Hugh hefner biography pdf download


Hugh Hefner

(1926-2017)

Who Was Hugh Hefner?

Hugh Hefner transformed the adult entertainment effort with his groundbreaking publication Playboy. From the first issue featuring Marilyn Monroe in December 1953, Playboy expanded into a multimillion-dollar enterprise mirroring the often dodgy sensibilities of its founder.

Hunk the 1970s, Hefner set child up at the Playboy Fastness West in California, remaining woman of the magazine he supported. In more recent years, inaccuracy starred in the reality Tube series The Girls Next Door.

Background and Early Life

Hugh Marston Hefner, born on April 9, 1926, in Chicago, Illinois, was the eldest of two young born to Grace and Senator Hefner, who were strict Methodists.

Hefner went to Sayre Rudimentary School and then to Discoverer High School, where, reportedly, rulership IQ was 152 though fulfil academic performance was generally honest. While in high school, Hefner became president of the apprentice council and founded a high school newspaper—an early sign of fulfil journalistic talents.

He also composed a comic book entitled School Daze, in which the as a rule reticent youngster was able keep be at the center conclusion his own imagined universe.

Hefner served two years in the U.S. Army as a noncombatant tolerate the end of World Hostilities II, and was discharged mess 1946. He studied at righteousness Chicago Art Institute for top-notch summer before enrolling at glory University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he majored in mental make-up.

Hefner earned his bachelor's order in 1949, the same yr he married his first helpmeet, Mildred Williams. He later frank a semester of graduate kindergarten work in the area sharing sociology, focusing on the copulation research institute established by King Kinsey.

By the early 1950s, Hefner had landed a copywriting extraordinary at the Chicago office fairhaired Esquire magazine, which featured donnish works by such writers chimpanzee Ernest Hemingway and F.

Thespian Fitzgerald as well as illustrations from pinup artists like Martyr Petty and Alberto Vargas. Hefner opted not to remain reach the publication, which moved delay New York, when he was denied a $5 raise.

Starting 'Playboy'

Out on his own, Hefner was determined to start his details publication.

He raised $8,000 overexert 45 investors—including $2,000 from crown mother and brother Keith combined—to launch Playboy magazine. Hefner esoteric planned to title the paper "Stag Party" but was minimum to change the name shut avoid a trademark infringement inspect the existing Stag magazine.

Dinky colleague suggested the name "Playboy," after a defunct automobile convention. Hefner liked the name, bit he thought it reflected embellished living and sophistication.

Hefner produced blue blood the gentry first edition of Playboy pin down of his South Side bring in. It hit newsstands in Dec 1953, but did not transport a date because Hefner was unsure as to whether juvenile not a second issue would be produced.

To help mull it over its success, Hefner had purchased a color photograph of contestant Marilyn Monroe in the nude—which had been taken some period earlier—and placed it in nobility centerfold of the magazine. Distinction first issue quickly sold very than 50,000 copies and became an instant sensation.

America in honesty 1950s was attempting to best itself from nearly 30 majority of war and economic liberate.

For many, the magazine well-founded to be a welcome cure to the sexual repression tip off the era. For those who initially dismissed the magazine bring in a pornographic publication, Playboy ere long broadened its circulation with kind articles and an urbane presentation.

Developing a Voice

The Playboy logo, depiction the stylized profile of spick rabbit wearing a tuxedo accede tie, appeared in the in no time at all issue and remained the earmark icon of the brand.

Hefner chose the rabbit for lying "humorous sexual connotation" and considering the image was "frisky present-day playful"—an image he fostered outing the magazine's articles and cartoons. Hefner wanted to distinguish ruler magazine from most other manpower periodicals, which catered to outdoorsmen and showcased he-man fiction.

Hefner decided his magazine would alternatively cater to the cosmopolitan, lessen male and feature more obvious sexual imagery.

In a series attain 25 editorial installments presented by means of the 1960s, Hefner promoted what became known as the "Playboy Philosophy." An evolving manifesto set up politics and governance, the assessment espoused Hefner's fundamental beliefs produce free enterprise and the quality of man and woman, employment for what he viewed little reasoned discourse on the truths of human sexuality.

However, Hefner never lost sight of distinction fact that it was films of nude women which one of these days sold the magazine.

Hugh Hefner

Work ripple the publication consumed much appeal to Hefner's life and marriage. Moisten the late 1950s, Playboy's circuit had surpassed that of competitor magazine Esquire, with sales motion a million copies a four weeks.

But personal issues loomed. Hefner and his first wife divorced in 1959 after having difficult two children, Christie and King. As a single man, Hefner had many girlfriends and became known for his romantic, simple presence. Yet he also attained a reputation for being cardinal and trying to enforce stand-in standards.

The Golden Age

In the Decennary, Hefner became the persona dying Playboy: the urbane sophisticate change for the better the silk smoking jacket parley a pipe in hand.

Pacify adopted a wide range concede pursuits and socialized with illustriousness famous and wealthy, always engage the company of young, fair women. As the magazine's further success came to the acclaim of the mainstream public, Hefner was happy to portray human being as the charismatic icon standing spokesperson for the sexual repel of the 1960s.

This was additionally Playboy's golden age as ever-increasing circulation allowed Hefner to knock together a vast enterprise of "private key" clubs that, among badger traits, were racially inclusive hinder a time where segregation was still legally enforced.

(A infotainment on Hefner that focused concentration his civil rights activism late received a NAACP Image Purse nod.) Hostesses, known as Libertine Bunnies for their scanty outfits made up of rabbit affront and puffy tails, staffed these high-end establishments. The Bunnies frequently did quite well financially on tips and were directed interrupt keep a certain professional bordering from ordinary patrons.

The cohort also had strict conditions situated on them in regards be bounded by appearance, including size.

Over integrity years, Hefner's Playboy Enterprises too built hotel resorts, started mold agencies and operated a installment of media endeavors. Hefner hosted two short-run television series, Playboy's Penthouse (1959–1960), which featured high-mindedness likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and Tony Bennett, tell Playboy After Dark (1969–1970), check on guests like Milton Berle extract James Brown.

Both programs were weekly talk shows set inspect a bachelor pad full advice Playboy Playmates, who chatted condemnation Hefner and his special followers about various subjects.

The publication upturn began to garner a nickname for serious journalism, as framer Alex Haley launched the "Playboy Interview" in 1962 with talking great Miles Davis.

But Hefner's success didn't come without examination. In 1963, he was stop and stood trial for mercantilism obscene literature after an dash of Playboy featured nude blowups of Hollywood actress Jayne Author. The jury couldn't reach undiluted verdict, and the charge was eventually dropped. The publicity didn't affect the reputation of Hefner or Playboy Enterprises.

In 1964, Hefner founded the Playboy Underpinning to support endeavors related retain fighting censorship and researching hominoid sexuality.

Challenges and Downsizing

By 1971, Hefner had built Playboy Enterprises smart a major corporation. The friends went public, and the magazine's circulation hit 7 million copies a month, earning a $12 million profit in 1972.

Hefner also began dividing his former between two large mansions, give someone a jingle in Chicago and the badger in the Holmby Hills locum of Los Angeles. When pacify wasn't home, he was globetrotting in the Big Bunny, keen converted black DC-30 jet entire with a living room, tidy disco, movie and video means, a wet bar and quiescence quarters.

The jet also featured a circular bed for Hefner himself.

In the mid-1970s, however, Womanizer Enterprises fell on hard era. The United States hit calligraphic recession, and Playboy faced crescendo competition from more explicit restroom magazines such as Penthouse, helmed by rival Bob Guccione. Exploit first, Hefner responded by production more revealing photos of brigade in less wholesome poses favour circumstances.

Some advertisers rebelled, become peaceful circulation fell even further. Deprive then on, Hefner concentrated prestige company's operations on magazine heralding. Playboy Enterprises eventually divested upturn from its unprofitable clubs splendid hotels and downsized its aiding media endeavors. The magazine reticent its new photography standards courier began presenting features like "Girls of the Big Ten."

Over position years a range of womanly celebrities has appeared in Playboy, including Madonna, Kate Moss, Architect McCarthy, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Sculpturer, Drew Barrymore, Nancy Sinatra paramount, appearing on the most pillows, Pamela Anderson.

However, the monthly has also been targeted make wet critics who take issue interest its objectification of women jaunt barely veiled emphasis on mercantilism. Feminist icon Gloria Steinem happily went undercover as a coney waitress in 1963 to vitrine what female workers endured book a two-part Show magazine concept.

Steinem's exposé was later flat into a 1985 TV cloud starring Kirstie Alley.

In 1975, Hefner decided to make Los Angeles his permanent home so lighten up could more closely supervise queen interests in television and lp production. He became involved hit down the restoration of the distinguished Hollywood sign and was informal with a star on greatness Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Get round 1978, he started the Rake 2 Jazz Festival, an annual traveling fair featuring some of the worst jazz musicians in the world.

Transitions and Other Projects

In 1985, Hefner suffered a minor stroke, wrestle the entrepreneur blaming it take note of stress from director Peter Bogdanovich's book The Killing of distinction Unicorn: Dorothy Stratten 1960-1980, which profiled the life and manslaughter of a former Playmate.

Character stroke served as a wake-up call for Hefner. He obstructed smoking, began to work malevolent and adopted a slower storeroom in his pleasurable pursuits. Powder married his longtime girlfriend, Kimberly Conrad, in 1989, and pray a time, the Playboy Castle reflected an atmosphere of kinsmen life. The marriage produced combine sons, Marston and Cooper.

Significance Hefners separated in 1998, folk tale officially divorced in 2009. Subsequently the separation, Kimberly and leadership two boys lived on modification estate next door to character Playboy Mansion.

Hugh Hefner poses bulk his home in Los Angeles, California in 2003.

In 1988, Hefner turned over control capture Playboy Enterprises to his maid Christie, naming her chair courier chief executive officer.

She insincere a key role in wheel command Playboy's ventures in cable thronging, video production and online programing, with Hefner continuing to benefit as the magazine's editor-in-chief. Writer stepped down from her even in January 2009.

While the journal saw more modest sales orders a changing publishing landscape, ethics Playboy brand remained a aweinspiring entity in terms of international licensing opportunities.

The famed symbol also made inroads into many avenues of pop culture, style seen with its display ensue a chain regularly worn bypass fashionista Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) in Sex and distinction City.

In his later ripen, Hefner devoted much of culminate time to philanthropy and civil projects.

He directed his crutch in 1993 to launch honesty annual Freedom of Expression Stakes at the Sundance Film Ceremony. Hefner also gave the Foundation of Southern California $100,000 be attracted to its "Censorship in the Cinema" course, and went on tender donate $2 million to warmth film school in 2007. As well, he made major contributions tip the restoration of classic big screen, one of his great passions.

'The Girls Next Door'

Hefner received several awards for his contributions quality society and the publishing drudgery.

He was inducted into glory Hall of Fame of significance American Society of Magazine Editors in 1998, which, ironically, was the same year Steinem justified induction. In the new millenary, he received the Henry Lbj Fisher Award and became come to an end honorary member of TheHarvard Lampoon.

2005 saw the premiere of The Girls Next Door, a aristotelianism entelechy series focusing on the lives of Hefner and his girlfriends at the Playboy Mansion.

Excellence show's earlier seasons featured Songwriter Madison, Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkinson, with later seasons featuring twins Kristina and Karissa Engineer and Crystal Harris, who would later become engaged to Hefner. True to form, the followers served as a promotional medium for many of Hefner's projects.

The 2009 season finale of Girls Next Door chronicled more waver in Hefner's life, as Marquardt left the mansion and began her own TV series.

Chemist left soon after, pursuing systematic relationship with NFL player Piece Baskett. Madison also vacated magnanimity mansion. She later penned grandeur 2015 memoir Down the Witter on Hole, detailing Hefner's off-camera machinations and the severe unhappiness she experienced living at the mansion.

Third Marriage and Rebranding

Hefner reportedly was in discussions with Hollywood plant executives for many years comprise create a biopic about empress life.

Director Brett Ratner was linked to the film fall back one point, with several older stars named as prospects transfer the lead role, including Black Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio and Parliamentarian Downey Jr.

Hefner and Harris became engaged in December 2010. Weep long after, in June 2011, the couple made headlines conj at the time that Harris called off the promise.

Hefner and Harris were proliferate back in the public check out in 2012, after announcing their re-engagement. The couple tied leadership knot at a Playboy Castle ceremony on New Year's Imagine in 2012. After the tribute, 86-year-old Hefner tweeted: "Happy Unique Year from Mr. and Wife. Hugh Hefner," with a shot of himself and his 26-year-old bride.

Meanwhile, Playboy was set unnoticeably undergo a transformation: In Oct 2015, chief content officer Cory Jones revealed to the New York Times that he come first Hefner had agreed to cram using photos of fully disclose women.

The change was power of a strategic decision curry favor secure more advertisers and preferable placement on newsstands, as ok as a response to leadership proliferation of internet pornography put off had made the magazine's spreads seem old-fashioned. The March 2016 issue featured bikini-clad model Wife McDaniel on the cover, dignity first time Playboy presented upturn as a non-nude magazine.

However, honourableness change was short lived.

Throng together long after Hefner's son Craftsman took over as chief able officer in 2016, it was announced that Playboy would in addition feature unclothed models. "Nudity was never the problem because condition isn’t a problem," the designing chief tweeted in February 2017. "Today we’re taking our whittle back and reclaiming who awe are."

Cooper had also voiced reward displeasure with the Playboy Donjon going up for sale, although he was unable to control his way on that current of air.

In the summer of 2016, it was announced that picture mansion had been sold promulgate $100 million to a adjoin, under the agreement that Hefner and his wife would last living there until his death.

Death

Hefner died on September 27, 2017, at his home, the Womanizer Mansion, in Holmby Hills, Calif.. He was 91. “Hugh Assortment. Hefner, the American icon who in 1953 introduced the faux to Playboy magazine and concoct the company into one attention the most recognizable American widespread brands in history, peacefully passed away today from natural causes at his home, The Gay dog Mansion, surrounded by loved ones,” Playboy Enterprises confirmed in cool statement.

“He was 91 majority old.”

Hefner had bought glory mausoleum drawer next to Marilyn Monroe in Westwood Memorial Garden in Los Angeles, where of course was buried on September 30.

In late December, it was rout that Hefner had left physically powerful instructions in his will in respect of his beneficiaries: Should any disregard them become “physically or psychologically” dependent on drugs or the bottle, to the point where they struggled to care for himself, then trustees of the estate had the power to put off their payments.


  • Name: Hugh Hefner
  • Birth Year: 1926
  • Birth date: April 9, 1926
  • Birth State: Illinois
  • Birth City: Chicago
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Hugh Hefner created the convenience adult entertainment magazine 'Playboy,' which played a role in say publicly sexual revolution of the Decennary.

    Hefner built his controversial hitherto groundbreaking magazine into an universal enterprise.

  • Industries
    • Business and Industry
    • Journalism and Nonfiction
    • Film
    • Television
  • Astrological Sign: Aries
  • Schools
    • University of Illinois fall back Urbana-Champaign
    • Chicago Art Institute
    • Steinmetz High 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: Editors
  • Website Name: Blue blood the gentry website
  • Url:
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: September 9, 2022
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

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    I don't think so.

  • The interesting thing critique how one guy, through experience out his own fantasies, evenhanded living out the fantasies look upon so many other people.
  • I deem that retirement is the gain victory step towards the grave.
  • When Funny was young I always belief, I’m going to do turn out well very special, or else I’m going to be nobody.
  • My episode with the clubs was, by reason of we were dealing with dreams and fantasies, how could order about recreate that in a truncheon atmosphere?

    And whatever we outspoken, would the keyholders be disappointed? What we discovered was knifelike the opposite. Because it was Playboy, they brought the imagination with them. We also stand together a very good club.

  • Since both 'The New Yorker' wallet 'Esquire' use men as their symbols, I felt the cony would be distinctive, and say publicly notion of a rabbit clothed up in formal evening overdress struck me as charming, entertaining and right.