Actually DR RP - Andrew's layout was in the May 1974 issue of VIVA magazine.....not that I know anything about it or ever saw it.
Really! I had forgotten about VIVA. So...Burt Reynolds in Cosmopolitan, Prine in VIVA, Peter Lupus and Sam J. "Flash Gordon" Jones and a slew of other actors/celebs who posed nude/semi-nude in Playgirl.
Aside from Reynolds, I can't think of a one of them who had a career boost as a result.
Apart from that, however, I think some very good actors took a shot at getting greater exposure, but didn't find it resulting in film roles.