Playboy legend Hugh Hefner has passed away at the age of 91. Hefner died on Wednesday at the Playboy Mansion in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of West Los Angeles, so reports trade paper Variety.
Hefner was born in Chicago in 1926 and went on to found the legendary Playboy brand, most known for its iconic magazine which debuted in 1953, and peaked in the 1970s featuring its famous nude centrefolds.
“I would like to be remembered as somebody who has changed the world in some positive way, in a social, sexual sense, and I’d be very happy with that,” Hefner told CNN in a recent interview. “I’m a kid who dreamed the dreams and made them come true.”
Hefner was known for his silk-robes, legendary Hollywood parties, TV shows, a jazz festival and a string of Playboy Clubs across the planet.
He is survived by his wife Crystal, and four children: Christie, David, Marston, and Cooper.
“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. He will be greatly missed by many, including his wife Crystal, my sister Christie, and my brothers David and Marston, and all of us at Playboy Enterprises,” said Cooper Hefner in a statement.
