The Founder of Playboy Magazine, Hugh Hefner breaths his last at his home at age 91. The man, considered an American icon, died because of natural causes.
Founder of Playboy Magazine
Hugh Hefner founded the magazine back in 1953. There is a clear difference of opinion that exists about his life. Some consider him as a visionary, a diva, and a fashion icon. There are others who do not like his approach of generating explicit content. The publishing of a bold photo shoot of Marilyn Monroe is one of the many examples that his critics give of his work.
Cooper Hefner, the son of the Founder of Playboy Magazine, said that his father led an exceptional yet impactful life. Furthermore, he added that his father had a great impact on the media and the culture. He was of the view that his father played a pivotal role in defining the ethos and lifestyle behind the Playboy Magazine.
Hefner was famous for his explicit relations with over 1,000 women. He married three times in his life.
The three wives and dates of marriage.
- Mildred Williams – 1949 – 1959
- Kimberley Conrad – 1989 – 1998.
- Crystal Harris – 2012 – 2017
He leaves behind his wife Crystal, four grown-up children, and a former Playmate. His children include Christie who remained Chief Executive of the magazine for over 20 years, Marston, David, and Cooper. He also started the show, “The Girls Next Door.” In this show, Hefner featured three of his girlfriends at the time.
Life of the Founder of Playboy Magazine
Hefner was born in 1926 in Chicago. He also served in the US military in World War II. He was a graduate of the University of Illinois and also worked as a copywriter for Esquire. His journey to fame started with $8,000 that he took from investors to kick off the magazine. Hefner was able to sell 50,000 copies of the first magazine. Some of the famous writers of the time included Margaret Atwood, Ian Fleming, Ray Bradbury, and Joseph Kerouac. Playboy Magazine interviewed many famous people including Jimmy Carter, Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, John Lennon, and Fidel Castro.
Hefner’s Contribution to Brand Expansion
Hefner braved through many storms of controversy to aggressively market the brand of Playboy. He understood the name that he had created. Therefore, he also started venturing into other lucrative niches like clothing, jewelry, fragrances, and accessories. Now, Hefner is no more with us, but the Playboy magazine is published in 20 countries around the world. The annual sales of the Playboy Enterprises exceed $1billion.
