The m ster of bunny business
End of an era as Hugh Hefner, the man who made sex and nudity mainstream, dies peacefully aged 91
SHOWBIZ friends and former lovers yesterday celebrated the life of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, who has died aged 91.
The tycoon, who brought sex and nudity into the mainstream with the launch of his magazine in 1953, died “peacefully” and “surrounded by loved ones” at his Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles.
On Twitter, Playboy posted a black and white photo of its creator with his quote: “Life is too short to be living somebody else’s dream.”
In later years, Hefner was most known for his bizarre love life, usually keeping several girlfriends at one time at the mansion.
The twice-divorced father of four was married for the third time in 2012 to Playboy Playmate Crystal Harris, 60 years his junior.
The couple – whose first wedding was called off when Crystal ran away – were still married when he died.
But a strict pre-nuptial agreement means she will not be in line to inherit his fortune or business empire.
Yesterday, Kendra Wilkinson, who was 18 when she first moved into the Playboy Mansion with then 78-year-old Hefner called him “an angel” in her life.
Kendra, who featured in the Playboy Mansion reality show The Girls Next Door, said: “Hef changed my life. I couldn’t be more thankful for our friendship and our time together.”
Singer and actress Nancy Sinatra, who posed for Playboy in her 50s, paid tribute to the publishing mogul as “one of the nicest men I’ve ever known”, adding: “Godspeed, Hugh Hefner.” Kim Kardashian, who also stripped off for Playboy, wrote: “RIP to the legendary Hugh Hefner! I’m so honoured to have been a part of the Playboy team.” Heiress and socialite Paris Hilton wrote: “So sad to hear the news about Hugh Hefner. He was a legend, innovator and one of a kind.”
Hefner’s son Cooper, chief creative officer of Playboy, said: “My father lived an exceptional and impactful life as a media and cultural pioneer and a leading voice behind some of the most significant social and cultural movements of our time in advocating free speech, civil rights and sexual freedom.
“He will be greatly missed by many, including his wife Crystal, my sister Christie and my brothers David and Marston and all of us at Playboy.”
Hefner’s Playboy became one of the iconic brands of the 50s and 60s, with the bunny ears sported by the Bunny Girls who worked at his clubs known across the world.
He was also known for his charitable and philanthropic work. But his attitude and behaviour towards women were always controversial.
Catherine Mayer, co-founder of the Women’s Equality Party, wrote: “His version of sexual liberation of course was a con... The only freedom was for men to exploit and commodify women.”
Playboy’s circulation peaked at more than seven million in the early 1970s.
Its Playmate of the Month featured famous names including Jayne Mansfield and Pamela Anderson and other celebrities featured included Kate Moss, Madonna and Kim Basinger.
After a slump in the 80s, when Hefner quit the business after a stroke, his daughter Christie revived Playboy’s fortunes by moving into new and more profitable areas including cable TV.
Hefner, meanwhile, was happy to spend his days in his mansion surrounded by his many women.