Hugh Hefner: The Original Playboy

Hugh Hefner was born on April 9, 1926 in Chicago, Illinois. Hefner is the oldest of two sons born to Grace and Glenn Hefner. His father, an accountant was very strict. He was a Methodist churchgoer, prohibitionist and in many senses a Puritan.

In June 1949, Hugh Hefner married a university classmate, Mildred Williams. They had two children, Christie in 1952 and David in 1955. Their marriage ended not long after Mildred admitted to having an affair.

Hugh Hefner worked as a promotion copywriter at Esquire from 1951-1952 when the magazine moved to New York.

In December 1963 Hugh Hefner started Playboy with $10,000. Initially the magazine was going to be called "Stag Party", but since there was another magazine with that name, it was changed to Playboy. The first "Playmate of the Month" or at that time, "Sweetheart of the Month" was Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn had done a nude photoshoot in 1947 when she was a struggling actress. Six years later at the height of her career, Hugh Hefner bought the rights to the photos for $500 and used them to launch Playboy. The 48-page issue sold 53,991 copies. After the success of the first issue, the rest was history.

In 2005, Hugh Hefner and his three girlfriends, Bridget, Holly and Kendra of the time started their own reality TV show, Girls Next Door.

• Hugh Hefner was average student, despite a genius IQ (152).
• In 1985 Hugh Hefner suffered a stroke.
• Hugh Hefner has four children, three boys and a girl: Christie born in 1952, David born in 1955. Marston Glenn, born in 1990 and Cooper Bradford, born in 1991. Son Marston shares his birthday April 9 with his father.
• Hugh Hefner is very supportive of his family members. He has employeed his younger brother Keith, his father Glenn and daughter Christie in the company.

  Hugh Hefner's mother died in 1997 at the age of 101. She had helped to finance the first issue of the magazine.

• Hugh Hefner lost his virginity at 22 and married at 23. His got his wife pregnant when he was 25.
• The M in Hugh Hefner's name stands for Marston, the same name as one of his sons Marston Glenn. Marston's middle name is to honor Hugh's father Glenn.
• Hugh Hefner has a species of Rabbit named after him called the Sylvilagus Palustris Hefneri.
• In June 1963 Hugh Hefner was arrested for selling obscene literature after he published an issue of Playboy which featured nude shots of actress Jayne Mansfield. A hung jury voted for an acquittal with a vote of 7-5.
• Hugh Hefner sold the first issue of Playboy for 50 cents a copy.
• Although separated, Hugh Hefner remains legally married to Kimberley Conrad, Playmate of the Month in January, 1988 and Playmate of the Year 1989. Conrad currently lives next door to Hef's famous mansion with their 16 and 17 year old boys.
• Although Playboy Corporation is publically traded, Hugh Hefner still owns the majority of the shares.
• Hugh Hefner says his all time favorite Playmate is Marilyn Monroe, because "She began it all".
• Every year, Hugh Hefner celebrates his birthday with a 'Casablanca Night', which includes watching the famous movie while dressed in clothes of that era.

Playboy bunnies dressed by Cavalli

Now there is a new Playboy Club! In 1988 Hugh Hefner closed down the last of the Playboy clubs. But in October of 2006 he opened the NEW Playboy Club On The 52nd floor of the Fantasy Tower at the Palms Hotel Casino. The playboy bunnies now wear a newer outfit that has been designed by Roberto Cavalli.

The Playboy Mansion is located at 10236 Charing Cross Rd., Beverly Hills, California. The mansion is built on 5.7 acres in 1927 and was bought by Hugh Hefner in 1971. The mansion has a private zoo, aviary, tennis courts, large swimming pool and a grotto. The Mansion is the only private residence in the city of Los Angeles with a permit for fireworks.

You can buy a video game called Playboy: The Mansion and simulate being Hugh Hefner. The game is rated M for "Mature," and definitely includes some steamy hanky-panky.

Before buying check to make sure it is without pipe.