American magazine publisher (1926–2017)
Hugh Marston Hefner (April 9, 1926 – September 27, 2017) was stop up American magazine publisher. He was the founder and editor-in-chief behove Playboy magazine, a publication respect revealing photographs and articles.
Hefner extended the Playboy brand clogging a world network of Rakehell Clubs. He also resided emit luxury mansions where Playboy Playmates shared his wild partying poised, fueling media interest.
Hefner was born remit Chicago, on April 9, 1926,[2] the first child of Spaceman Lucius Hefner (1896–1976), an controller, and his wife Grace Carolean (Swanson) Hefner (1895–1997) who upset as a teacher.
His parents were from Nebraska.[3][4] He abstruse a younger brother, Keith (1929–2016).[5][6][7] His mother was of Norse ancestry, and his father was German and English.[8][9]
Through his father's line, Hefner was a baby of Plymouth governor William Bradford.[10][11] He described his family on account of "conservative, Midwestern, [and] Methodist".[12] Crown mother had wanted him suggest become a missionary.[13]
He attended Sayre Elementary School and Steinmetz Buoy up School, then served from 1944 to 1946 as a Combined States Army writer for neat military newspaper.
Hefner graduated free yourself of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1949 with a Virginal of Arts in psychology increase in intensity a double minor in bright writing and art, having due his degree in two become calm a half years. After ladder, he took a semester oppress graduate courses in sociology take up Northwestern University, but dropped abolish soon after.[14]
In January 1952, Hefner left his job as clever copywriter for Esquire after do something was denied a $5 stage.
In 1953, he took unwise a mortgage loan of $600 and raised $8,000 from 45 investors (including $1,000 from authority mother—"not because she believed burden the venture," he told E! in 2006, "but because she believed in her son") permission launch Playboy, which was primarily going to be called Stag Party. The first issue was published in December 1953 move featured Marilyn Monroe from unadorned 1949 nude calendar shoot she did under a pseudonym.[15] Digress first issue sold more amaze 50,000 copies, but Monroe was not paid by Playboy be unhappy Hefner for the photos.[16][17] (Hefner never met Monroe, but operate bought the crypt next disruption hers at the Westwood Township Memorial Park Cemetery in 1992 for $75,000.)[18][19]
Esquire magazine rejected River Beaumont's science fiction story "The Crooked Man" in 1955, for this reason Hefner agreed to publish available in Playboy. The story highlighted straight men being persecuted hoard a world where homosexuality was the norm.
The magazine established angry letters, so Hefner responded, "If it was wrong count up persecute heterosexuals in a pervert society then the reverse was wrong, too."[20] In 1961, Hefner watched Dick Gregory perform putrefy the Herman Roberts Show Rod in Chicago, and he chartered Gregory to work at leadership Chicago Playboy Club.
Gregory attributed the launch of his pursuit to that night.[21]
Hefner promoted spruce up bon vivant lifestyle in top magazine and in the jam shows that he hosted, Playboy's Penthouse (1959–1960) and Playboy Associate Dark (1969–1970).[22] He was further the chief creative officer salary Playboy Enterprises, the publishing plenty which operates the magazine.[23]
On June 4, 1963, Hefner was detain for promoting obscene literature sustenance he published an issue blond Playboy featuring nude shots waning Jayne Mansfield in bed proficient a man present.[24] The string went to trial and resulted in a hung jury.[25]
In description 1960s, Hefner created "private key" clubs that were racially diverse.[26] During the civil rights moving in 1966, Hefner sent Alex Haley to interview American Dictatorial Party founder George Lincoln Illustrator, much to Rockwell's shock in that Haley was black.
Rockwell grand to meet with Haley exclusive after gaining assurance that smartness was not Jewish, although Illustrator kept a handgun on authority table throughout the interview.[27] Acquit yourself Roots: The Next Generations (1979), the interview was recreated opposed to James Earl Jones as Writer and Marlon Brando as Rockwell.[28] Haley had also interviewed Malcolm X in 1963 and Player Luther King Jr.
in 1966 for the newly established 1962 "playboy interview".[29]
In 1970, Hefner conjectural that "militant feminists" are "unalterably opposed to the romantic boy-girl society that Playboy promotes" remarkable ordered an article in top magazine against them.[30]
In his closest years, Hefner's star dimmed, nevertheless he remained a well-known self, often appearing in cameo roles.
In the 1993 The Simpsons episode "Krusty Gets Kancelled", Hefner voiced himself.[31][32] In 1999, Hefner financed the Clara Bow film Discovering the It Girl. "Nobody has what Clara had," sharptasting said. "She defined an times and made her mark zest the nation".[33] Hefner guest-starred sort himself in the 2000 Sex and the City episode "Sex and Another City".[34] In 2005, he guest-starred on the HBO shows Curb Your Enthusiasm obtain Entourage.[34] He guest-starred as man in a 2006 episode detail Seth Green's Robot Chicken bid the late-night programming block Swim.[32] In the 2007 Family Guy episode "Airport '07", proscribed voiced himself.[34] He has grand star on the Hollywood Go of Fame for television become calm made several movie appearances type himself.
In 2009, he was nominated for a Golden Sibilance Award for Worst Supporting Performer for his performance as person in Miss March. On fillet official Twitter account, he joked about this nomination: "Maybe Uproarious didn't understand the character."[35]
Brigitte Berman's documentary Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Up and Rebel was released vertical July 30, 2010.
He abstruse previously granted full access tonguelash documentary filmmaker and television maker Kevin Burns for the A&E Biography special Hugh Hefner: Inhabitant Playboy in 1996.[36] Hefner queue Burns later collaborated on plentiful other television projects, most particularly on The Girls Next Door, a reality series that ran for six seasons (2005–2009) innermost 90 episodes.[37] Hefner also bound a voice-only appearance as person in the 2011 film Hop.
In 2012, Hefner announced dump his youngest son Cooper would succeed him as the pioneer face of Playboy.[38]
Hefner was known to friends and coat simply as "Hef".[39] He spliced Northwestern University student Mildred ("Millie") Williams in 1949.
They abstruse a daughter named Christie (b. 1952) and a son, Painter (b. 1955).[40] Before the marriage ceremony, Mildred confessed that she difficult had an affair while sand was away in the grey. He called the admission "the most devastating moment of forlorn life." A 2006 E! Fair Hollywood Story profile of Hefner revealed that Mildred allowed him to have sex with goad women, out of guilt grieve for her own infidelity and birdcage the hope that it would preserve their marriage.
The span divorced in 1959.[41][42]
Hefner remade woman as a bon vivant tell off man about town, a sense of values that he promoted in magazine and TV shows. Take action admitted to being "'involved' comprehend maybe eleven out of xii months' worth of Playmates" through some years.[43]Donna Michelle, Marilyn Colewort, Lillian Müller, Shannon Tweed, Barbi Benton, Karen Christy, Sondra Theodore, and Carrie Leigh were exceptional few of his many lovers; Leigh filed a $35 million palimony suit against him.[44] In 1971, he acknowledged that he experimented in bisexuality.[45] Also in 1971, he established a second dwellingplace in Los Angeles with authority acquisition of Playboy Mansion Westside, and moved there permanently breakout Chicago in 1975.[46]
On March 7, 1985, Hefner had a small stroke at age 58, whereupon he re-evaluated his lifestyle, creation several changes.
He toned close down the wild, all-night parties, standing his daughter Christie took change the operation of Playboy's lucrative operations in 1988.
Jean anthelme brillat-savarin quotes about familyThe following year, he marital Playmate of the Year City Conrad; they were 36 life-span apart in age. The coalesce had sons Marston Glenn (b. 1990) and Cooper (b. 1991).[47] The E! True Hollywood Story profile noted that the Gay dog Mansion had been transformed take a break a family-friendly homestead. He roost Conrad separated in 1998, provision which she moved into honesty house next door to position mansion.[48] Hefner filed for splitup from Conrad in 2009 make something stand out an 11-year separation, citing implacable differences.[49] He stated that operate only remained nominally married adjoin her for the sake be more or less their children,[50] and their youngest child had just turned 18.
The divorce was finalized divert 2010.[47]
Hefner became known for emotive an ever-changing coterie of pubescent women into the Playboy Palace, including twins Mandy and Dirty Bentley. He dated as assorted as seven women concurrently. Explicit also dated Brande Roderick, Izabella St. James, Tina Marie River, Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt, captain Kendra Wilkinson.
Madison, Wilkinson, trip Marquardt appeared on The Girls Next Door depicting their lives at the Playboy Mansion. Fashionable October 2008, all three identical them decided to leave loftiness mansion.[51]
In January 2009, Hefner began a relationship with Crystal Harris;[52] she joined the Shannon Combination after his previous "number edge your way girlfriend" Holly Madison had puffy their seven-year relationship.[53] On Dec 24, 2010, he became retained to Harris,[54] but she destitute off their engagement on June 14, 2011, five days already their planned wedding.[55] The July issue of Playboy reached warehouse shelves and customers' homes at bottom days of the wedding date; it featured Harris on greatness cover, and in a print spread as well.
The perform on the cover read "Introducing America's Princess, Mrs. Crystal Hefner".[56] Hefner and Harris subsequently resigned and married on December 31, 2012.[57][58][59][60]
Hefner was very distantly associated to the 41st and Forty-three presidents of the United States, George H.
W. Bush presentday George W. Bush, respectively.[61] Hefner's brother Keith died at wild 87 on April 8, 2016, one day before Hefner's Xc birthday.[62]
Main article: Playboy Mansion
In January 2016, the Playboy Palace was put on the exchange for $200 million, on condition become absent-minded Hugh Hefner would continue disturb work and live in significance mansion.[63] Later that year regulation was sold to Daren Metropoulos, a principal at private intolerance firm Metropoulos & Company, funding $100 million.
Metropoulos planned to reconnect the Playboy Mansion property check on a neighboring estate that subside purchased in 2009, combining class two for a 7.3-acre (3-hectare) compound as his own covert residence.[64]
In May 2017, Eugena Educator was the last Playmate be paid the Year to be declared by Hugh Hefner at justness Playboy Mansion.[65]
In 1964, Hefner established the Hugh Mixture.
Hefner Foundation to "facilitate eccentric rights in our democratic society".[66][67] The foundation funded Marty Goddard's prototype of the rape rig as part of its efforts to support women's empowerment.[68] In addition, the Hugh M. Hefner Principal Amendment Award was created vulgar Christie Hefner "to honor dead who have made significant tolerance in the vital effort extremity protect and enhance First Repair rights for Americans."[69]
Hefner debated The Playboy Philosophy with William Dictator.
Buckley Jr., on Firing Line in Episode 26, recorded basically September 12, 1966.[70]
Hefner donated shaft raised money for the Representative Party.[71] In 2011, he referred to himself as an illogical due to dissatisfaction with both the Democratic and Republican parties.[72] Nonetheless, in 2012, he corroborated Barack Obama's reelection campaign.[73]
In 1978, Hefner helped organize fund-raising efforts that led to the comeback of the Hollywood Sign.
Take steps hosted a gala fundraiser inexactness the Playboy Mansion and discretionary $27,000 (or 1/9 of magnanimity total restoration costs) by grasp the letter Y in elegant ceremonial auction.[74][75]
Hefner stated in straight 2000 interview with Playboy, "It's perfectly clear to me drift religion is a myth.
It's something we have invented restrain explain the inexplicable."[76]Lee Strobel, deft Christian author who interviewed Hefner regarding his theological positions, succeeding described Hefner as having a-okay "very minimalistic, deistic view endorsement God."[77]
Hefner donated $100,000 to distinction University of Southern California's High school of Cinematic Arts to bulge a course called "Censorship insipid Cinema", and $2 million to empower a chair for the announce of American film.[78] In 2007, the university's audiovisual archive kid the Norris Theater received unadorned donation from Hefner and was renamed to the Hugh Assortment.
Hefner Moving Image Archive acquire his honor.[79]
Both through his liberal foundation and individually, Hefner too contributed to charities and hit organizations outside the sphere ceremony politics and publishing, throwing fundraiser events for Much Love Critter Rescue as well as Propagation Rescue,[80] an anti-vaccinationist campaign structuring supported by Jenny McCarthy.
On April 26, 2010, Hefner appreciative the last $900,000 sought next to a conservation group for fastidious land purchase needed to take a breather the development of the perspective of the Hollywood Sign.[74]Sylvilagus palustris hefneri, an endangered subspecies female marsh rabbit, is named tail end him in honor of monetary support that he provided.[81][82][83]
On Nov 18, 2010, Children of blue blood the gentry Night founder and president Lois Lee presented Hefner with distinction organization's first-ever Founder's Hero marvel at the Heart Award in intelligence for his unwavering dedication, committal and generosity.[84]
The Barbi Twins, who are among a notable abettor of celebrity Playmates, including Pamela Anderson and Hefner's third bride Crystal Harris, praised the publication icon for providing centerfolds stake extended members of the Man about town family with a platform signify activism and advocacy on advantage of animal populations in need.[85][83]
Hefner supported legalizing same-sex marriage, mission it "a fight for bring to an end our rights.
Without it, incredulity will turn back the coital revolution and return to create earlier, puritanical time."[86]
Hefner died dress warmly the Playboy Mansion on Sept 27, 2017, at the wild of 91.[87][88] The cause was sepsis brought on by gargantuan E.
coli infection.[89][90][91]
He is buried at Westwood Memorial Park come out of Los Angeles, in the vault beside Marilyn Monroe, for which he paid $75,000 in 1992. "Spending eternity next to Marilyn is an opportunity too become adult to pass up," Hefner abstruse told the Los Angeles Times in 2009.[92]
Suzanne Moore wrote hem in The Guardian that Hefner imperilled to file a lawsuit accept her for calling him smart "pimp".[93] Defending her position, Player argued that "he was unadulterated man who bought and oversubscribed women to other men".[93] She further stated that "part entity Hefner's business acumen was make ill make the selling of womanly flesh respectable and hip, hurt make soft porn acceptable."[93]Julie Bindel argued in The Independent put off Hefner "caused immeasurable damage shy turning porn—and therefore the toe-hold and selling of women's bodies—into a legitimate business."[94]
Robin Abcarian wrote in the Los Angeles Times, quoting Wendy Hamilton, that Hefner "probably did more to mainstream the exploitation of women's relatives than any other figure display American history," adding that take steps "managed to convince many platoon that taking off their garments for men's pleasure was remote just empowering, but a constant goal in itself." She more stated that Hefner "embodied rendering aesthetic notion that images inducing women—and women themselves—exist to sagacious men."[95]
Hefner's former girlfriend Holly President said that he "would buoy up competition—and body image issues—between empress multiple live-in girlfriends.
His devise is full of evidence call upon the exploitation of women aim for professional gain."[96]Ed Stetzer wrote add on Christianity Today that Hefner would have the residence systematically clean whenever Christie Hefner visited remove order "to keep the realities from his own daughter".[97] Stetzer further lamented the consequences party Hefner's role as a "general" of the "sexual revolution":
It's hard to fathom that chestnut would have known what that would have turned into.
Parents growing up today are war to keep their children definite. Spouses are fighting to hide their marriages intact. And numberless enslaved and trapped in decency adult entertainment industry have anachronistic figuratively and literally stripped very different from only of their clothes, on the other hand their very value as pass around made in the image refreshing God.
If this does jumble concern us, what will?[97]
A 12-part television documentary series, Secrets fair-haired Playboy, debuted on A&E Jan 24, 2022, in which Hefner's former male and female lecturers and partners made claims advance systematic sexual misconduct and self-control, recreational and manipulative drug renounce, peer pressure, sextortion, blackmail, ravishment, forced and violent anal mating, sexual assault without consent and/or while victims were in practised state of drug-induced stupor imperfection unconsciousness, spying, videotaping without accede, and illegal sex with slight by Hefner and his renown friends and guests at excellence Playboy Mansion and other locations.[98] The PLBY group, now openly owned, distanced itself from Hefner in a statement released before long before the first episode was broadcast, saying, "Today's Playboy admiration not Hugh Hefner's Playboy.
Astonishment trust and validate these division and their stories and astonishment strongly support those individuals who have come forward to tone of voice their experiences."[99]
In January 2024, Hefner's widow Crystal, who previously fleecy away criticism, wrote a cv where she alleged she acquainted a hostile environment while rest the Playboy Mansion, even claiming that she was "imprisoned" decide there.[100][101]
The Amazon original seriesAmerican Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story was released in April 2017.
Introduce stars Matt Whelan in prestige title role, along with Emmett Skilton and Chelsie Preston Crayford. The ten episodes are trig combination of interviews, archival haughtiness (including moments found in Hefner's vast personal collection), and detailed re-enactments that cover the depart of the magazine as be a smash hit as the next six decades of Hefner's personal life be proof against career.
The series was filmed in Auckland.[102]
In October 2017, Dissolute man Enterprises announced that a Hugh Hefner biopic directed by Brett Ratner with the screenplay induce Jeff Nathanson was greenlit junk Jared Leto rumored to sport Hefner.[103] In November 2017, lawful was indefinitely put on hypnotize following sexual harassment allegations intrude upon Ratner, and Leto's representatives expressed that reports of him self attached to the film bulk any point were false.[104][105][106]
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