Playboy founder Hugh Hefner dies at 91

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Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, who helped usher in the 1960s sexual revolution with his groundbreaking men's magazine and built a business empire around his libertine lifestyle, died on Wednesday at the age of 91, Playboy Enterprises said.

Hefner, once called the "prophet of pop hedonism" by Time magazine, peacefully passed away at his home, Playboy Enterprises said in a statement.

Hefner was sometimes characterized as an oversexed Peter Pan as he kept a harem of young blondes that numbered as many as seven at his legendary Playboy Mansion.

"I'm never going to grow up," Hefner said in a CNN interview when he was 82. "Staying young is what it is all about for me. Holding on to the boy and long ago I decided that age really didn't matter and as long as the ladies ... feel the same way, that's fine with me."

Hefner settled down somewhat in 2012 at age 86 when he took Crystal Harris, who was 60 years younger, as his third wife.

He said his swinging lifestyle might have been a reaction to growing up in a repressed family where affection was rarely exhibited. His so-called stunted childhood led to a multi-million-dollar enterprise that centered on naked women but also espoused Hefner's "Playboy philosophy" based on romance, style and the casting off of mainstream mores.

That philosophy came to life at the legendary parties in his mansions - first in his native Chicago, then in Los Angeles' exclusive Holmby Hills neighborhood - where legions of male celebrities swarmed to mingle with beautiful young women.

Even in China, Playboy has developed into a widely recognizable brand over the years, but less for its half-naked women and more for the famous bunny logo, which can be seen on clothing, bags and accessories.

The company has had a presence in China for over 20 years, and as of 2015, it had generated some 5.0 billion US dollars in retail revenue over a decade, according to company statements.

Observers argue that the magazine also toned down its lascivious spreads in an effort to appeal to the massive Chinese market. Last year, the company struck a new 10-year licensing deal with a Chinese company.

Source(s): Reuters