Hugh Marston Hefner was born in Chicago, Illinois on April 9, 1926. After serving in the Army, he attended the University of Illinois, where he edited the humor magazine and started a photo feature called Co-ed of the Month. Before creating Playboy magazine, he worked for the personnel department of a cardboard-box manufacturer, wrote advertising copy for a department store and for Esquire magazine, and was the circulation promotion manager for Children's Activities.
The first issue of Playboy was published in 1953. Hefner's company branched into movie, cable and digital production, sold its own line of clothing and jewelry, and opened clubs, resorts and casinos. He appeared on several television shows including Playboy's Penthouse, Playboy After Dark, and The Girls Next Door. He edited several Playboy books including The Century of Sex. He died on September 27, 2017 at the age of 91.
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