Dates
Born April 9, 1926. Chicago, Illinois.
Marriage
Millie Williams. 1949. Divorced 1959.
Kimberly Conrad. July 1, 1989. Divorced 1999.
Children
Christie Ann. Born 1952.
David Paul. Born 1955.
Marston Glenn. Born 1990.
Cooper Bradford. Born 1991.
Biography
Hugh
Hefner was born to conservative Protestant parents. He attended
school on the West Side of Chicago where he was involved with
extracurricular activities and founded a school newpaper.
Hef served in the Army from 1944 to 1946, and then stuided at
the Chicago Art Institute before enrolling in the University of
Illinois in Champaign/Urbana. Hef graduated in two and one-half
years by doubling up on classes. While in school we drew cartoons
for the Daily Illini and edited the humor magazine Shaft, where
he introduced a feature entitled Coed of the Month.
Hef
worked a variety of jobs before working as a promotion copyright
editor at Esquire. Hugh asked for a $5 raise when the magazine
moved its offices to New York, but was turned down so he quit.
In
1953 he produced the first issue of Playboy magazine on his kitchen
table in a South Side apartment. The issue was on newsstands in
December and sold more than 50,000 copies.
Playboy
Enterprises is now run by daughter Christie, although Hefner still
is the figurehead for the company. After settling down with 1989
Playmate of the Year Kimberly Conrad in the late 80's and early
90's, Hef is now reportedly dating several women, while continuing
to throw lavish parties at the Playboy Mansion in southern California.
Trivia
Hef
has a species of rabbit, the Sylvilagus palustris hefneri, named
after him.
Hef
was arrested in June of 1963 in Chicago on obscenity charges for
a Playboy pictoral, "The Nudest Jayne Mansfield". A
hung jury voted 7-5 for acquittal.
Hefner
purchased the crypt next to Marilyn Monroe in the Westwood Village
Memorial Park Cemetery, and has stated that he wishes to be buried
next to her.