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54.HughHefner:TheGreatestPlayboyHughHefnerisoneofthemostcontroversialpublicfiguresintheUnitedStates.Heisthefounder,andpresidentofPlayboymagazine,whichisamen'sadultmagazine.Fromhumblebeginningsinthe1950s,Hefnerhasgrownhispornographicindustryintothemulti-million-dollarenterprise,whichincludeshismagazinepublication,TV,andInternetmedia.BorninChicago,Illinoisin1926,Hefnerledanaveragelifegrowingupinthebigcity.HegraduatedfromtheUniversityofIllinoisatUrbana-Champaign,andmajoredinpsychology.AfterservingtwoyearsintheUnitedStatesMilitary,hebeganworkingasacopyeditoratEsquiremagazineintheearly50s.Hefnerquithisjobtogooutonhisown.HewasdeterminedtostartamagazinethatwassimilartoEsquire,amen'smagazine.Hisfirst"Playboy"waspublishedfromhishomein1953,withoutapublicationdate.Hedidthisbecausehewasuncertainiftherewouldbeasecondedition.Hefnerhadpurchasedanudepictureofthefamousactress,MarilynMonroe,andusedthatimageasthecenterfoldofhisfirstissue.The50,000copiessoldquickly,andHefnerbecameaninstantsuccessstory.Duringthe60s,HefnerandPlayboywereatthetopoftheirpopularity.Hiscirculationwasnowinthemillions,andHefnerventuredintonewareasforhiscompany.Heproducedfilms,startedmodelingagencies,builthotelsandresorts,andhostedtwotelevisionseries.Hispublicationwasnotwithoutcontroversy,though.In1963,hewasarrestedandstoodtrialforpublishingaphotoofAmericanactress,JayneMansfield.Thechargeswereeventuallydropped,butitwasclearthattherewouldbechallengestohispublicationbecauseofitscontent.HefnerpermanentlymovedhisheadquarterstoLosAngelesin1975sothathecouldbeclosertothefilmindustry.Hehasbeenmarriedthreetimes,andhasfourchildren.