Robbin Bain, who was known as the “Today Girl” handling fashion and beauty segments on the NBC-TV morning show, died on October 21 in Southampton, New York, on Long Island at the age of 87. According to her daughter, she had been battling breast cancer.
Bain’s public career began in 1959 when she was elected Miss Rheingold, then the most popular beer in the New York region. As a result of her win, she received $50,000 and spent the following year making appearances in the United States and Europe.
After her time as Miss Rheingold, Bain turned to modeling and appeared in ads for renowned brands such as Helena Rubinstein and Revlon. Additionally, she was one of four women, called “Portrettes,” who introduced Jackie Gleason on his television variety show, “The Jackie Gleason Show,” in 1956 and 1957.
Early in her career, Bain changed her first name to Robbin to avoid confusion with the actress Barbara Bain.
In late August 1961, Bain joined NBC as the “Today Girl,” working alongside host John Chancellor and news anchor Frank Blair. However, her time in this role was short-lived as she left two months later due to her pregnancy with her first daughter, Dina.
Robbin Bain is survived by her daughters Lara and Dina, her husband Alexander Guadieri, stepson Alexandre Guadieri, and six grandchildren.
