When one mentions Hugh Hefner, it comes almost as a reflex, that in your head you see an old gentleman in a silk or velvet bathrobe, in front of a mansion, surrounded by gorgeous, scantily clad women. And that is the way he will probably be remembered forever as yesterday, Playboy Enterprises announced that Hefner died in his home, the Playboy Mansion, at 91 years of age.
Photo by Glenn Francis
Although the man behind the globally recognizable Playboy magazine has passed away, his legacy still lives on. The very first issue of Playboy Magazine was launched in December of 1953 to, not surprisingly, huge commercial success. More than 50,000 copies were sold, mostly due to a nude Marilyn Monroe in the centerfold.
During its peak, it was reported in 1971, that an average of 7 million copies sold each month and the company was worth USD 200 million. At the time of Hefner’s passing, his net worth was around the 50 million USD mark.
Following a decline in revenue starting at the turn of the new millennium, in 2016 Playboy announced that it will stop featuring nudity in the magazine, but earlier this year it backtracked on that decision bringing its signature trait back to Playboy.
According to the New York Times, Mr. Hefner will be buried in Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles, where he bought the mausoleum drawer next to Marilyn Monroe.
