Misplaced Pages

Latest revision as of 02:26, 25 December 2024

Hugh Hefner
Hefner in 2010
Born	Hugh Marston Hefner (1926-04-09)April 9, 1926 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	September 27, 2017(2017-09-27) (aged 91) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting place	Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
Other names	Hef
Alma mater	University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (BA) Northwestern University (dropped out)
Occupations	Businessman magazine publisher
Years active	1953–2017
Title	Editor-in-chief of Playboy Chief creative officer of Playboy Enterprises
Spouses	Mildred Williams ​ ​(m. 1949; div. 1959)​ Kimberley Conrad ​ ​(m. 1989; div. 2010)​ Crystal Harris ​(m. 2012)​
Partners	See list Barbi Benton (1969–1976) Sondra Theodore (1976–1981) Carrie Leigh (1983–1988) Brande Roderick (1999–2000) Holly Madison (2001–2008) Bridget Marquardt (2002–2009) Izabella St. James (2002–2004) Kendra Wilkinson (2004–2008)
Children	4, including Christie and Cooper

Hugh Marston Hefner (April 9, 1926 – September 27, 2017) was an American magazine publisher. He was the founder and editor-in-chief of Playboy magazine, a publication with revealing photographs and articles. Hefner extended the Playboy brand into a world network of Playboy Clubs. He also resided in luxury mansions where Playboy Playmates shared his wild partying life, fueling media interest.

Early life and education

Hefner was born in Chicago, on April 9, 1926, the first child of Glenn Lucius Hefner (1896–1976), an accountant, and his wife Grace Caroline (Swanson) Hefner (1895–1997) who worked as a teacher. His parents were from Nebraska. He had a younger brother, Keith (1929–2016). His mother was of Swedish ancestry, and his father was German and English.

Through his father's line, Hefner was a descendant of Plymouth governor William Bradford. He described his family as "conservative, Midwestern, Methodist". His mother had wanted him to become a missionary.

He attended Sayre Elementary School and Steinmetz High School, then served from 1944 to 1946 as a United States Army writer for a military newspaper. Hefner graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1949 with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a double minor in creative writing and art, having earned his degree in two and a half years. After graduation, he took a semester of graduate courses in sociology at Northwestern University, but dropped out soon after.

Career

In January 1952, Hefner left his job as a copywriter for Esquire after he was denied a $5 raise. In 1953, he took out a mortgage loan of $600 and raised $8,000 from 45 investors (including $1,000 from his mother—"not because she believed in the venture," he told E! in 2006, "but because she believed in her son") to launch Playboy, which was initially going to be called Stag Party. The first issue was published in December 1953 and featured Marilyn Monroe from a 1949 nude calendar shoot she did under a pseudonym. That first issue sold more than 50,000 copies, but Monroe was not paid by Playboy or Hefner for the photos. (Hefner never met Monroe, but he bought the crypt next to hers at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in 1992 for $75,000.)

Esquire magazine rejected Charles Beaumont's science fiction story "The Crooked Man" in 1955, so Hefner agreed to publish it in Playboy. The story highlighted straight men being persecuted in a world where homosexuality was the norm. The magazine received angry letters, so Hefner responded, "If it was wrong to persecute heterosexuals in a homosexual society then the reverse was wrong, too." In 1961, Hefner watched Dick Gregory perform at the Herman Roberts Show Bar in Chicago, and he hired Gregory to work at the Chicago Playboy Club. Gregory attributed the launch of his career to that night.

Hefner promoted a bon vivant lifestyle in his magazine and in the television shows that he hosted, Playboy's Penthouse (1959–1960) and Playboy After Dark (1969–1970). He was also the chief creative officer of Playboy Enterprises, the publishing group which operates the magazine.

On June 4, 1963, Hefner was arrested for promoting obscene literature after he published an issue of Playboy featuring nude shots of Jayne Mansfield in bed with a man present. The case went to trial and resulted in a hung jury.

In the 1960s, Hefner created "private key" clubs that were racially diverse. During the civil rights movement in 1966, Hefner sent Alex Haley to interview American Nazi Party founder George Lincoln Rockwell, much to Rockwell's shock because Haley was black. Rockwell agreed to meet with Haley only after gaining assurance that he was not Jewish, although Rockwell kept a handgun on the table throughout the interview. In Roots: The Next Generations (1979), the interview was recreated with James Earl Jones as Haley and Marlon Brando as Rockwell. Haley had also interviewed Malcolm X in 1963 and Martin Luther King Jr. in 1966 for the newly established 1962 "playboy interview".

In 1970, Hefner stated that "militant feminists" are "unalterably opposed to the romantic boy-girl society that Playboy promotes" and ordered an article in his magazine against them.

In his later years, Hefner's star dimmed, but he remained a well-known personality, often appearing in cameo roles. In the 1993 The Simpsons episode "Krusty Gets Kancelled", Hefner voiced himself. In 1999, Hefner financed the Clara Bow documentary Discovering the It Girl. "Nobody has what Clara had," he said. "She defined an era and made her mark on the nation". Hefner guest-starred as himself in the 2000 Sex and the City episode "Sex and Another City". In 2005, he guest-starred on the HBO shows Curb Your Enthusiasm and Entourage. He guest-starred as himself in a 2006 episode of Seth Green's Robot Chicken on the late-night programming block Adult Swim. In the 2007 Family Guy episode "Airport '07", he voiced himself. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for television and made several movie appearances as himself. In 2009, he was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor for his performance as himself in Miss March. On his official Twitter account, he joked about this nomination: "Maybe I didn't understand the character."

Brigitte Berman's documentary Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel was released on July 30, 2010. He had previously granted full access to documentary filmmaker and television producer Kevin Burns for the A&E Biography special Hugh Hefner: American Playboy in 1996. Hefner and Burns later collaborated on numerous other television projects, most notably on The Girls Next Door, a reality series that ran for six seasons (2005–2009) and 90 episodes. Hefner also made a voice-only appearance as himself in the 2011 film Hop.

In 2012, Hefner announced that his youngest son Cooper would succeed him as the public face of Playboy.

Personal life

Hefner was known to friends and family simply as "Hef". He married Northwestern University student Mildred ("Millie") Williams in 1949. They had a daughter named Christie (b. 1952) and a son, David (b. 1955). Before the wedding, Mildred confessed that she had had an affair while he was away in the army. He called the admission "the most devastating moment of my life." A 2006 E! True Hollywood Story profile of Hefner revealed that Mildred allowed him to have sex with other women, out of guilt for her own infidelity and in the hope that it would preserve their marriage. The couple divorced in 1959.

Hefner remade himself as a bon vivant and man about town, a lifestyle that he promoted in his magazine and TV shows. He admitted to being "'involved' with maybe eleven out of twelve months' worth of Playmates" during some years. Donna Michelle, Marilyn Cole, Lillian Müller, Shannon Tweed, Barbi Benton, Karen Christy, Sondra Theodore, and Carrie Leigh were a few of his many lovers; Leigh filed a $35 million palimony suit against him. In 1971, he acknowledged that he experimented in bisexuality. Also in 1971, he established a second residence in Los Angeles with the acquisition of Playboy Mansion West, and moved there permanently from Chicago in 1975.

On March 7, 1985, Hefner had a minor stroke at age 58, whereupon he re-evaluated his lifestyle, making several changes. He toned down the wild, all-night parties, and his daughter Christie took over the operation of Playboy's commercial operations in 1988. The following year, he married Playmate of the Year Kimberley Conrad; they were 36 years apart in age. The couple had sons Marston Glenn (b. 1990) and Cooper (b. 1991). The E! True Hollywood Story profile noted that the Playboy Mansion had been transformed into a family-friendly homestead. He and Conrad separated in 1998, after which she moved into the house next door to the mansion. Hefner filed for divorce from Conrad in 2009 after an 11-year separation, citing irreconcilable differences. He stated that he only remained nominally married to her for the sake of their children, and their youngest child had just turned 18. The divorce was finalized in 2010.

Hefner became known for moving an ever-changing coterie of young women into the Playboy Mansion, including twins Mandy and Sandy Bentley. He dated as many as seven women concurrently. He also dated Brande Roderick, Izabella St. James, Tina Marie Jordan, Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt, and Kendra Wilkinson. Madison, Wilkinson, and Marquardt appeared on The Girls Next Door depicting their lives at the Playboy Mansion. In October 2008, all three of them decided to leave the mansion.

In January 2009, Hefner began a relationship with Crystal Harris; she joined the Shannon Twins after his previous "number one girlfriend" Holly Madison had ended their seven-year relationship. On December 24, 2010, he became engaged to Harris, but she broke off their engagement on June 14, 2011, five days before their planned wedding. The July issue of Playboy reached store shelves and customers' homes within days of the wedding date; it featured Harris on the cover, and in a photo spread as well. The headline on the cover read "Introducing America's Princess, Mrs. Crystal Hefner". Hefner and Harris subsequently reconciled and married on December 31, 2012.

Hefner was very distantly related to the 41st and 43rd presidents of the United States, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, respectively. Hefner's brother Keith died at age 87 on April 8, 2016, one day before Hefner's 90th birthday.

Playboy Mansion

In January 2016, the Playboy Mansion was put on the market for $200 million, on condition that Hugh Hefner would continue to work and live in the mansion. Later that year it was sold to Daren Metropoulos, a principal at private equity firm Metropoulos & Company, for $100 million. Metropoulos planned to reconnect the Playboy Mansion property with a neighboring estate that he purchased in 2009, combining the two for a 7.3 acre (3-hectare) compound as his own private residence.

In May 2017, Eugena Washington was the last Playmate of the Year to be announced by Hugh Hefner at the Playboy Mansion.

Politics and philanthropy

In 1964, Hefner established the Hugh M. Hefner Foundation to “facilitate individual rights in our democratic society.” The Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award was created by Christie Hefner "to honor individuals who have made significant contributions in the vital effort to protect and enhance First Amendment rights for Americans."

Hefner debated The Playboy Philosophy with William F. Buckley Jr., on Firing Line in Episode 26, recorded on September 12, 1966.

Hefner donated and raised money for the Democratic Party. In 2011, he referred to himself as an independent due to dissatisfaction with both the Democratic and Republican parties. Nonetheless, in 2012, he supported Barack Obama's reelection campaign.

In 1978, Hefner helped organize fund-raising efforts that led to the restoration of the Hollywood Sign. He hosted a gala fundraiser at the Playboy Mansion and contributed $27,000 (or 1/9 of the total restoration costs) by purchasing the letter Y in a ceremonial auction.

Hefner stated in a 2000 interview with Playboy, "It's perfectly clear to me that religion is a myth. It's something we have invented to explain the inexplicable." Lee Strobel, a Christian author who interviewed Hefner regarding his theological positions, later described Hefner as having a "very minimalistic, deistic view of God."

Hefner donated $100,000 to the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts to create a course called "Censorship in Cinema", and $2 million to endow a chair for the study of American film. In 2007, the university's audiovisual archive at the Norris Theater received a donation from Hefner and was renamed to the Hugh M. Hefner Moving Image Archive in his honor.

Both through his charitable foundation and individually, Hefner also contributed to charities and other organizations outside the sphere of politics and publishing, throwing fundraiser events for Much Love Animal Rescue as well as Generation Rescue, an anti-vaccinationist campaign organization supported by Jenny McCarthy.

On April 26, 2010, Hefner donated the last $900,000 sought by a conservation group for a land purchase needed to stop the development of the vista of the Hollywood Sign. Sylvilagus palustris hefneri, an endangered subspecies of marsh rabbit, is named after him in honor of financial support that he provided.

On November 18, 2010, Children of the Night founder and president Lois Lee presented Hefner with the organization's first-ever Founder's Hero of the Heart Award in appreciation for his unwavering dedication, commitment and generosity.

The Barbi Twins, who are among a notable cohort of celebrity Playmates, including Pamela Anderson and Hefner's third wife Crystal Harris, praised the publishing icon for providing centerfolds and extended members of the Playboy family with a platform for activism and advocacy on behalf of animal populations in need.

Hefner supported legalizing same-sex marriage, calling it "a fight for all our rights. Without it, we will turn back the sexual revolution and return to an earlier, puritanical time."

Death

Hefner died at the Playboy Mansion on September 27, 2017, at the age of 91. The cause was sepsis brought on by an E. coli infection.

He is interred at Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles, in the crypt beside Marilyn Monroe, for which he paid $75,000 in 1992. "Spending eternity next to Marilyn is an opportunity too sweet to pass up," Hefner had told the Los Angeles Times in 2009.

Reputation

Suzanne Moore wrote in The Guardian that Hefner threatened to file a lawsuit against her for calling him a "pimp". Defending her position, Moore argued that "he was a man who bought and sold women to other men". She further stated that "part of Hefner's business acumen was to make the selling of female flesh respectable and hip, to make soft porn acceptable." Julie Bindel argued in The Independent that Hefner "caused immeasurable damage by turning porn—and therefore the buying and selling of women's bodies—into a legitimate business."

Robin Abcarian wrote in the Los Angeles Times, quoting Wendy Hamilton, that Hefner "probably did more to mainstream the exploitation of women's bodies than any other figure in American history," adding that he "managed to convince many women that taking off their clothes for men's pleasure was not just empowering, but a worthy goal in itself." She further stated that Hefner "embodied the aesthetic notion that images of women—and women themselves—exist to please men."

Hefner's former girlfriend Holly Madison said that he "would encourage competition—and body image issues—between his multiple live-in girlfriends. His legacy is full of evidence of the exploitation of women for professional gain." Ed Stetzer wrote in Christianity Today that Hefner would have the residence systematically cleaned whenever Christie Hefner visited in order "to keep the realities from his own daughter". Stetzer further lamented the consequences of Hefner's role as a "general" of the "sexual revolution":

It's hard to fathom that anyone would have known what this would have turned into. Parents growing up today are fighting to keep their children pure. Spouses are fighting to keep their marriages intact. And many enslaved and trapped in the adult entertainment industry have been figuratively and literally stripped not only of their clothes, but their very value as people made in the image of God. If this does not concern us, what will?

A 12-part television documentary series, Secrets of Playboy, debuted on A&E January 24, 2022, in which Hefner's former male and female employees and partners made claims of systematic sexual misconduct and manipulation, recreational and manipulative drug use, peer pressure, sextortion, blackmail, rape, forced and violent anal sex, sexual assault without consent and/or while victims were in a state of drug-induced stupor or unconsciousness, spying, videotaping without consent, and illegal sex with minors by Hefner and his celebrity friends and guests at the Playboy Mansion and other locations. The PLBY group, now publicly owned, distanced itself from Hefner in a statement released shortly before the first episode was broadcast, saying, "Today's Playboy is not Hugh Hefner's Playboy. We trust and validate these women and their stories and we strongly support those individuals who have come forward to share their experiences."

In January 2024, Hefner's widow Crystal, who previously brushed away criticism, wrote a memoir where she alleged she experienced a hostile environment while at the Playboy Mansion, even claiming that she was "imprisoned" while there.

Depictions

The Amazon original series American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story was released in April 2017. It stars Matt Whelan in the title role, along with Emmett Skilton and Chelsie Preston Crayford. The ten episodes are a combination of interviews, archival footage (including moments found in Hefner's vast personal collection), and cinematic re-enactments that cover the launch of the magazine as well as the next six decades of Hefner's personal life and career. The series was filmed in Auckland.

In October 2017, Playboy Enterprises announced that a Hugh Hefner biopic directed by Brett Ratner with the screenplay by Jeff Nathanson was greenlit with Jared Leto rumored to play Hefner. In November 2017, it was indefinitely put on hold following sexual harassment allegations against Ratner, and Leto's representatives stated that reports of him being attached to the film at any point were false.

Filmography

Books

• Hefner, Hugh Marston (1963). The Playboy Philosophy. HMH Publishing Company.

Further reading

• Miller, Russell (1985). Bunny: The Real Story of Playboy. London: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 978-0-03-063748-3.
• St. James, Izabella (2006). Bunny Tales: Behind Closed Doors at the Playboy Mansion (Reprint (2009) ed.). Philadelphia: Running Press. ISBN 978-0-7624-3230-1.
• Vile, John R.; Hudson, David L.; Schultz, David Andrew (2009). Encyclopedia of the First Amendment. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press. p. 564. ISBN 978-0-87289-311-5.

References

1. "Hugh Hefner will be buried next to first Playboy cover star Marilyn Monroe: He made the purchase back in 1992". Entertainment Weekly. September 28, 2017. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
2. "Hugh Hefner Biography". Biography.com (FYI/A&E Networks). Archived from the original on May 17, 2015. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
3. Watts, Steven (March 23, 2009). Mr Playboy: Hugh Hefner and the American Dream. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley. p. 22. ISBN 978-0-470-50137-5. Archived from the original on April 4, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2015.
4. Algis Valiunas, "The Playboy and His Western World" Archived May 31, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
5. "Hugh Hefner's Roaring 70s" Archived January 8, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Vanity Fair. February 2001.
6. Roger Ebert "Hugh Hefner: Just A Typical Methodist Kid" (1967) Archived February 26, 2020, at the Wayback Machine; accessed July 14, 2018.
7. "Keith Hefner Dead: Hugh Hefner's Brother Dies at 87". People. April 8, 2016. Archived from the original on May 15, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
8. Mullen, William (August 8, 1984). "Hef". Spokane Chronicle. Retrieved July 23, 2010.
9. Roberts, Gary Boyd. "#58 Royal Descents, Notable Kin, and Printed Sources". New England Ancestors. Archived from the original on January 14, 2009. Retrieved July 23, 2010.
10. "Mr. Playboy: Hugh Hefner tells how he created an identity in order to fulfill his dreams". Time. October 2, 2005. Archived from the original on December 24, 2007.
11. Quintanilla, Michael (February 5, 1999). "Stylemaker/Hugh Hefner. The king of swingers reenters the singles scene". Archived from the original on July 25, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
12. Hugh Hefner On His Role In Fighting Segregation Archived July 26, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Jezebel.com (July 23, 2010). Retrieved on May 3, 2012.
13. "Hugh Hefner dies". The Economist. October 5, 2017. Archived from the original on October 6, 2017. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
14. Hugh M. Hefner Archived September 2, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Playboy Enterprises; retrieved January 2, 2009.
15. Witter, Brad. "Marilyn Monroe Didn't Actually Pose for the First Issue of Playboy". Biography. Archived from the original on February 19, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
16. Hugh Hefner: The Ultimate Lifestyle Entrepreneur Archived October 18, 2005, at the Wayback Machine. Entrepreneurs.about.com. Retrieved on May 3, 2012.
17. "Marilyn Monroe helped launch Hugh Hefner's career. But they never even met". washingtonpost.com. Archived from the original on May 27, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
18. Charles McGrath (February 3, 2011). "How Hef Got His Groove Back". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 25, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
19. Westwood Village Memorial Cemetery Archived September 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Seeing-Stars.com.
20. "Hugh Hefner, Gay Rights Pioneer" Archived May 29, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, advocate.com
21. "Column: Dick Gregory understood the political power of comedy". Chicago Tribune. August 22, 2017. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
22. "Hugh Hefner". Biography.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
23. Corporate Officers Archived September 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, Playboy Enterprises, Inc.
24. Pitzulo, Carrie (2011). Bachelors and Bunnies: The Sexual Politics of Playboy. University of Chicago Press. p. 66. ISBN 978-0-226-67006-5.
25. Hugh Hefner Biography Archived June 13, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. biography.com.
26. "Hugh Hefner". Biography. Archived from the original on November 15, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
27. Hearn, Michael Patrick (December 17, 2021). "Alex Haley Taught America About Race — and a Young Man How to Write". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
28. Maslin, Janet (February 25, 1979). "TV: End of 'Roots II' Delineates 60's". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
29. "American Icon and Playboy Founder, Hugh M. Hefner, Has Died" (Press release). PR Newswire. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
30. Redden, Molly (September 29, 2017). "Effusive Hugh Hefner tributes ignore Playboy founder's dark side". The Guardian. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
31. ""The Simpsons" guests stars over the years". CBS News. February 17, 2012. Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
32. ^ "The Original Playboy: A Timeline of the Life and Accomplishments of Hugh M. Hefner". April 8, 2016. Archived from the original on October 19, 2016. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
33. Variety, June 7, 1999
34. ^ "Playboy on TV: 5 memorable Hugh Hefner cameos". Entertainment Weekly. September 28, 2017. Archived from the original on December 30, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
35. "Hugh Hefner on Twitter". Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
36. Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel Archived January 15, 2021, at the Wayback Machine. Hughhefnerplayboyactivistrebel.com (December 7, 2010). Retrieved on May 3, 2012.
37. "Hugh Hefner, Playboy Magazine Founder and Star of Girls Next Door, Dies at 91". MSN. September 27, 2017. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
38. "Playboy's Hugh Hefner and son Talk Succession". The Wall Street Journal. November 29, 2012. Archived from the original on November 15, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
39. "Final pictures show frail Hugh Hefner on a zimmer frame at Playboy Mansion shortly before his death" Archived May 23, 2018, at the Wayback Machine. Daily Mirror.
40. Playboy Time Line. playboy.com
41. "12 Things You Never Knew About Hugh Hefner" Archived January 12, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. June 25, 2015. Cosmopolitan.
42. "The Many Loves of Hugh Hefner" Archived April 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Fox News.
43. Acocella, Joan "The Girls Next Door", The New Yorker, March 20, 2006
44. Rapattoni, Linda. "Playboy publisher sues former live-in girlfriend". UPI. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
45. "Faces of the week". BBC News. May 26, 2006. Archived from the original on February 3, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2007.
46. "Hugh Hefner Returns to Halls and Haunts of a Chicago Childhood". RogerEbert.com. October 18, 1992. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
47. ^ Cooper Hefner Archived July 2, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. TV.com
48. "Hugh Hefner: A History of Romance". The Hollywood Reporter. July 27, 2011. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
49. "Hugh Hefner Finally Files for Divorce". People. Archived from the original on September 12, 2009. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
50. "Hugh Hefner files for divorce from wife". Reuters. September 9, 2009. Archived from the original on September 14, 2009. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
51. A New Boy for Former 'Girl Next Door'. BuddyTV.com. February 10, 2009
52. Miller, Korin (January 5, 2009). "Meet Playboy founder Hugh Hefner's other girlfriend, Crystal Harris". Daily News. New York: Daily News, L.P. Archived from the original on January 18, 2010. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
53. Miller, Korin (October 7, 2008). "'Girls Next Door's' Holly Madison splits with Playboy Hugh Hefner". Daily News. New York: Daily News, L.P. Archived from the original on January 24, 2009. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
54. Simao, Paul (December 26, 2010). "Hugh Hefner Acknowledges Engagement on Twitter". Reuters. Archived from the original on January 27, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
55. "Crystal Harris". TMZ. Time Warner. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
56. "Cover". Playboy. July 2011.
57. Coughlan, Maggie (January 1, 2013). "Hugh Hefner Marries Crystal Harris". People. Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
58. "Playboy founder Hugh Hefner marries his "runaway bride"". Reuters. January 1, 2013. Archived from the original on March 1, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
59. "Hugh Hefner, Crystal Harris Wed at Playboy Mansion". The Hollywood Reporter. December 31, 2012. Archived from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
60. D'Zurilla, Christie (January 2, 2013). "Hugh Hefner, Crystal Harris finally marry on New Year's Eve". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 20, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
61. "Celebrities who are related to US presidents". Insider.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
62. "Keith Hefner Dead: Hugh Hefner's Brother Dies at 87". People. April 8, 2016. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
63. "LA Times: Buy a home now, move in after the seller dies". January 12, 2017. Archived from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
64. "Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion sells for $100 million". Reuters. August 16, 2016. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
65. "Hugh Hefner Crippling Back Infection Started Decline in Health". TMZ. September 29, 2017. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
66. Museum, American Writers (April 9, 2019). "Typewriter Tuesday: Hugh Hefner". The American Writers Museum. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
67. "Here's What You Need To Know About Hef and His Philanthropy | Inside Philanthropy". www.insidephilanthropy.com. January 12, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
68. Playboy Enterprises, Inc., "Playboy Foundation – Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Awards Archived September 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine". Accessed July 12, 2011.
69. Teachout, Terry (February 20, 2019). "Snapshot: Hugh Hefner is interviewed by William F. Buckley, Jr". About Last Night. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
70. Hugh Hefner's Federal Campaign Contribution Report Archived December 31, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
71. Hefner, Hugh (July 30, 2011). "My parents were Republican, I'm a registered Democrat, but these days I'm an Independent, not happy with either Party" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
72. Hefner, Hugh (November 7, 2012). "While I was playing dominoes with the girls, we got the news that Obama had been re-elected. We're celebrating at the Mansion" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
73. ^ "Hugh Hefner saves iconic Hollywood sign". Times Online. London, UK. April 27, 2010. Archived from the original on June 15, 2011. Retrieved December 26, 2010.
74. "The History of the Sign: 1978: A Sign is Reborn". Hollywood Sign. Archived from the original on November 25, 2010. Retrieved December 26, 2010.
75. "Hugh Hefner - Freedom From Religion Foundation". ffrf.org. April 9, 1980. Archived from the original on September 4, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
76. Hallowell, Billy (October 7, 2017). "Lee Strobel Details Conversation He Had With Hugh Hefner About God, Gospel". The Christian Post. Archived from the original on September 4, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
77. Hefner Gives $2M to USC Film School Archived March 22, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Associated Press, November 16, 2007.
78. Zollinger, John (November 15, 2007). "Legendary Publisher Hugh Hefner Donates $2 Million to the School of Cinematic Arts". School of Cinematic Arts News. University of Southern California. Archived from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
79. "Hugh Hefner & Jenny McCarthy Fund Autism Research". Celebrity Halo. October 2008. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved December 29, 2008.
80. "My True Love Gave To Me ... A Bat Species!". CBS News. February 11, 2009. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
81. "Lower Keys Rabbit" (PDF). United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 6, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
82. ^ "Interview with Hugh Hefner—the Publishing Icon with a Marsh Rabbit for a Namesake". National Geographic Society Newsroom. November 3, 2012. Archived from the original on January 6, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
83. 2010 founder's hero of the heart Award (PDF). November 18, 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 14, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
84. "Hugh Hefner: Easter's Bunny Hugger". National Geographic Society Newsroom. March 18, 2013. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
85. "Playboy founder Hugh Hefner writes passionate plea in support of gay marriage". NYDailyNews.com. August 23, 2012. Archived from the original on August 25, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
86. Mansnerus, Laura (September 27, 2017). "Hugh Hefner, Who Built Playboy Empire and Embodied It, Dies at 91". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
87. Schudel, Matt (September 27, 2017). "Hugh Hefner, visionary editor who created Playboy magazine, dies at 91". Washington Post. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
88. "Cardiac arrest, infections listed as causes of Hugh Hefner's death". The Los Angeles Times. October 3, 2017. Archived from the original on October 3, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
89. "Hugh Hefner's Cause of Death Revealed". New York Daily News. October 3, 2017. Archived from the original on October 3, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
90. "Hugh Hefner: Drug-Resistant E. Coli Infection Contributed to Death". People. October 3, 2017. Archived from the original on October 4, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
91. Gottlieb, Jeff (August 14, 2009). "For sale: eternity with Marilyn Monroe". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
92. ^ Suzanne Moore (September 28, 2017). "I called Hugh Hefner a pimp, he threatened to sue. But that's what he was". The Guardian. Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
93. Julie Bindel (September 28, 2017). "Hugh Hefner was the ultimate enemy of women—no feminist anywhere will shed a tear at his death". The Independent. Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
94. Abcarian, Robin (September 28, 2017). "California Journal: Hugh Hefner preached sexual liberation, but he never stopped exploiting women's bodies". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
95. Drexler, Peggy (September 29, 2017). "Hugh Hefner's legacy has a dark side". CNN. Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
96. ^ Ed Stetzer (September 28, 2017). "Hugh Hefner, Mourning, and Legacies: Beyond the Pipe and the Robe". Christianity Today. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
97. Lowry, Brian (January 24, 2022). "'Secrets of Playboy' pulls back the curtain on the dark side of Hugh Hefner's empire". CNN. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
98. Ensor, Jodie (January 24, 2022). "Playboy distances itself from Hugh Hefner as Bunnies describe culture of druggings and abuse". The Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on January 24, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
99. Wiseman, Eva (January 29, 2024). "'I had to play mind games to survive': Crystal Hefner on life in the Playboy Mansion". The Guardian. Archived from the original on February 3, 2024. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
100. Kaplan, Ilana (January 18, 2024). "A Former Bunny Puts the Mansion Far Behind Her". The New York Times. p. D4. Archived from the original on February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
101. "Secrecy surrounds Hugh Hefner TV Show Shot in Auckland". NZ Herald. August 15, 2016. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
102. "Jared Leto to star in Hugh Hefner biopic". BBC News. October 3, 2017. Archived from the original on October 19, 2018. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
103. Zinski, Dan (November 1, 2017). "Brett Ratner's Hugh Hefner Biopic is Dead in the Water". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on November 2, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
104. "Samsung BioLogics annual sales up 30% on contract research growth". Korea Biomedical Review. January 23, 2020. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
105. D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 1, 2017). "Playboy Pic Dead: Jared Leto Says He Never Intended To Play Hugh Hefner". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 12, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
106. "AFI|Catalog". catalog.afi.com. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
107. Maslin, Janet (June 4, 1982). "'COMEBACK TRAIL,' A '74 COMEDY, OPENS AT THE THALIA". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
108. ^ "Hugh Hefner: his best on-screen cameos". Yahoo Finance. September 28, 2017. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
109. Brew, Simon (March 28, 2011). "Hop review". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on September 30, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
110. admin (March 27, 2012). "Playboy After Dark - Party at Hugh's Place". Voices of East Anglia. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
111. "COUPLE - "One for the Bunny" 3/22/74 Janis Hansen, Hugh Hefner, Tony..." Getty Images. December 3, 2009. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
112. SNL (October 15, 1977), Saturday Night Live S03E03 - Hugh Hefner, retrieved January 10, 2024
113. Fiduccia, Christopher (October 6, 2019). "10 People You Forgot Appeared On The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on March 29, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
114. Kyle Ryan (January 10, 2012). "The Larry Sanders Show: 'Broadcast Nudes'". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
115. Acuna, Kirsten. "31 celebrities you probably forgot guest-starred on 'Roseanne'". Business Insider. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
116. Robot Chicken: Drippy Pony | TVmaze, archived from the original on January 10, 2024, retrieved January 10, 2024
117. Hochberger, Eric (October 27, 2013). "Hugh Hefner on Family Guy". TV Fanatic. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.

External links

• Hugh M. Hefner Foundation Archived July 5, 2023, at the Wayback Machine
• "Hef the Politician: Playboy's History in Politics" Archived July 5, 2023, at the Wayback Machine on Playboy.com
• Hugh Hefner at IMDb 
• Hugh Hefner on Biography.com Archived November 15, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
• Hugh Hefner at The Interviews: An Oral History of Television

• Biography
• Society
• United States

• 1926 births
• 2017 deaths
• Businesspeople from Chicago
• People from Holmby Hills, Los Angeles
• University of Illinois alumni
• Northwestern University alumni
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumni
• School of the Art Institute of Chicago alumni
• 20th-century American businesspeople
• 20th-century American LGBTQ people
• Adult magazine publishers (people)
• American bisexual men
• American copy editors
• American magazine editors
• American magazine founders
• American magazine publishers (people)
• American male journalists
• American people of English descent
• American people of German descent
• American people of Swedish descent
• American political activists
• American pornographers
• American publishing chief executives
• American socialites
• California Democrats
• American copywriters
• American free speech activists
• Hefner family
• LGBTQ rights activists from Illinois
• Military personnel from Illinois
• Nightclub owners
• Obscenity controversies in literature
• Participants in American reality television series
• Playboy people
• Polyamorous people
• United States Army personnel of World War II
• United States Army soldiers
• Deaths from sepsis in the United States
• Infectious disease deaths in California
• Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery