American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story

While Hugh Hefner finds love and success in Hollywood, Playboy fights Penthouse in the pubic wars.

Mouse over thumbnail for slideshow

Or scroll and see one by one:

♪ Will it go 'round in circles? ♪

#2

It can go all the way from light to grey to total blackness.

#3

At 44 he's unquestionably king rabbit

#4

They wore black mini dresses, scarves and boots,

#5

I'm not so sure about the furniture in front.

#6

[Hugh Hefner] That wholesome beauty was Barbara Klein,

#7

♪ I remember Sunday morning ♪

#8

Hef is the most romantic person that I've ever been with.

#9

♪ I must be back again ♪

#10 #11

Simon says, be creative.

#12

I did things with Barbi that I had never done before

#13

We went to 16 different countries on one trip.

#14

♪ ... love like I know it should ♪

#15

it's time for me to take a step back.

#16

we'd successfully opened 15 Playboy Clubs within the U.S.

#17

they were all looking to go out,

#18

he was taken to clubs where there were gaming tables.

#19

and a $2 million investment, we held our grand opening.

#20 #21

[Victor Lownes] When we opened the club here,

#22

[Hugh Hefner] What I saw in London that summer

#23

successful casino in the world for a number of years.

#24 #25 #26 #27

What are you doing up?

#28 #29

that Playboy had established.

#30

That had always been the line of demarcation

#31

that were, uh, a lot more explicit than Playboy ever was.

#32 #33

and decide whether or not it was gonna go as far as Penthouse,

#34

This was really difficult for Hefner

#35

was a hard hurdle to overcome.

#36

And our readers approved...

#37

Because feminists argued that the centerfold images

#38

[Hugh Hefner] The 1960s had given rise to a second wave of feminism.

#39

We proclaim that we talk about free abortion on demand,

#40 #41

she said that this was actually intense labor, exploitation,

#42

was to speak with Steinem face to face.

#43

I never picked them out as special enemies.

#44

Let's take a different tact.

#45

certainly caught him up short.

#46

[Hugh Hefner] While I had tried to smooth over Playboy's relationship

#47

My next guest has created an empire.

#48

And the show went on from there.

#49

I think that it's important

#50