Hugh Hefner
From pin-up sketches to the glossy icon of Playboy
He defined the lifestyle and ethics that form the core of the Playboy brand, one of the most recognizable and enduring in history.
Early Years
Hugh Marston Hefner was born on April 9, 1926, in Chicago into a strict Protestant family.
In school, his IQ (reportedly 152) was well above what his classmates could achieve, and teachers called him "unenthusiastic." However, Hef (as he was called even then) eventually found his calling. In high school, he started a student newspaper, wrote articles, and drew caricatures.
After graduating in 1944, he joined the military. There, he continued to create cartoons for soldiers’ newspapers until he was discharged in 1946.
Hugh Marston Hefner was born on April 9, 1926, in Chicago into a strict Protestant family.
In school, his IQ (reportedly 152) was well above what his classmates could achieve, and teachers called him "unenthusiastic." However, Hef (as he was called even then) eventually found his calling. In high school, he started a student newspaper, wrote articles, and drew caricatures.
After graduating in 1944, he joined the military. There, he continued to create cartoons for soldiers’ newspapers until he was discharged in 1946.
Art and Anatomy
Following his service, Hugh studied at the Chicago Art Institute and the University of Illinois. In his free time, he drew for a daily newspaper and edited a humor magazine.
During graduate school, Hefner wrote a paper titled “The Laws of Sex in America.” At the same time, in 1949, he met and married his junior college classmate, Mildred Williams. They had two children together. After ten years of marriage, they divorced.
In 1951, he got a job as a copywriter at a men's magazine called Esquire. Two years later, Hefner decided to start his own men's magazine in Chicago.
The Birth of Playboy
Hefner scraped together 8000$ from his friends, including 1,000$ from his mother. In December 1953, the first issue of Playboy hit the newsstands. The legendary magazine was created in Hugh’s kitchen apartment. The very first issue featured Marilyn Monroe nude in a pin-up style.
The magazine instantly became a hit, selling over 50,000 copies! It combined beautiful women with useful tips for men.
By the late 1950s, Playboy was selling more than one million copies each month.
Following his service, Hugh studied at the Chicago Art Institute and the University of Illinois. In his free time, he drew for a daily newspaper and edited a humor magazine.
During graduate school, Hefner wrote a paper titled “The Laws of Sex in America.” At the same time, in 1949, he met and married his junior college classmate, Mildred Williams. They had two children together. After ten years of marriage, they divorced.
In 1951, he got a job as a copywriter at a men's magazine called Esquire. Two years later, Hefner decided to start his own men's magazine in Chicago.
The Birth of Playboy
Hefner scraped together 8000$ from his friends, including 1,000$ from his mother. In December 1953, the first issue of Playboy hit the newsstands. The legendary magazine was created in Hugh’s kitchen apartment. The very first issue featured Marilyn Monroe nude in a pin-up style.
The magazine instantly became a hit, selling over 50,000 copies! It combined beautiful women with useful tips for men.
By the late 1950s, Playboy was selling more than one million copies each month.
Living the Dream
As the sexual revolution of the 1960s gained momentum, Hefner brought the Playboy philosophy to life. He surrounded himself with young women, hosted parties with wealthy and famous guests. His signature look was a silk smoking jacket that he wore while puffing on a pipe.
His empire grew rapidly: clubs with "bunnies" (the main Playboy logo), hotels, and new TV shows.
The event-filled 1980s
The 1980s became a time of great change for Hefner. It was the era of conservative values. In 1985, Hefner suffered a stroke, which he took as a wake-up call. His daughter, Christie Hefner, took control of the corporation.
In 1989, Hefner married for the second time, to his longtime friend Kimberly Conrad, a former "Playmate of the Month." The couple had two sons (Hefner has a total of four children). Although they separated in 1998, they were legally divorced only in 2010.
As the sexual revolution of the 1960s gained momentum, Hefner brought the Playboy philosophy to life. He surrounded himself with young women, hosted parties with wealthy and famous guests. His signature look was a silk smoking jacket that he wore while puffing on a pipe.
His empire grew rapidly: clubs with "bunnies" (the main Playboy logo), hotels, and new TV shows.
The event-filled 1980s
The 1980s became a time of great change for Hefner. It was the era of conservative values. In 1985, Hefner suffered a stroke, which he took as a wake-up call. His daughter, Christie Hefner, took control of the corporation.
In 1989, Hefner married for the second time, to his longtime friend Kimberly Conrad, a former "Playmate of the Month." The couple had two sons (Hefner has a total of four children). Although they separated in 1998, they were legally divorced only in 2010.
The later years
In recent years, Hefner once again focused on his beloved creation, turning Playboy Enterprises back into a private company by buying it out for $207 million, giving him full control. In 2003, he launched the popular reality show "Girls Next Door," where viewers followed his life with three girlfriends in the Playboy mansion.
However, Hefner decided to stay loyal, and on Christmas Eve 2010, he announced on Twitter that he was engaged to 24-year-old Kristal Harris. She broke off the engagement a few days before the wedding, but they still married the following year.
Closing the Circle
It was the very first issue of Playboy with Marilyn Monroe that turned Hugh Hefner into a sexual revolutionist. He bought a plot on the cemetery in California next to Monroe and left instructions for himself to be buried beside her.
Source: abcnews
In recent years, Hefner once again focused on his beloved creation, turning Playboy Enterprises back into a private company by buying it out for $207 million, giving him full control. In 2003, he launched the popular reality show "Girls Next Door," where viewers followed his life with three girlfriends in the Playboy mansion.
However, Hefner decided to stay loyal, and on Christmas Eve 2010, he announced on Twitter that he was engaged to 24-year-old Kristal Harris. She broke off the engagement a few days before the wedding, but they still married the following year.
Closing the Circle
It was the very first issue of Playboy with Marilyn Monroe that turned Hugh Hefner into a sexual revolutionist. He bought a plot on the cemetery in California next to Monroe and left instructions for himself to be buried beside her.
Source: abcnews
Daria Lagutina
Translator