Overview (5)

Mini Bio (1)

Spouse (3)

Trade Mark (3)

Smoked a pipe and often attended press conferences dressed in a smoking jacket



Always seen with a collection of girlfriends when in public



wears pajamas in public and in private



Trivia (47)

Graduated from Steinmetz High School (Chicago, IL). As a child often visited the now demolished Mont Clare Theatre in Chicago. Graduated from the University of Illinois.



Creator and publisher of Playboy Magazine.



Had a species of rabbit named in his honor (Sylvilagus palustris hefneri).





Older brother of Keith Hefner

Originally worked on the publishing staff of "Child Life" magazine.



First magazine publisher to become a major celebrity.





Arrested in Chicago, Illinois, USA in 1963 for possessing "indecent" photos of actress Jayne Mansfield in 1963's movie, Promises..... Promises! (1963).

Created the world-famous Playboy Mansion of Los Angeles in 1971.



Hefner had a Genius IQ of 152 in H.S., but was described as an "unenthusiastic" student.



Served in the U.S. Army in WWII after graduating from Steinmetz H.S. in Chicago, IL (1944).



At one time owned a 119-foot long DC-9 jet called the "Big Bunny". The jet was painted black with the well known white playboy bunny logo on its tail. It was equipped with a galley, living room, disco, movie and video equipment, wet bar and sleeping quarters for 16 guests.





Hefner and Jenna Jameson share the same birthday (April 9th).



Marilyn Monroe was the centerfold in the very first issue of his Playboy Magazine in December 1953. This was the only issue to name its playmate "Sweetheart of the Month". In the March 1965 issue, Playboy Magazine featured the first African-American centerfold: Jennifer Jackson . Playboy Magazine was originally going to be titled "Stag Party".



Played a major role in the James Bond short story "A Midsummer Night's Doom" by Raymond Benson



Pictured on a souvenir sheet issued by Grenada & the Grenadines on 1 December 2003, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Playboy Magazine. Six stamps in the sheet feature various Playboy covers, including the first issue with Marilyn Monroe and the May 1964 cover with Playmate of the Year Donna Michelle

Claimed to be a direct descendant of pilgrim leader William Bradford.



A brass plaque over the front door of his Chicago mansion reads, "Si Non Oscillas, Noli Tintinnare", which roughly translates from Latin as "If You Don't Swing, Don't Ring".



A full-size replica of him is on display at the Madame Tussaud's Interactive Wax Museum at the Venetian Casino/Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. Unlike the other models, Hefner's likeness is not wax, but rather silicone.





In 1988 turned his empire over to his daughter Christie Hefner

Was raised by rigid Methodist parents. His mother was one of the 45 investors Hefner recruited to launch "Playboy."



Adamantly against drug use, and refused to allow them in any of his houses. Anyone caught doing drugs at any Playboy Mansion is subject to immediate and permanent expulsion.





Owned the burial vault next to Marilyn Monroe 's. She is interred at Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California, USA, in the Corridor of Memories, crypt #24.

Used to work for Esquire magazine. He left to found Playboy after being denied a pay raise of $5 a week.





In 2005, Hugh attempted to create and Indian version of Playboy for India, which would feature South Asian women and Indian pop culture articles, but no nudity. He wanted to have Bollywood superstar Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on the cover of the first issue. The magazine was rejected.

He grew up in the Montclare neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois.



Had a round-the-clock kitchen staff to serve him his meals on a tray in bed. He also had his own drawer of cookies in the Playboy Mansion's kitchen.



Personally interviewed every "Girl of the Month" in his magazine's 50-plus years.



Had legal battles with Hustler Magazine, over his photo collections.





Magazine mogul "Jerry Caesar" from Dragnet (1987) is based partly on him and Larry Flynt



Formerly engaged to Crystal Harris ( Crystal Hefner ) . Harris called off the engagement days before their wedding in June 2011, but Hefner allowed her to keep her engagement ring and customized Bentley. [December 26, 2010].

His original plan had been to call his magazine Stag, but there was already a magazine with that title. Playboy was his second choice.



As a young boy, his most prized possession was a blanket covered with little bunnies. This provided the inspiration to name his magazine.



Had an extensive film collection and runs a "Saturday Night Mansion Movie" every week at the Playboy Mansion. Among the titles are often movies that haven't even been to theaters yet.



Between 1959 and 1974 the hub of the Playboy universe was located at 1340 North State Parkway, Chicago, IL 60610 (USA), just a block away from the Cardinal's residence.



His father had German and English ancestry. His mother was of Swedish descent.



Longtime gay rights activist. In 1955, Hefner personally agreed to have Playboy publish "The Crooked Man", a science fiction story by Charles Beaumont, in which a heterosexual man is persecuted in a world populated by homosexuals. When critics attacked him for publishing such a story, Hefner replied "If it is wrong to persecute heterosexuals in a homosexual society then the reverse is wrong, too.".





Playboy get stories sold to them, including horror stories. In the Christopher Pike novel The Eternal Dawn, the novel makes oblique references to the Twilight book series, e.g vampires and werewolves are mortal enemies, vampires can move in daylight, vampire gods, etc. But it's a story sold to Playboy.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6126 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on his 54th birthday [April 9, 1980].





Helped radical comedian Dick Gregory get famous. Interestingly, he and Gregory died only about a month apart.



Hef's will stipulates that the beneficiaries of his trust - widow [ Crystal Hefner ], daughter [ Christie Hefner ], and sons David Paul Hefner, [ Marston Hefner ] and [ Cooper Hefner ] can receive money from the trust so long as they remain clean and sober. If any of the five believes that one or more of the others are regular users of drugs or alcohol, they can demand drug tests, then suspend the payout of funds if their suspicions are confirmed. Hef's will also provides for the reinstatement of payouts if the suspended heir can prove twelve consecutive months of sobriety.

Appeared on the cover of the November/December 2017 issue of Playboy, making him the 11th man to appear on its cover, and the first solo male cover without an accompanying female model.



Personal Quotes (12)

[on publishing Playboy magazine] If there was going to be a sexual revolution, I would be its pamphleteer.



Playboy exploits sex the way Sports Illustrated exploits sports.



[asked if blondes have more fun] They do with me.



Playboy was founded on the notion that nice girls like sex, too.



[talking about the risk of putting a nude woman in a magazine] It was risky enough that I didn't put my name on the first issue.



The major civilizing force in the world is not religion, it's sex.



[on feminists] They were wrong! The part of the women's movement that was anti-sexual was ill-conceived. The notion that women, in escaping from the bondage of over 2,000 years, should view Playboy - which helped set them free - as the enemy is an indication of real confusion. Historically it's understandable: we are a puritan people in America and women's suffrage was directly connected to the prohibitionists.



[on being dumped by his 25 year old bride-to-be]: This was going to be my wedding day, but life is full of surprises. After all is said and done, staying single is probably for the best.



[observation, 2017] My magazine wasn't just about naked women. It was about breaking down barriers, starting a cultural conversation about sexuality, and standing up for social justice.



[observation, 1974] If we hadn't had the Wright brothers there would still be airplanes. If there hadn't been an Edison there would still be electric lights. And if there hadn't been a Hefner, we'd still have sex. But maybe we wouldn't be enjoying it as much. So the world would be a little poorer. Come to think of it, so would some of my relatives.



[on a personal critique of him by Gloria Steinem] Women are the major beneficiaries of getting rid of the hypocritical old notions about sex. Now some people are acting as if the sexual revolution was a male plot to get laid. One of the unintended byproducts of the women's movement is the association of the erotic impulse with wanting to hurt somebody.



I survived a stroke two weeks ago. My recovery is total and something of a miracle. What has happened is actually a 'stroke of luck' that I fully expect will change the direction of my life

