Hugh Hefner, the iconic founder of Playboy magazine, died at his home, the Playboy Mansion, of natural causes at age 91 surrounded by family. Hugh Hefner founded Playboy magazine more than 60 years ago combining images of nude women with in-depth articles, interviews and fiction by a variety of well-known writers.
Hefner reportedly founded the magazine with $600 and another $1,000 borrowed from his mother. The first centerfold, an iconic feature of the monthly magazine, was of Marilyn Monroe.
Hugh Hefner's son, Cooper, had this to say about his father.
"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 defined a lifestyle and ethos that lie at the heart of the Playboy brand, one of the most recognizable and enduring in history," the younger Hefner said.
Back in the 60s, Hugh led free-speech battles in the U.S., fighting all the way to the Supreme Court after the U.S. Post Office refused to deliver his magazine, the statement noted.
Hefner was survived by his wife, Crystal, his sons, Cooper, David and Marston, and his daughter, Christie, the statement said.
