Hugh Hefner was an American adult magazine publisher best known for being the founder of Playboy Enterprises. He is credited to have revolutionized the adult entertainment industry with the introduction of the ‘Playboy’ magazine and eventually extended his enterprise to include television and internet ventures. When he published the first issue of the magazine, featuring Marilyn Monroe in 1953, he had no idea of how popular the publication would become. ‘Playboy’ enjoyed instant success—the first issue sold more than 50,000 copies—catapulting both the magazine and its founder to widespread popularity. Before founding the immensely successful yet equally notorious magazine, Hefner had been a journalist for ‘Esquire’ and had also served in the World War II. Born into a conservative family in Chicago, he studied psychology, creative writing and art in college and embarked on a career as a journalist. However, he left his job after being refused a raise and went on to found the adult magazine that would take the entertainment world by storm. Not surprisingly, Hefner epitomizes the lifestyle promoted by his magazine and has had a string of sexy models as his girlfriends. But his life was not just about sex; he was also a well-known political activist and a philanthropist who contributed generously to several causes.