Hugh Marston Hefner (April 9, 1926 – September 27, 2017) was an American magazine publisher. He was the founder and editor-in-chief of Playboy magazine, a publication with revealing photographs and articles. Hefner extended the Playboy brand into a world network of Playboy Clubs. Sep 5, 2025 · Hugh Hefner (born April 9, 1926, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.—died September 27, 2017, Los Angeles, California) was an American magazine publisher and entrepreneur who founded (1953) Playboy magazine. Apr 2, 2014 · Hugh Hefner transformed the adult entertainment industry with his groundbreaking publication Playboy. From the first issue featuring Marilyn Monroe in December 1953, Playboy expanded into a Sep 28, 2017 · Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy magazine and star of E! reality show The Girls Next Door, has died, PEOPLE confirms. He was 91. Born Hugh Marston Hefner on April 9, 1926 in Chicago, Sep 28, 2017 · Hugh Hefner created a fantasy world for millions of men but unlike most of his readers, actually got to live the dream. He successfully tapped into a new generation of Americans who were Hugh Hefner was born on April 9, 1926 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was a producer and actor, known for Miss March (2009), Hop (2011) and Beverly Hills Cop II (1987). Born in Chicago on April 9, 1926, Playboy Founder and Editor-in-Chief Hugh M. Hefner fought vigorously for both First Amendment and civil rights, while being an iconic pioneer of the sexual revolution.