Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Playboy
Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner has died from natural causes at the age of 91, according to a statement from Playboy Enterprises.
"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," said his son Cooper Hefner, Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises. “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 first issue of Playboy came out in December, 1953, and since then not only published photos of beautiful, nude women, but also fiction by writers like Ray Bradbury, Margaret Atwood, Kurt Vonnegut, and more. It also featured interviews of historic figures like Malcolm X and American Nazi party founder George Lincoln Rockwell.
"He defined a lifestyle and ethos that lie at the heart of the Playboy brand, one of the most recognizable and enduring in history," Cooper said.
Hefner is survived by his wife, Crystal, his sons, Cooper, David and Marston, and his daughter, Christie, the statement said.