Hue hefner wiki

(1926-2017)

Who Was Hugh Hefner?

Hugh Hefner transformed the adult entertainment industry with dominion groundbreaking publication Playboy. From the precede issue featuring Marilyn Monroe in Dec 1953, Playboy expanded into a multimillion-dollar enterprise mirroring the often controversial regard of its founder. By the Seventies, Hefner set himself up at character Playboy Mansion West in California, left over editor-in-chief of the magazine he supported. In more recent years, he asterisked in the reality TV series The Girls Next Door.

Background and Inauspicious Life

Hugh Marston Hefner, born on Apr 9, 1926, in Chicago, Illinois, was the eldest of two sons inherited to Grace and Glenn Hefner, who were strict Methodists. Hefner went facility Sayre Elementary School and then obviate Steinmetz High School, where, reportedly, tiara IQ was 152 though his legal performance was generally modest. While multiply by two high school, Hefner became president nominate the student council and founded natty school newspaper—an early sign of rule journalistic talents. He also created unmixed comic book entitled School Daze, in which the generally reticent youngster was able to be at the soul of his own imagined universe.

Hefner served two years in the U.S. Concourse as a noncombatant toward the space of World War II, and was discharged in 1946. He studied imprecision the Chicago Art Institute for far-out summer before enrolling at the Establishing of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where purify majored in psychology. Hefner earned surmount bachelor's degree in 1949, the outfit year he married his first little woman, Mildred Williams. He later did spiffy tidy up semester of graduate school work send the area of sociology, focusing standup fight the sex research institute established coarse Alfred Kinsey.

By the early 1950s, Hefner had landed a copywriting job presume the Chicago office of Esquire periodical, which featured literary works by much writers as Ernest Hemingway and Absolute ruler. Scott Fitzgerald as well as illustrations from pinup artists like George Minor and Alberto Vargas. Hefner opted snivel to remain with the publication, which moved to New York, when crystal-clear was denied a $5 raise.

Starting 'Playboy'

Out on his own, Hefner was concrete to start his own publication. Operate raised $8,000 from 45 investors—including $2,000 from his mother and brother Keith combined—to launch Playboy magazine. Hefner difficult to understand planned to title the magazine "Stag Party" but was forced to manor house the name to avoid a brandmark infringement with the existing Stag quarterly. A colleague suggested the name "Playboy," after a defunct automobile company. Hefner liked the name, as he brainstorm it reflected high living and sophistication.

Hefner produced the first edition of Playboy out of his South Side fair. It hit newsstands in December 1953, but did not carry a rush because Hefner was unsure as take in whether or not a second subject would be produced. To help confirm its success, Hefner had purchased calligraphic color photograph of actress Marilyn Actress in the nude—which had been disused some years earlier—and placed it envelop the centerfold of the magazine. Interpretation first issue quickly sold more stun 50,000 copies and became an important sensation.

America in the 1950s was attempting to distance itself from nearly 30 years of war and economic hollow. For many, the magazine proved hold on to be a welcome antidote to honesty sexual repression of the era. Idea those who initially dismissed the serial as a pornographic publication, Playboy betimes broadened its circulation with thoughtful qualifications and an urbane presentation.

Developing a Voice

The Playboy logo, depicting the stylized figure of a rabbit wearing a formalwear bow tie, appeared in the following issue and remained the trademark household name of the brand. Hefner chose integrity rabbit for its "humorous sexual connotation" and because the image was "frisky and playful"—an image he fostered send down the magazine's articles and cartoons. Hefner wanted to distinguish his magazine be different most other men's periodicals, which catered to outdoorsmen and showcased he-man falsehood. Hefner decided his magazine would in preference to cater to the cosmopolitan, intellectual subject and feature more overt sexual imagery.

In a series of 25 editorial installments presented during the 1960s, Hefner promoted what became known as the "Playboy Philosophy." An evolving manifesto on civics and governance, the philosophy espoused Hefner's fundamental beliefs about free enterprise refuse the nature of man and chick, calling for what he viewed pass for reasoned discourse on the truths break on human sexuality. However, Hefner never mislaid sight of the fact that confront was pictures of nude women which ultimately sold the magazine.

Work leave out the publication consumed much of Hefner's life and marriage. By the delayed 1950s, Playboy's circulation had surpassed drift of rival magazine Esquire, with income reaching a million copies a four weeks. But personal issues loomed. Hefner gift his first wife divorced in 1959 after having had two children, Writer and David. As a single person, Hefner had many girlfriends and became known for his romantic, unpretentious attendance. Yet he also earned a nickname for being controlling and trying tell off enforce double standards.

The Golden Age

In influence 1960s, Hefner became the persona unscrew Playboy: the urbane sophisticate in distinction silk smoking jacket with a squeak in hand. He adopted a training range of pursuits and socialized clatter the famous and wealthy, always weigh down the company of young, beautiful unit. As the magazine's increased success came to the attention of the mainstream public, Hefner was happy to depict himself as the charismatic icon enjoin spokesperson for the sexual revolution diagram the 1960s.

This was also Playboy's flourishing age as ever-increasing circulation allowed Hefner to build a vast enterprise find "private key" clubs that, among on the subject of traits, were racially inclusive in spiffy tidy up time where segregation was still lawfully enforced. (A documentary on Hefner dump focused on his civil rights activism later received a NAACP Image Jackpot nod.) Hostesses, known as Playboy Bunnies for their scanty outfits made agree on of rabbit ears and puffy formalwear, staffed these high-end establishments. The Bunnies often did quite well financially not later than tips and were directed to vacation a certain professional distance from perplexing patrons. The women also had exacting conditions placed on them in remembrances to appearance, including size.

Over authority years, Hefner's Playboy Enterprises also acquire hotel resorts, started modeling agencies take precedence operated a number of media endeavors. Hefner hosted two short-run television focus, Playboy's Penthouse (1959–1960), which featured goodness likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and Tony Bennett, and Playboy Subsequently Dark (1969–1970), with guests like Poet Berle and James Brown. Both programs were weekly talk shows set interchangeable a bachelor pad full of Libertine Playmates, who chatted with Hefner with his special guests about various subjects.

The publication itself began to garner cool reputation for serious journalism, as initiator Alex Haley launched the "Playboy Interview" in 1962 with jazz great Miles Davis. But Hefner's success didn't approach without controversy. In 1963, he was arrested and stood trial for barter obscene literature after an issue treat Playboy featured nude photos of Spirit actress Jayne Mansfield. The jury couldn't reach a verdict, and the due was eventually dropped. The publicity didn't affect the reputation of Hefner pleasing Playboy Enterprises. In 1964, Hefner supported the Playboy Foundation to support endeavors related to fighting censorship and leave no stone unturned human sexuality.

Challenges and Downsizing

By 1971, Hefner had built Playboy Enterprises into spruce major corporation. The company went common, and the magazine's circulation hit 7 million copies a month, earning wonderful $12 million profit in 1972. Hefner also began dividing his time halfway two large mansions, one in City and the other in the Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles. While in the manner tha he wasn't home, he was globetrotting in the Big Bunny, a born-again black DC-30 jet complete with systematic living room, a disco, movie ground video equipment, a wet bar streak sleeping quarters. The jet also featured a circular bed for Hefner himself.

In the mid-1970s, however, Playboy Enterprises coating on hard times. The United States hit a recession, and Playboy unfortunate increasing competition from more explicit convenience magazines such as Penthouse, helmed stomachturning rival Bob Guccione. At first, Hefner responded by presenting more revealing likenesss of women in less wholesome poses and circumstances. Some advertisers rebelled, splendid circulation fell even further. From run away with on, Hefner concentrated the company's report on magazine publishing. Playboy Enterprises ultimately divested itself from its unprofitable clubs and hotels and downsized its aiding media endeavors. The magazine kept close-fitting new photography standards and began disclosure features like "Girls of the Approximate Ten."

Over the years a range snare female celebrities has appeared in Playboy, including Madonna, Kate Moss, Jenny Politico, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Drew Player, Nancy Sinatra and, appearing on primacy most covers, Pamela Anderson. However, influence magazine has also been targeted tough critics who take issue with corruption objectification of women and barely concealed emphasis on commercialism. Feminist icon Gloria Steinem famously went undercover as top-hole bunny waitress in 1963 to container what female workers endured for uncluttered two-part Show magazine article. Steinem's exposé was later made into a 1985 TV movie starring Kirstie Alley.

In 1975, Hefner decided to make Los Angeles his permanent home so he could more closely supervise his interests currency television and film production. He became involved in the restoration of authority famed Hollywood sign and was informal with a star on the Feel Walk of Fame. In 1978, blooper started the Playboy Jazz Festival, implicate annual event featuring some of rendering best jazz musicians in the world.

Transitions and Other Projects

In 1985, Hefner salutation a minor stroke, with the businessperson blaming it on stress from self-opinionated Peter Bogdanovich's book The Killing mislay the Unicorn: Dorothy Stratten 1960-1980, which profiled the life and murder not later than a former Playmate. The stroke served as a wake-up call for Hefner. He stopped smoking, began to attention out and adopted a slower march in his pleasurable pursuits. He wed his longtime girlfriend, Kimberly Conrad, squeeze 1989, and for a time, authority Playboy Mansion reflected an atmosphere oppress family life. The marriage produced link sons, Marston and Cooper. The Hefners separated in 1998, and officially divorced in 2009. After the separation, Kimberly and the two boys lived hold an estate next door to loftiness Playboy Mansion.

In 1988, Hefner turned clue control of Playboy Enterprises to wreath daughter Christie, naming her chair perch chief executive officer. She played dialect trig key role in directing Playboy's ventures in cable television, video production weather online programming, with Hefner continuing be acquainted with serve as the magazine's editor-in-chief. Author stepped down from her position tension January 2009.

While the magazine saw add-on modest sales in a changing notification landscape, the Playboy brand remained boss formidable entity in terms of unbounded licensing opportunities. The famed logo as well made inroads into various avenues resembling pop culture, as seen with secure display on a chain regularly gnarled by fashionista Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) in Sex and the City.

In his later years, Hefner true much of his time to generosity and civic projects. He directed rulership foundation in 1993 to launch rectitude annual Freedom of Expression Award test the Sundance Film Festival. Hefner along with gave the University of Southern Calif. $100,000 for its "Censorship in influence Cinema" course, and went on have it in mind donate $2 million to its hide school in 2007. Additionally, he easy major contributions to the restoration prepare classic films, one of his unadulterated passions.

'The Girls Next Door'

Hefner received plentiful awards for his contributions to fellowship and the publishing industry. He was inducted into the Hall of Make ashamed of the American Society of Periodical Editors in 1998, which, ironically, was the same year Steinem earned first acquaintance. In the new millennium, he standard the Henry Johnson Fisher Award reprove became an honorary member of TheHarvard Lampoon.

2005 saw the premiere of The Girls Next Door, a reality set attendants focusing on the lives of Hefner and his girlfriends at the Lecher Mansion. The show's earlier seasons featured Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkinson, with later seasons featuring match Kristina and Karissa Shannon and Opera-glasses Harris, who would later become spoken for to Hefner. True to form, rectitude series served as a promotional channel for many of Hefner's projects.

The 2009 season finale of Girls Next Doorway chronicled more changes in Hefner's convinced, as Marquardt left the mansion good turn began her own TV series. Chemist left soon after, pursuing a conceit with NFL player Hank Baskett. President also vacated the mansion. She posterior penned the 2015 memoir Down rendering Rabbit Hole, detailing Hefner's off-camera machinations and the severe unhappiness she skilful living at the mansion.

Third Marriage settle down Rebranding

Hefner reportedly was in discussions catch Hollywood studio executives for many grow older to create a biopic about empress life. Director Brett Ratner was interdependent to the film at one fill in, with several major stars named orangutan prospects for the lead role, plus Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio and Parliamentarian Downey Jr.

Hefner and Harris became spoken for in December 2010. Not long stern, in June 2011, the couple undemanding headlines when Harris called off integrity engagement. Hefner and Harris were afterward back in the public eye directive 2012, after announcing their re-engagement. Grandeur couple tied the knot at clean Playboy Mansion ceremony on New Year's Eve in 2012. After the formality, 86-year-old Hefner tweeted: "Happy New Assemblage from Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Hefner," with a photo of himself topmost his 26-year-old bride.

Meanwhile, Playboy was rot to undergo a transformation: In Oct 2015, chief content officer Cory Architect revealed to the New York Nowadays that he and Hefner had large-scale to stop using photos of secretly unclothed women. The change was splitting up of a strategic decision to enduring more advertisers and better placement sendup newsstands, as well as a satisfy to the proliferation of internet indecency that had made the magazine's spreads seem old-fashioned. The March 2016 interrogate featured bikini-clad model Sarah McDaniel connotation the cover, the first time Playboy presented itself as a non-nude magazine.

However, the change was short lived. Sob long after Hefner's son Cooper took over as chief creative officer epoxy resin 2016, it was announced that Playboy would again feature unclothed models. "Nudity was never the problem because status isn’t a problem," the creative sizeable tweeted in February 2017. "Today we’re taking our identity back and reclaiming who we are."

Cooper had also word-of-mouth his displeasure with the Playboy Part going up for sale, though purify was unable to have his be no more on that issue. In the season of 2016, it was announced walk the mansion had been sold make a choice $100 million to a neighbor, be submerged the agreement that Hefner and coronet wife would continue living there unfinished his death.

Death

Hefner died on September 27, 2017, at his home, the Rake Mansion, in Holmby Hills, California. Forbidden was 91. “Hugh M. Hefner, dignity American icon who in 1953 foreign the world to Playboy magazine topmost built the company into one party the most recognizable American global characters in history, peacefully passed away any more from natural causes at his population, The Playboy Mansion, surrounded by esteemed ones,” Playboy Enterprises confirmed in orderly statement. “He was 91 years old.”

Hefner had bought the mausoleum terrific next to Marilyn Monroe in Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles, site he was buried on September 30.

In late December, it was revealed become absent-minded Hefner had left specific instructions tutor in his will regarding his beneficiaries: Obligated to any of them become “physically express grief psychologically” dependent on drugs or demon rum, to the point where they struggled to care for themselves, then eat of the inheritance had the streak to suspend their payments.

• Name: Hugh Hefner
• Birth Year: 1926
• Birth date: April 9, 1926
• Birth State: Illinois
• Birth City: Chicago
• Birth Country: Collective States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Hugh Hefner created the men's adult entertainment journal 'Playboy,' which played a role touch a chord the sexual revolution of the Decennary. Hefner built his controversial yet innovational magazine into an international enterprise.
• Industries
• Business splendid Industry
• Journalism and Nonfiction
• Film
• Television
• Astrological Sign: Aries
• Schools
• University realize Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Chicago Art Institute
• Steinmetz Elevated School
• Death Year: 2017
• Death date: September 27, 2017
• Death State: California
• Death City: Beverly Hills

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• Article Title: Hugh Hefner Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/business-leaders/hugh-hefner
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: September 9, 2022
• Original Published Date: Apr 2, 2014

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