Inspired by Ann-Margret in the film "Viva Las Vegas", while on a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada, during high school, she convinced her parents to let her see a live show whereupon she was noticed by the production staff; despite being only 17 years old, she convinced her parents to let her sign a contract. Immediately after graduating high school, she drove back to Las Vegas, where she became a showgirl in Frederic Apcar's pioneering "Vive Les Girls!" at The Dunes; here, she met Elvis Presley, whom she had gone on one date with. She had a small role as a showgirl in the James Bond film "Diamonds Are Forever" (1971) and played a topless dancer in the film "The Working Girls" (1974). She also purportedly posed for the cover of Tom Waits' album "Small Change" (1976); Peterson has since described it as "a giant mystery" claiming that while she has no memory of the event, the picture looks enough like her that she feels "pretty sure" it is her.