50 facts for Playboy's 50th Anniversary

Stag Party

Initially Hugh Hefner wanted the magazine to be called Stag Party.However, there was already a magazine called Stag.Executive V.P. Eldon Sellers, whose mother had worked for a short-lived Playboy Automobile Company in Chicago, suggested the name Playboy.

First Issue Franchise

The first issue came out in December 1953, but it was undated, as Hefner was unsure if the magazine would survive. It sold 54,175 copies at 50 cents each.

Marilyn Monroe

On its debut issue Marilyn Monroe was featured on the cover.Hefner bought the rights to previously taken nude photos of Monroe from a local calendar store in Chicago.

First Playboy Interview

The first person interviewed for the "Playboy Interview," a monthly column famous for its confrontational style, was Miles Davis in the September 1962 issue.

Birth of the "Bunny"

Hefner said that he chose the rabbit as the mascot for its "humorous sexual connotation."

Ellen Stratton

The first "Playmate of the Year" was Ellen Stratton.

Pamela Anderson

Pamela Anderson has been featured on Playboy's cover a record twelve times, more than any other model.

Trademark Pajamas

Hefner has over a 115 pairs of silk pajamas, one of the trademarks of his image.

Family Business

In 1982, Hefner's daughter Christie took over as president of Playboy Enterprises Incorporated.

Playboy Club

In 1960 Playboy opened the first of its famed Playboy Clubs-staffed by sexy bunny-costumed hostesses, in Chicago.

Hef's Own Bunny

Hefner has a species of rabbit named in his honor (Sylvilagus palustris hefneri).

Remembering Marilyn

Hefner owns the burial vault next to Marilyn Monroe.

Best Seller

The best-selling Playboy edition was the November 1972 edition, which sold 7,161,561 copies.On the cover was model Pam Rawlings, and a cropped image of the issue's first center fold which featured Lena Soderberg.

Ageless Appeal

Playboy is still the largest "men's magazine," selling over 2.6 million a month in the U.S

Men's Mag in Braille

In 1970, Playboy became the first men's magazine to be printed in Braille.

Marge Simpson

Playboy featured its first issue with an animated character (Marge Simpson) on its cover in November 2009.

Youngest Playmate

The youngest Playmate of the Month ever featured in the magazine was Elizabeth Ann Roberts who was just 17 years old when she posed for the January 1958 issue.

Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn (January, 1985) - At the age of 39, the carefree Hawn posed on the cover in a martini glass.

Anna Nicole Smith

Anna Nicole Smith (1993)- Became a household name when she became the 1993 playmate of the year.

Debbi Gibson

Deborah Gibson (March, 2005) - This 80's Pop singer better known as "Debbi Gibson" was hoping to relaunch her career by posing in the magazine, but unfortunately that dream fell short.

Heidi's Obsession

Heidi Montag (September, 2009) - Montag now known as the "plastic surgery queen of reality T.V.", has said that posing for Playboy is what ultimately fueled her obsession with plastic surgery.

Influential Interviews

Playboy has featured interviews with many influential individuals of the time- Melcolm X, Martin Luther King, and Yoko Ono among others.

Family Man

Hugh has been married twice and has four children.

The Mansion

The Playboy mansion is the only private home in Los Angeles to have a fire crackers license and zoo license.

Mansion Staff

The Playboy mansion has a staff of 70 individuals, including chefs, butlers, groundskeepers, maintenance, security, and zookeepers.

The "Elvis Suite"

Located in the Playboy mansion is a secret room known as the "Elvis Suite," which is kept out of the public view.The suite is special to Hefner because of the one night in the early seventies, when Elvis stayed in that suite along with no fewer than eight girls.

Next Door Neighbors

Hefner's ex-wife and two children live next door from him in a house that is a mirror image of the Playboy Mansion, only smaller.

Midsummer Night's Dream

One of the most popular events held at the Mansion is the Midsummer Night's Dream party, held once a year on the first Saturday in August. Every type of celerity imaginable has attended this wild and erotic party.

Playboy Poker

Charity events such as, Celebrity Poker, fundraising party for the Marijuana Policy Project, and an event to benefit research into autism are held at the Playboy Mansion.

Kendra Wilkinson

Kendra Wilkinson met Hefner at his 78th birthday party in April 2004, where she was hired to be one of "the painted girls."When Hefner saw a picture of her on the fax machine he insisted on meeting her, and eventually she became one of his main girls. She became popular on the hit reality show "Girls Next Door."

Holly Madison

Holly Madison was working as a Hawaiian Tropic model when she had her first experience with Playboy by attending The Midsummer Night's Dream party.Her and Hef went out on a Wednesday and she moved into the Mansion on a Friday.She later became Hefner's number one girl. She became popular on the hit reality show "The Girls Next Door."

Bridget Marquardt

Bridget Marquardt became one of Hefner's seven girlfriends instantly after attending parties at the mansion.Later she moved into the mansion and the seven girlfriends were narrowed down to three.She became popular on the hit reality show "Girls Next Door."

The "Bunny Dip"

The Playboy Bunny uniforms were so tight that the servers were forced to bend at the knees, not the waist, when serving drinks.This became known as the "Bunny Dip."

Staying In Bunny Shape

Before every shift the manager would weigh in each Bunny.Bunnies could not gain or lose more than one pound.

Costly Costumes

Bunny costumes in good condition have sold for over $10,000.There are only two on display, one at the Smithsonian and the other at the Chicago History Museum.

First Playboy Club

The first Playboy Club was opened in downtown Chicago in 1960.

Drew Barrymore

After the actress Drew Barrymore posed for Playboy in 1995, the director Steven Spielberg sent a note that read, "Cover yourself up" along with a quilt and a copy of the magazine with all her pictures changed so she was fully clothed!

Hefner's IQ

Hugh Hefner's IQ was 152 and at that genius level, his grades were average. Hugh Hefner used his time and energies to draw cartoons, start a school newspaper, and write.

Registered Uniform

The Playboy Bunny outfit was the first service uniform registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (U.S. trademark registration number 0762884).

A New Look

In 2006 The Palms Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas opened the first new Playboy club in over a quarter-century, located on the 52nd floor of the Fantasy Tower. Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli was chosen to re-imagine the original Bunny Suit.

International Interest

The international editions of Playboy require special editing for certain countries because of local censorship standards.

Covergirl Charlize

Actress Charlize Theron posed on the May 1999 cover of Playboy.

Fawning Over Farrah

Farrah Fawcett graced the cover of Playboy in December, 1978.

Carmen Electra

Carmen Electra appeared on the cover of Playboy's Gala Christmas Issue in 2000.

Naomi Campbell

Before Electra, Naomi Campbell posed for the Gala Christmas Issue in December, 1999.

Cindy Crawford

Supermodel Cindy Crawford posed for Playboy in October of 1998

Kelly Killoren Bensimon

This Real Housewive posed for Playboy in December 2009.

Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian posed for the December 2007 issue of Playboy for her first time.

Playboy's 50th

Playboy's 50th

For Playboy's 50th Anniversary Party, Playboy hosted 50 parties in 50 cities around the world on June 10th.