Hugh Marston Hefner

(born April 9, 1926)

Interest in Journalism
Hugh Marston Hefner
was born April 9th, 1926
in Chicago, Illinois.
He grew up in a
conservative family with
Methodist parents, and
became interested in
journalism during high
school.
After writing for a
military newspaper in
the mid-40s, he
furthered his studies at
university and married
his first wife, with whom
he had two children.

Playboy Magazine
Hefner soon went to work
for the mens magazine,
Esquire, as a copywriter.
After a few years without a
raise, he quit and
scrounged money from
investors to establish his
own publication in Chicago.
Produced from his home,
the first issue of Playboy
Magazine debuted on
newsstands in December
1953.
Thanks to a nude Marilyn
Monroe centerfold, it sold
over 50 thousand copies in
just a few weeks.

Development of the
Magazine

This success allowed Hefner to keep going. The

second issue introduced the world to the now-famous
Playboy logo of a bowtie-wearing rabbit. The maletargeted magazine soon became known for its sexy
articles and even sexier images. But Hefner wanted
the magazine to appeal to more sophisticated and
well-read men, so more journalistic pieces and
fictional stories were included.

Living the Playboy Lifestyle

Playboy soon began
selling more copies
than Esquire, and
Hefners role as
editor became his
life. And, as the
business grew, so
did the number of
relationships Hefner
had with other
women. This
eventually led to
Nowend
a free
man, Hefner embodied the lifestyle of the classy,
the
of his
intellectual male espoused in Playboy: he gallivanted about with
marriage.
attractive women and made many rich and famous friends.

Playboy Enterprises

Hefners rise to prominence coincided with the sexual revolution of

the 1960s.
Hefner exploited this by expanding the reach of Playboy
Enterprises: the company branched out into movies, music,
modeling, and literature. Most notable was the creation of Playboy
nightclubs, where members were entertained and waited on by
women in bunny suits. Hefner also hosted two television shows
featuring Playboy Playmates during this decade.

Criticism and Controversy

Inevitably, it wasnt all fun and
games: in 1963, Hefner was
apprehended for the sale of
obscene literature. Luckily, no
verdict was reached and he
continued publishing the
magazine.
However, this was not the only
time Playboys content was
criticized: American religious
groups often spoke out against the
publication, and numerous Asian
and Muslim nations began
prohibiting its sale.
Regardless, many film, television,
music and sports celebrities have
posed for Playboy throughout the
years.

Playboy Mansion and Competition

During the early 1970s,
Hefner was riding high on
his enterprises success
and its millions in profit:
he traveled the world in
his own jet and split his
time between residences
in Chicago and Los
Angeles, including the
famed Playboy Mansion.
Unfortunately, Playboy
soon faced strong
competition from rival
mens magazines. It tried
to hold onto to readers by
modifying features and
varying interview
subjects.

The Girls Next Door

The new millennium brought new ladies into Hefners life as he
simultaneously dated different women. Three of his most famous
girlfriends, Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt and Kendra
Wilkinson, were prominently featured on the reality show The
Girls Next Door. After their departure, the 80-year-old began
dating a pair of teenage twins. He also became engaged to
Playboy Playmate Crystal Harris, but the wedding was cancelled in
2011. Around this time, his net worth was revealed to be over $40
million.

Legacy
Despite its decline in
popularity in recent years,
Playboy remains one of the
most legendary brands on
the planet.
As founder of the magazine
and of Playboy Enterprises,
Hugh Hefner has gone from
being an entrepreneur to the
head of an empire, while
also being the envy of many
men along the way.

Prezentare
de
Vlad Popov gr.4 J, an III