HEFNER: “Life is too short to be living someone else’s dream.” “The interesting thing is how one guy, through living out his own fantasies, is living out the fantasies of so many other people.” “Since both 'The New Yorker' and 'Esquire' use men as their symbols, I felt the rabbit would be distinctive, and the notion of a rabbit dressed up in formal evening attire struck me as charming, amusing and right.” “When I was young I always thought, I’m going to do something very special, or else I’m going to be nobody.” “I think that retirement is the first step towards the grave.” QUICK FACTS: Hugh Marston Hefner - Born 9 Apr. 1926 - 27 Sept. 2017. Astrological Sign: Aries. Born in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Died in Los Angeles, California, U.S. Cause of Death: Cardiac arrest. WHO WAS HUGH HEFNER?: Hugh Hefner created the ground-breaking men's adult entertainment magazine 'Playboy,' which transformed the adult entertainment industry, and played a role in the sexual revolution of the 1960s. Hefner built his controversial yet ground-breaking magazine ‘Playboy’ into an international enterprise. From the first issue featuring Marilyn Monroe in December 1953, Playboy expanded into a multimillion-dollar enterprise mirroring the often controversial sensibilities of its founder. By the 1970s, Hefner set himself up at the Playboy Mansion West in California, remaining Editor-In-Chief of the magazine he founded. In more recent years, he starred in the reality TV series ‘The Girls Next Door.’ BACKGROUND AND EARLY LIFE: Hugh Marston Hefner, born on 9 Apr. 1926, in Chicago, Illinois, was the eldest of two sons born to Grace and Glenn Hefner, who were strict Methodists. Reportedly, his IQ was 152, though his academic performance was generally modest. While in high school, Hefner became President of the Student Council and founded a school newspaper - an early sign of his journalistic talents. He also created a comic book entitled ‘School Daze,’ in which the generally reticent youngster was able to be at the center of his own imagined universe. Hefner served two years in the U.S. Army as a non-combatant toward the end of World War II, and was discharged in 1946. By the early 1950s, Hefner had landed a copywriting job at the Chicago office of Esquire Magazine. Hefner opted not to remain with the publication, which moved to New York, when he was denied a $5 raise. STARTING PLAYBOY: Out on his own, Hefner was determined to start his own publication. He raised $8,000 from 45 investors - including $2,000 from his mother and brother Keith combined - to launch ‘Playboy Magazine.’ Hefner had planned to title the magazine ‘Stag Party,’ but was forced to change the name to avoid a trademark infringement with the existing ‘Stag Magazine.' A colleague suggested the name ‘Playboy,’ after a defunct automobile company. Hefner liked the name, as he thought it reflected high living and sophistication. Hefner produced the first edition of ‘Playboy’ out of his South Side home. It hit newsstands in December 1953, but did not carry a date because Hefner was unsure as to whether or not a second issue would be produced. To help ensure its success, Hefner had purchased a color photograph of actress Marilyn Monroe in the nude - which had been taken some years earlier - and placed it in the centerfold of the magazine. The first issue quickly sold more than 50,000 copies and became an instant sensation. * BIOGRAPHY.COM * (Excerpted From 'Mr Playboy: Hugh Hefner and the American Dream' By Steven Watts. Copyright Nov. 2008) * TO BE CONTD... SEE PART 2