown in “Self-Destruction of Gia”. End credits:
Gia and Jeff used to date.
Scroll down for video
Video posted on YouTube by babz1991
This quote about the video was saved from the internet (sorry, I don’t remember where). “Home video recorded in Atlantic City, in the studio of her dear friend, the late Jeffrey “Jeff” Sleppin. He was also a fashion photographer often employed by Ford Model.”
The quote doesn’t seem to be entirely accurate. Jeff’s studio was at 3 West 30th Street, New York, NY 10001. Not in Atlantic City. His studio was GORGEOUS, marble floors, white piano, so this video was NOT filmed at Jeff’s studio.
People have speculated that the blonde in the video was girlfriend Elyssa, but she doesn’t look anything like Elyssa except for blonde hair. The blonde woman could have been Jeff’s assistant? A friend of Jeff’s? A friend of Gia’s?
You can see Jeff at about the 2:08 mark when Gia flips the camera on him.
This is a screenshot of Jeff and Gia when she gets a hold of his video camera. Good looking Jeff Sleppin, a good Jewish boy from NY.
Gia’s ex-lover Sandy Linter wrote that the videographer of this video was Jeff Nike (also referred to him as Jeff Niki).
Sandy wrote that she bumped into Gia and Jeff the night before the video was taken. That Jeff Nike (Niki)was Asian, an assistant photographer, gay, and died of AIDS. That must have been a different night and this Jeff Nike was going to make his own video…. but it was not this video.
For the record, Jeff Sleppin was the videographer and good friend of Gia’s. Jeff’s mother Lorraine Sleppin released this video, is still alive, and gave Extra and Self-Destruction of Gia permission to use the video. Jeff’s name is in credits.
The location of the video looks a bit like a hotel room to me with the long vanity counter and mirror. Could have been a boarding house that once was a hotel/motel? Not many motels would have that decor, the poster on the wall instead of art, and I see a homemade crocheted afghan on the couch. I would love to clear this up, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world if it wasn’t.
Jeffrey Sleppin was a Fashion Photographer, known to work with Ford. He was known to be nicest man who was always good to the models, he looked out for them.
Sandy Sleppin is Jeff’s younger brother. He and his cousin Stu have a Facebook tribute group for his late brother called “Jeff Sleppin Photographer RIP” Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/887580514651239 Stu Sleppin was Jeff’s age, and they grew up next door to each other.
Jeffrey was a ladies man, but he never married or had children. All the children in his family were crazy about him. So sad that he died so unexpectedly and so young. Jeff’s brother Sandy shared with me how creative and talented Jeff was in many areas. Jeff had renovated/remodeled his studio himself. He put $250,000 into it, marble floors etc. He BUILT that white piano himself. I’ve enjoyed getting to know Jeff and talking to his brother Sandy.
Marla Hanson
1986, after only a year of being in New York City, Marla was already a well paid model until her ex-landlord who was infatuated with her hired two men to slash the model’s face with razor blades because she rejected him. Marla had only one comp card. She was represented by the “Petite agency”.
Her story was on the national news. A movie was made about her story. (I believe there was more than one made) Here’s her story published in the New York Magazine: LINK Jeff Sleppin is mentioned on page 47. I’ve posted the paragraph below.
“Marla slipped out of the hospital’s underground exit to avoid the press. The fashion photographer Jeff Sleppin picked her up in his white Mercedes convertible. As Sleppin drove Marla to the Park Lane Hotel, she held a stuffed animal in front of her face to keep from being recognized.”
“Marla Hanson, a stunning model whose disfiguring by two razor-wielding thugs horrified the city of Chelsea NY.”
“Marla Hanson (born June 18, 1961) is an American screenwriter and ex-model who was the victim of a slashing attack instigated by her landlord in 1986.”