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- Synced and corrected by chamallow -
- www.addic7ed.com -
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By winter of 1955,
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00:00:11,181 --> 00:00:14,384
America was rapidly changing.
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00:00:16,820 --> 00:00:20,790
The polio vaccine was
officially approved by the FDA.
5
00:00:20,791 --> 00:00:23,393
A small burger joint called McDonald's
6
00:00:23,394 --> 00:00:26,229
held its grand opening in Illinois.
7
00:00:26,230 --> 00:00:29,666
Disneyland is a delight
for all youngsters.
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00:00:29,667 --> 00:00:32,101
Walt Disney opened his first theme park
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00:00:32,102 --> 00:00:33,803
in Anaheim, California.
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00:00:38,376 --> 00:00:39,942
And in Chicago,
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00:00:39,943 --> 00:00:42,479
we were still making waves at Playboy.
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00:00:44,782 --> 00:00:47,083
In the year since we started
taking our own photos,
13
00:00:47,084 --> 00:00:52,289
we'd begun adding playful
elements to our photoshoots,
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00:00:52,290 --> 00:00:55,592
hiding things like a tie
15
00:00:55,593 --> 00:00:58,728
or a set of golf clubs,
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00:00:58,729 --> 00:01:01,464
to imply that a man was just off camera
17
00:01:01,465 --> 00:01:03,666
and giving our readers
something to look for.
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00:01:10,207 --> 00:01:13,175
Thanks to our concept
of the girl next door,
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00:01:13,176 --> 00:01:19,048
readership had exploded from 70,000
copies a month in our first issue
20
00:01:19,049 --> 00:01:22,885
to 500,000 a month by
the end of the year,
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00:01:22,886 --> 00:01:27,256
and with annual sales
reaching $3 million,
22
00:01:27,257 --> 00:01:32,295
I saw an opportunity to
take Playboy even further
23
00:01:32,296 --> 00:01:35,031
by going after a source of revenue
24
00:01:35,032 --> 00:01:40,002
we'd barely tapped into... advertising.
25
00:01:50,381 --> 00:01:54,451
After World War II,
Americans got back to work,
26
00:01:54,452 --> 00:01:56,218
and the economy was booming.
27
00:02:01,258 --> 00:02:04,527
Suddenly, people had
cash to spend on luxuries
28
00:02:04,528 --> 00:02:08,898
like cars, TVs, and new appliances,
29
00:02:08,899 --> 00:02:13,403
and they spent a lot, so major companies
30
00:02:13,404 --> 00:02:15,538
began putting massive amounts of money,
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00:02:15,539 --> 00:02:19,909
over $5 billion a year, into
promoting their products.
32
00:02:28,065 --> 00:02:31,168
It was the Golden Age of Advertising.
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00:02:33,070 --> 00:02:34,704
For most magazines,
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00:02:34,705 --> 00:02:37,974
advertising is the
largest source of revenue,
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00:02:37,975 --> 00:02:41,343
and advertisers choose
where to advertise
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00:02:41,344 --> 00:02:46,684
based on the audience, the
price, and the environment.
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00:02:53,223 --> 00:02:56,959
But Playboy had a different approach.
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00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,996
We were always, even
in the very beginning
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00:02:59,997 --> 00:03:01,798
when we needed the
money, very, very tough
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00:03:01,799 --> 00:03:03,566
in terms of our advertising policy.
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00:03:03,567 --> 00:03:06,035
I knew for starters that if we accepted
42
00:03:06,036 --> 00:03:08,571
the kinds of advertising that
appeared in the pulp magazines,
43
00:03:08,572 --> 00:03:10,773
I would never be able to turn a magazine
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00:03:10,774 --> 00:03:13,443
with nudes in it into
a class publication.
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00:03:15,112 --> 00:03:17,847
I only wanted to run high-class ads,
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00:03:17,848 --> 00:03:21,117
ones that would suit our
features and articles.
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00:03:21,118 --> 00:03:23,385
My dad was very thoughtful
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00:03:23,386 --> 00:03:26,889
about who he wanted to
advertise in the magazine
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00:03:26,890 --> 00:03:29,258
because he cared more about reputation
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00:03:29,259 --> 00:03:31,594
than he did actually about
the cash on the table.
51
00:03:31,595 --> 00:03:33,896
He didn't want to be
in business with people
52
00:03:33,897 --> 00:03:37,299
that didn't actually
believe in the brand.
53
00:03:37,300 --> 00:03:42,038
But now, with sales of
Playboy at an all-time high,
54
00:03:42,039 --> 00:03:44,206
I knew it was time to start going after
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00:03:44,207 --> 00:03:46,475
the big name brands that I wanted.
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00:03:49,212 --> 00:03:50,947
Uh, Hef, they're here.
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00:03:50,948 --> 00:03:52,849
Okay. Stall them five minutes,
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00:03:52,850 --> 00:03:54,216
then bring them up to the studio.
59
00:03:54,217 --> 00:03:56,719
Okay.
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00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:59,690
Get Victor to meet me
on the second floor. Now.
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00:04:01,625 --> 00:04:05,695
After months of tracking
down potential advertisers,
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00:04:05,696 --> 00:04:07,630
we finally got the attention
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00:04:07,631 --> 00:04:11,033
of one of the most
exclusive brands in town.
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00:04:11,034 --> 00:04:15,673
All I had to do was convince
them to work with us.
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00:04:51,374 --> 00:04:53,610
I'd like you to meet Vince Tajiri,
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00:04:53,611 --> 00:04:54,811
our photo department head,
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00:04:54,812 --> 00:04:57,647
Art Paul, art director,
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00:04:57,648 --> 00:05:00,817
and this is Victor
Lownes, head of promotions.
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00:05:00,818 --> 00:05:02,585
Welcome to Playboy.
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00:05:02,586 --> 00:05:03,786
Thanks very much.
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00:05:03,787 --> 00:05:06,188
Uh, Hef?
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00:05:06,189 --> 00:05:08,057
This is Bob from The Diners' Club.
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00:05:08,058 --> 00:05:10,193
I'm so sorry to keep
you waiting. Hugh Hefner.
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00:05:13,496 --> 00:05:17,900
In 1955, the first
independent charge card
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00:05:17,901 --> 00:05:20,670
in the world was introduced in America.
76
00:05:20,671 --> 00:05:22,840
It was called Diners' Club.
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00:05:24,608 --> 00:05:27,744
This was before American Express, Visa,
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00:05:27,745 --> 00:05:30,913
or MasterCard were in
the credit business,
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00:05:30,914 --> 00:05:33,916
and Diners' Club members
could use their cards
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00:05:33,917 --> 00:05:36,552
at some of the best
restaurants in the world.
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00:05:36,553 --> 00:05:39,756
The card was revolutionary,
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00:05:39,757 --> 00:05:44,127
and I had a plan to get
it into our magazine.
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00:05:47,164 --> 00:05:48,965
What do you think of the studio?
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00:05:48,966 --> 00:05:52,334
Everything looks great.
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00:05:52,335 --> 00:05:54,403
As you may know, Janet here
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00:05:54,404 --> 00:05:57,840
was the first Playmate
we photographed ourselves.
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00:05:57,841 --> 00:06:00,376
Photographing our own models has seen
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00:06:00,377 --> 00:06:02,679
a real spike in readership.
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00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:04,413
When they see your ad on our pages,
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00:06:04,414 --> 00:06:07,049
I'm predicting they'll
choose to spend their money
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00:06:07,050 --> 00:06:09,418
using a Diners' Club card.
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00:06:14,825 --> 00:06:18,227
All it took was one look from Janet
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and Diners' Club was in.
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00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:24,685
These advertising guys
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00:06:24,686 --> 00:06:25,886
didn't want to talk advertising.
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00:06:26,369 --> 00:06:28,905
They wanted to ask about the Playmates.
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00:06:28,906 --> 00:06:30,740
They were fascinated by it,
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00:06:30,741 --> 00:06:34,944
and we were able to
take advantage of that.
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00:06:34,945 --> 00:06:36,345
Why don't you come to my office
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00:06:36,346 --> 00:06:39,281
and we'll talk some numbers. Sellers?
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00:06:39,282 --> 00:06:41,650
Bye, Janet.
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With Diners' Club on board,
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00:06:46,156 --> 00:06:49,992
it wasn't long before
other big names followed,
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00:06:49,993 --> 00:06:53,429
and soon, Playboy was featuring ads
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00:06:53,430 --> 00:06:54,731
from Marlboro,
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Chanel,
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00:06:56,599 --> 00:06:58,835
Imperial Whiskey,
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00:06:58,836 --> 00:07:01,237
and Budweiser.
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00:07:01,238 --> 00:07:04,741
When we went to see
people like Anheuser-Busch,
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00:07:04,742 --> 00:07:06,876
we could say to them, look,
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00:07:06,877 --> 00:07:08,310
you've got to be in this magazine.
112
00:07:08,311 --> 00:07:10,346
This magazine reaches more college men
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00:07:10,347 --> 00:07:14,016
who are the next generation's leaders.
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00:07:14,017 --> 00:07:18,154
That was very influential.
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00:07:19,689 --> 00:07:21,190
Our new stream of revenue
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00:07:21,191 --> 00:07:23,826
was enough to keep the
business running comfortably...
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00:07:26,196 --> 00:07:30,132
... meaning I could stay focused
on the creative side of things.
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00:07:32,269 --> 00:07:34,905
She looks amazing, Vince.
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It's a shame they can't be
this big in the magazine.
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00:07:41,011 --> 00:07:43,713
Let's put this up on the board, Vince.
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Charlaine had a point.
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00:07:54,892 --> 00:07:56,692
Here in the office,
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00:07:56,693 --> 00:07:58,928
the photographs felt more lifelike.
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00:07:58,929 --> 00:08:01,297
We started out with these great proofs,
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00:08:01,298 --> 00:08:03,499
but then we had to shrink them down
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00:08:03,500 --> 00:08:06,135
to fit in our magazine.
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00:08:06,136 --> 00:08:08,570
I knew there had to be a way
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00:08:08,571 --> 00:08:12,275
to give our readers a better experience.
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00:08:16,446 --> 00:08:18,514
I mean, what are our options here?
130
00:08:18,515 --> 00:08:22,118
Hef wants a bigger photo,
so, tabloid, am I right?
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00:08:22,119 --> 00:08:23,452
Are you talking about
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00:08:23,453 --> 00:08:26,088
making the entire magazine twice as big?
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00:08:26,089 --> 00:08:28,057
That means everything
costs twice as much.
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00:08:28,058 --> 00:08:29,291
What's wrong with that?
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00:08:29,292 --> 00:08:30,827
We've spent three years
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00:08:30,828 --> 00:08:32,261
building a bond with our readers, right?
137
00:08:32,262 --> 00:08:33,462
They like the magazine the way it is.
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00:08:33,463 --> 00:08:35,097
Think about the ad sales.
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00:08:35,098 --> 00:08:36,598
Bigger ads. More money.
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00:08:36,599 --> 00:08:38,234
There you go, Eldon. Problem solved.
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00:08:38,235 --> 00:08:39,668
Look, don't get mad at me
'cause I'm the only one here
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00:08:39,669 --> 00:08:40,937
willing to tell the truth.
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00:08:40,938 --> 00:08:42,671
Don't get mad at me
for calling bullshit.
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00:08:43,974 --> 00:08:47,177
We'll just fold it.
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00:08:54,684 --> 00:08:56,920
Yeah.
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00:09:04,962 --> 00:09:08,330
Ladies and gentleman,
the Playboy centerfold.
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00:09:13,236 --> 00:09:16,172
In March of 1956, we put out
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00:09:16,173 --> 00:09:19,708
our first issue ever
with a fold-out centerfold
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00:09:19,709 --> 00:09:21,810
featuring model Marian Stafford.
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00:09:26,884 --> 00:09:29,051
The first Playboy centerfold I ever saw
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00:09:29,052 --> 00:09:32,421
was probably in fourth
grade at a friend's house.
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00:09:32,422 --> 00:09:35,024
And it's not just opening the cover.
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00:09:35,025 --> 00:09:37,159
That centerfold, that fold-out
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00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:40,129
is that tactile experience
of opening something
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00:09:40,130 --> 00:09:43,099
and revealing something.
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00:09:43,100 --> 00:09:45,734
It just seemed like
you were opening a door
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00:09:45,735 --> 00:09:47,703
to a whole other world.
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00:09:50,974 --> 00:09:53,109
It wasn't life-size,
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00:09:53,110 --> 00:09:54,843
but you have no idea how many times
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00:09:54,844 --> 00:09:56,345
I made love to that centerfold.
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00:09:56,346 --> 00:09:59,615
It took me there,
visually took me there.
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00:09:59,616 --> 00:10:02,418
I thought that that girl was
right there in front of me.
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00:10:02,419 --> 00:10:06,222
The larger centerfolds were
an instant hit with readers
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00:10:06,223 --> 00:10:09,691
and quickly became
synonymous with our brand.
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00:10:09,692 --> 00:10:13,495
To this day, when people
hear the word "centerfold,"
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they immediately think of Playboy.
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00:10:20,803 --> 00:10:24,173
Sales and subscriptions skyrocketed,
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00:10:24,174 --> 00:10:29,478
and in December 1956, we hit a milestone
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00:10:29,479 --> 00:10:35,952
when our third anniversary
issue sold over a million copies.
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00:10:35,953 --> 00:10:40,856
And after just three years,
Playboy was the number one
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00:10:40,857 --> 00:10:43,192
men's lifestyle magazine in America.
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00:10:43,193 --> 00:10:45,594
We had beaten out Esquire,
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the magazine that, three years earlier,
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00:10:47,931 --> 00:10:50,666
had refused to give me a $5 raise.
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00:10:58,708 --> 00:11:00,642
We were doing so well,
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00:11:00,643 --> 00:11:02,844
I needed to bring on
someone who could focus
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00:11:02,845 --> 00:11:05,348
on the business side of the magazine.
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00:11:06,950 --> 00:11:08,850
So, I turned to an
old friend who knew me
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00:11:08,851 --> 00:11:15,457
better than any of the
other guys, Bob Preuss.
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00:11:15,458 --> 00:11:17,627
Balance sheet? Perfect.
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00:11:19,762 --> 00:11:23,799
Hef always had someone that he relied on
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00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:25,968
to be the business head.
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00:11:25,969 --> 00:11:28,570
In the early years, it was Bob Preuss,
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00:11:28,571 --> 00:11:31,074
who'd been his college roommate.
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00:11:32,909 --> 00:11:36,178
Demand for the magazine
was rising every month,
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00:11:36,179 --> 00:11:40,016
and our staff could barely keep up.
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00:11:40,017 --> 00:11:42,784
If we were going to sustain the quality
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00:11:42,785 --> 00:11:44,553
our readers expected from us,
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we not only needed to add more staff
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00:11:47,090 --> 00:11:51,360
but we also needed
someplace to put them.
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00:11:59,436 --> 00:12:02,404
But we didn't just move to a new office.
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00:12:02,405 --> 00:12:06,575
This time, we got our own building.
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00:12:11,648 --> 00:12:14,083
Four stories, 30,000 square feet.
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00:12:15,952 --> 00:12:18,154
Plenty of space for our
newly expanded staff...
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00:12:20,223 --> 00:12:21,923
... now over 100 people.
196
00:12:26,329 --> 00:12:28,497
We spent a quarter-million dollars
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00:12:28,498 --> 00:12:31,067
to renovate it top to bottom.
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00:12:31,068 --> 00:12:33,402
It might have been a little indulgent,
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00:12:33,403 --> 00:12:36,004
but I wanted my team
to have the very best.
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00:12:48,851 --> 00:12:51,787
We're in my executive offices now
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on top of the Playboy building.
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00:12:54,124 --> 00:12:55,557
It's quite late at night
203
00:12:55,558 --> 00:12:58,160
and my working hours
are kind of strange ones.
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00:12:58,161 --> 00:12:59,795
I usually begin work about 1:30
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00:12:59,796 --> 00:13:01,130
or 2:00 in the afternoon.
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00:13:01,131 --> 00:13:03,332
I get in half a day
that way with the staff
207
00:13:03,333 --> 00:13:06,335
and things are quite
hectic here during the day
208
00:13:06,336 --> 00:13:09,371
with conferences and various calls
209
00:13:09,372 --> 00:13:10,639
and things to attend to:
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00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:12,441
layouts, editorial matters, etcetera.
211
00:13:12,442 --> 00:13:14,610
Then I go into the second half of my day
212
00:13:14,611 --> 00:13:17,713
in the evening, and
that's a little quieter.
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00:13:17,714 --> 00:13:20,116
There's nobody else here to bother me.
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00:13:20,117 --> 00:13:23,186
It works out pretty well that way.
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00:13:26,223 --> 00:13:27,989
At this point, I pretty much lived
216
00:13:27,990 --> 00:13:30,025
in the office full-time,
217
00:13:30,026 --> 00:13:33,295
but while my business was growing,
218
00:13:33,296 --> 00:13:35,197
so was my family.
219
00:13:35,198 --> 00:13:37,666
In the midst of our mounting success,
220
00:13:37,667 --> 00:13:40,169
Millie gave birth to our second child,
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00:13:40,170 --> 00:13:42,971
a boy named David.
222
00:13:42,972 --> 00:13:47,543
But with the magazine
taking up all of my time,
223
00:13:47,544 --> 00:13:49,645
I'll be the first to
admit I wasn't acting
224
00:13:49,646 --> 00:13:53,649
like the type of father or
husband my family needed.
225
00:13:53,650 --> 00:13:55,517
My father wasn't around a lot
226
00:13:55,518 --> 00:13:57,018
when my brother and I were growing up,
227
00:13:57,019 --> 00:14:00,956
but we would spend Christmas
and birthdays with him,
228
00:14:00,957 --> 00:14:03,292
so I always thought
of him, in hindsight,
229
00:14:03,293 --> 00:14:05,294
as kind of like a favorite uncle,
230
00:14:05,295 --> 00:14:06,695
someone you were related to
231
00:14:06,696 --> 00:14:08,530
who you knew loved you
but didn't really know
232
00:14:08,531 --> 00:14:10,799
who your friends were or
how your grades were going.
233
00:14:14,504 --> 00:14:17,773
It was 24/7 for him,
234
00:14:17,774 --> 00:14:20,842
which is why he did not
really have a family life,
235
00:14:20,843 --> 00:14:23,445
even though he was married
and had two children.
236
00:14:23,446 --> 00:14:27,683
But he was working night and day.
237
00:14:27,684 --> 00:14:31,553
And that was true for decades.
238
00:14:37,627 --> 00:14:41,062
Arrange a meeting with
everybody just to...
239
00:14:41,063 --> 00:14:43,799
With success came attention,
240
00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:47,135
and in January of '57, I was invited
241
00:14:47,136 --> 00:14:51,407
to profile Playboy on an
entirely new platform for me,
242
00:14:51,408 --> 00:14:53,775
one that was quickly becoming
243
00:14:53,776 --> 00:14:57,346
an American obsession... television.
244
00:14:57,347 --> 00:15:03,352
In 1957, television was
taking the country by storm,
245
00:15:03,353 --> 00:15:06,455
and with only three
networks to choose from,
246
00:15:06,456 --> 00:15:09,558
CBS, NBC, and ABC,
247
00:15:09,559 --> 00:15:11,327
roughly a third of the country
248
00:15:11,328 --> 00:15:14,730
might be tuned in to one program.
249
00:15:14,731 --> 00:15:16,298
Good evening, I'm Mike Wallace.
250
00:15:16,299 --> 00:15:18,033
The show is Night Beat.
251
00:15:18,034 --> 00:15:21,937
Mike Wallace's Night Beat
was a popular talk show
252
00:15:21,938 --> 00:15:24,840
known for addressing
controversial topics,
253
00:15:24,841 --> 00:15:27,776
and I thought it would
be the perfect opportunity
254
00:15:27,777 --> 00:15:30,680
to spread Playboy's message.
255
00:15:33,182 --> 00:15:35,984
But I had never appeared on TV before,
256
00:15:35,985 --> 00:15:40,789
and I'd be lying if I
said I wasn't nervous.
257
00:15:40,790 --> 00:15:43,792
I knew that Night Beat was
a very hot show in New York,
258
00:15:43,793 --> 00:15:46,295
a show that was getting
a lot of reaction.
259
00:15:46,296 --> 00:15:47,763
I also knew that it was a tough show
260
00:15:47,764 --> 00:15:50,232
and that he was asking tough questions.
261
00:15:50,233 --> 00:15:52,634
And I had done very few interviews,
262
00:15:52,635 --> 00:15:54,470
even for print, in those days,
263
00:15:54,471 --> 00:15:56,572
because it was the very
early days of the magazine.
264
00:15:56,573 --> 00:15:59,074
A little under four years
ago, a junior copywriter
265
00:15:59,075 --> 00:16:01,543
in Esquire Magazine's
promotion department
266
00:16:01,544 --> 00:16:05,914
quit in a huff after he
was refused a $5 raise.
267
00:16:05,915 --> 00:16:07,048
You ready?
268
00:16:07,049 --> 00:16:08,884
And that refusal turned out to be
269
00:16:08,885 --> 00:16:10,752
one of the worst decisions
ever made at Esquire
270
00:16:10,753 --> 00:16:12,754
because the name of that
copywriter was Hugh Hefner.
271
00:16:12,755 --> 00:16:14,790
You'll be fine.
272
00:16:14,791 --> 00:16:16,725
He is now the editor-in-chief
of Playboy Magazine,
273
00:16:16,726 --> 00:16:18,226
which claims to have pushed Esquire
274
00:16:18,227 --> 00:16:19,529
right out of first place.
275
00:16:20,897 --> 00:16:23,699
Hugh, we checked this month's issue
276
00:16:23,700 --> 00:16:28,670
and found 20 pictures of girls
in various stages of undress.
277
00:16:28,671 --> 00:16:32,708
Now, sir, what's the kick
that you get out of it?
278
00:16:32,709 --> 00:16:34,776
At the time that Playboy
started, and this was one
279
00:16:34,777 --> 00:16:36,878
of the big reasons
for beginning the book,
280
00:16:36,879 --> 00:16:38,880
we felt there as no magazine
281
00:16:38,881 --> 00:16:41,350
doing a really successful job
282
00:16:41,351 --> 00:16:45,554
of entertaining the audience
that we're trying to hit.
283
00:16:45,555 --> 00:16:49,157
Let's not hide behind
altruistic motives, Hugh.
284
00:16:49,158 --> 00:16:51,527
Chicago Magazine
quoted you to the effect
285
00:16:51,528 --> 00:16:53,028
that sex will always be
286
00:16:53,029 --> 00:16:54,930
a primary ingredient of the magazine.
287
00:16:54,931 --> 00:16:57,666
Isn't that really what you're selling?
288
00:16:57,667 --> 00:17:01,069
Kind of a high-class dirty book?
289
00:17:01,070 --> 00:17:04,139
Um, well, I don't, uh...
290
00:17:04,140 --> 00:17:08,410
I'd make a pretty, uh, strong case, uh,
291
00:17:08,411 --> 00:17:10,045
in the feeling that the magazine,
292
00:17:10,046 --> 00:17:11,713
as far we are concerned,
293
00:17:11,714 --> 00:17:13,849
does not over-emphasize sex at all.
294
00:17:13,850 --> 00:17:16,151
You think that this
really reflects the tastes
295
00:17:16,152 --> 00:17:19,921
and the standards of
young, male Americans?
296
00:17:19,922 --> 00:17:21,222
Truthfully?
297
00:17:21,223 --> 00:17:23,859
Truthfully, without
any reservation, yes.
298
00:17:23,860 --> 00:17:28,864
When I first did my
interview with Hugh Hefner,
299
00:17:28,865 --> 00:17:31,533
I wasn't just playing
devil's advocate with him.
300
00:17:31,534 --> 00:17:34,069
I thought that he was about
to subvert the republic
301
00:17:34,070 --> 00:17:35,737
with some of the stuff
302
00:17:35,738 --> 00:17:37,606
that he was putting in Playboy Magazine.
303
00:17:37,607 --> 00:17:40,509
What he was doing,
basically, was, I thought,
304
00:17:40,510 --> 00:17:43,745
vaguely pornographic, vaguely obscene,
305
00:17:43,746 --> 00:17:46,114
and he was putting a nice cover on it
306
00:17:46,115 --> 00:17:49,985
by finding interesting
intellectual stuff
307
00:17:49,986 --> 00:17:51,387
to lend a little class
308
00:17:51,388 --> 00:17:54,890
to what was essentially a trifle tawdry.
309
00:17:54,891 --> 00:17:57,459
When I look at the tape,
310
00:17:57,460 --> 00:17:59,661
I see a very nervous kid
311
00:17:59,662 --> 00:18:01,262
who didn't have his act together
312
00:18:01,263 --> 00:18:03,399
and was searching for words.
313
00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:04,933
Mike didn't take me very seriously.
314
00:18:04,934 --> 00:18:07,969
He said, in between
segments of the show,
315
00:18:07,970 --> 00:18:09,538
that he figured I'd
be doing something else
316
00:18:09,539 --> 00:18:12,641
in five years, and I was hurt by that
317
00:18:12,642 --> 00:18:14,910
because it suggested to me
318
00:18:14,911 --> 00:18:18,381
that he didn't think I was sincere.
319
00:18:28,491 --> 00:18:34,362
Mike Wallace had torn me
apart on national television,
320
00:18:34,363 --> 00:18:36,665
and all I could think
321
00:18:36,666 --> 00:18:39,468
was that by appearing
on the show unprepared,
322
00:18:39,469 --> 00:18:43,406
I had done Playboy more harm than good.
323
00:18:45,808 --> 00:18:48,710
Part and parcel of being
in the public eye is,
324
00:18:48,711 --> 00:18:51,312
people are going to have
something to say about you.
325
00:18:51,313 --> 00:18:54,115
You can either let it bother you,
326
00:18:54,116 --> 00:18:59,956
or if you are on the right
side, just speak the truth.
327
00:19:01,390 --> 00:19:02,758
I had to do something.
328
00:19:02,759 --> 00:19:04,359
I needed to make it clear
329
00:19:04,360 --> 00:19:05,927
that I was making a magazine
330
00:19:05,928 --> 00:19:09,297
for a sophisticated audience.
331
00:19:09,298 --> 00:19:12,868
The first initial dream
was to try to package
332
00:19:12,869 --> 00:19:15,036
the sort of magazine
for a young urban man
333
00:19:15,037 --> 00:19:17,639
that I would enjoy if I was a reader,
334
00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:20,910
and the perception didn't
go much further than that.
335
00:19:23,245 --> 00:19:27,348
Once that began, a time came
336
00:19:27,349 --> 00:19:30,719
when I really began to see
337
00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:35,123
the possibilities of livin' the life.
338
00:19:38,327 --> 00:19:41,530
If I was going to change
people's opinion of Playboy,
339
00:19:41,531 --> 00:19:44,500
I had to put myself in the spotlight
340
00:19:44,501 --> 00:19:46,134
and show the public
341
00:19:46,135 --> 00:19:48,837
that I wasn't just
some creep peddling sex.
342
00:19:48,838 --> 00:19:52,541
I was the epitome of a modern gentleman.
343
00:19:56,979 --> 00:20:01,382
Taking inspiration from famous
figures like Frank Sinatra
344
00:20:01,383 --> 00:20:04,753
and characters like James Bond,
345
00:20:04,754 --> 00:20:07,723
I changed my look.
346
00:20:12,895 --> 00:20:14,496
I started dressing sharper...
347
00:20:16,499 --> 00:20:20,401
... and I even added a new
accessory to my image, a pipe.
348
00:20:22,639 --> 00:20:25,641
For the first time, my photo
was prominently featured
349
00:20:25,642 --> 00:20:28,043
in the pages of Playboy...
350
00:20:29,879 --> 00:20:32,313
... paired with an article
detailing my interests,
351
00:20:32,314 --> 00:20:35,316
fashion sense, musical taste...
352
00:20:37,386 --> 00:20:39,387
... and my rise to success.
353
00:20:41,758 --> 00:20:43,465
He invented the character
354
00:20:43,466 --> 00:20:45,116
and then became the character.
355
00:20:45,161 --> 00:20:48,564
I think, in a lot of
ways, he was surprised
356
00:20:48,565 --> 00:20:51,232
how many American men responded to that
357
00:20:51,233 --> 00:20:55,937
and wanted to engage in
a lifestyle on that level.
358
00:20:58,908 --> 00:21:02,077
In 1959, I was even asked to appear
359
00:21:02,078 --> 00:21:04,846
in an ad from a Chicago
Mercedes dealership,
360
00:21:04,847 --> 00:21:08,249
promoting their 300 SL convertible.
361
00:21:08,250 --> 00:21:12,187
In Chicago, Hefner
was almost immediately
362
00:21:12,188 --> 00:21:14,389
the biggest celebrity in town,
363
00:21:14,390 --> 00:21:16,892
but that spread quickly
to the rest of the country.
364
00:21:20,863 --> 00:21:22,698
For the next two years,
365
00:21:22,699 --> 00:21:24,032
I started giving interviews
366
00:21:24,033 --> 00:21:25,934
to any publication that would have me...
367
00:21:27,870 --> 00:21:29,204
... and little by little,
368
00:21:29,205 --> 00:21:31,840
I started gaining national notoriety.
369
00:21:35,277 --> 00:21:36,912
I literally became a different person,
370
00:21:36,913 --> 00:21:39,314
and I think that the commitment
371
00:21:39,315 --> 00:21:42,250
in terms of changing my
lifestyle, that wasn't so tough.
372
00:21:42,251 --> 00:21:45,854
There was already a fascination
with Playboy as a phenomenon.
373
00:21:45,855 --> 00:21:48,890
It was just a matter of sort of
takin' off the Clark Kent outfit
374
00:21:48,891 --> 00:21:51,492
and puttin' on the cloak
and flyin' out the window.
375
00:22:09,712 --> 00:22:11,747
With my star on the rise,
376
00:22:11,748 --> 00:22:13,715
all kinds of new business opportunities
377
00:22:13,716 --> 00:22:17,786
were on the table for me, and in 1959,
378
00:22:17,787 --> 00:22:19,287
the most intriguing
379
00:22:19,288 --> 00:22:21,723
was from a local television
producer from Chicago
380
00:22:21,724 --> 00:22:23,625
named James McGinn.
381
00:22:27,764 --> 00:22:29,397
I want to make a variety show.
382
00:22:29,398 --> 00:22:32,768
Special guests, celebrity performers.
383
00:22:32,769 --> 00:22:35,470
Playmates... dressed, of course.
384
00:22:35,471 --> 00:22:37,974
Who did you have in mind to host?
385
00:22:39,876 --> 00:22:40,842
You.
386
00:22:40,843 --> 00:22:44,313
You're Mr. Playboy.
387
00:22:50,219 --> 00:22:53,021
From Broadway, from Hollywood...
388
00:22:54,957 --> 00:22:57,926
At the end of the '50s, variety shows
389
00:22:57,927 --> 00:22:59,594
like The Tonight Show,
390
00:22:59,595 --> 00:23:03,331
Sid Caesar's Show of Shows,
391
00:23:03,332 --> 00:23:05,466
and The Ed Sullivan Show
392
00:23:05,467 --> 00:23:08,203
were pulling in massive ratings.
393
00:23:13,409 --> 00:23:16,144
I realized if Playboy could capture
394
00:23:16,145 --> 00:23:18,613
even a small percentage
of those viewers,
395
00:23:18,614 --> 00:23:23,551
we could extend our brand
far beyond just the magazine.
396
00:23:23,552 --> 00:23:27,856
I think the motivation
for pursuing television
397
00:23:27,857 --> 00:23:31,059
was that it offered another platform
398
00:23:31,060 --> 00:23:34,330
to share the brand philosophy.
399
00:23:36,398 --> 00:23:39,901
But even with the backing
of a Chicago TV station,
400
00:23:39,902 --> 00:23:43,972
I knew we faced tough competition.
401
00:23:43,973 --> 00:23:47,375
If we were going to succeed,
402
00:23:47,376 --> 00:23:49,377
we needed to come up with a concept
403
00:23:49,378 --> 00:23:52,014
that would really set us apart.
404
00:23:59,055 --> 00:24:01,156
Playboy Magazine was always about
405
00:24:01,157 --> 00:24:03,158
presenting a fantasy lifestyle...
406
00:24:03,159 --> 00:24:07,896
beautiful women, high-end design,
407
00:24:07,897 --> 00:24:10,799
and the latest in American culture.
408
00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:12,868
I wanted to bring that experience
409
00:24:12,869 --> 00:24:15,971
to a television audience,
and just like that,
410
00:24:15,972 --> 00:24:18,840
Playboy's Penthouse was born.
411
00:24:23,379 --> 00:24:25,680
The concept of Playboy's Penthouse
412
00:24:25,681 --> 00:24:28,950
was the magazine come to life.
413
00:24:28,951 --> 00:24:31,519
It was a show that was taking place
414
00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:33,121
in Hef's living room,
415
00:24:33,122 --> 00:24:36,324
and Hef was the host of the party.
416
00:24:37,659 --> 00:24:39,560
The show was going to
be a huge undertaking,
417
00:24:39,561 --> 00:24:43,664
so I asked the entire staff
of the magazine to pitch in,
418
00:24:43,665 --> 00:24:49,137
including one of our newest
hires, Dick Rosenzweig.
419
00:24:49,138 --> 00:24:53,909
I began working for Playboy in 1958.
420
00:24:53,910 --> 00:24:56,978
I was hired as an advertising trainee.
421
00:24:56,979 --> 00:25:00,448
But then Eldon came to me and asked me
422
00:25:00,449 --> 00:25:02,650
to be the production syndication manager
423
00:25:02,651 --> 00:25:04,219
of this new television show.
424
00:25:04,220 --> 00:25:07,856
Nobody really in our company
was qualified to do that,
425
00:25:07,857 --> 00:25:10,625
but we all chipped in,
as we did in those days,
426
00:25:10,626 --> 00:25:13,195
and did double and triple duty.
427
00:25:17,766 --> 00:25:20,568
We may have had an amateur staff
428
00:25:20,569 --> 00:25:22,470
and a tiny budget,
429
00:25:22,471 --> 00:25:25,273
but Playboy's growing reputation
430
00:25:25,274 --> 00:25:29,845
allowed us to lock in an
incredible show line-up.
431
00:25:29,846 --> 00:25:33,849
Stand-up comedian Lenny Bruce,
432
00:25:33,850 --> 00:25:36,784
best-selling author Rona Jaffee,
433
00:25:36,785 --> 00:25:40,788
1958 Playmate of the
Month Joyce Nizarri,
434
00:25:40,789 --> 00:25:42,690
and my personal favorites,
435
00:25:42,691 --> 00:25:47,195
jazz legends Ella
Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole.
436
00:25:47,196 --> 00:25:50,698
I used jazz throughout the '50s
437
00:25:50,699 --> 00:25:53,734
as a major element in the magazine.
438
00:25:53,735 --> 00:25:57,738
That music spoke to me
and contained those dreams
439
00:25:57,739 --> 00:25:59,941
that I identified with so much.
440
00:26:04,780 --> 00:26:06,915
We had our lineup complete,
441
00:26:06,916 --> 00:26:09,885
but with just days before we aired,
442
00:26:09,886 --> 00:26:12,820
we got word that
broadcasters in the South
443
00:26:12,821 --> 00:26:16,257
were threatening to pull our show.
444
00:26:16,258 --> 00:26:20,461
You have to understand,
this was the late 1950s,
445
00:26:20,462 --> 00:26:23,431
a time of racial segregation
446
00:26:23,432 --> 00:26:26,367
and growing racist
sentiments in the South.
447
00:26:26,368 --> 00:26:30,471
In 1959, this is four years
448
00:26:30,472 --> 00:26:33,108
after the Montgomery bus boycott,
449
00:26:33,109 --> 00:26:35,443
a woman locked up for
sitting in the front of a bus
450
00:26:35,444 --> 00:26:37,545
who paid the same fare as white people.
451
00:26:37,546 --> 00:26:41,249
In that same season,
rights workers were killed
452
00:26:41,250 --> 00:26:44,419
trying to register people to vote
453
00:26:44,420 --> 00:26:46,521
and had to beg the Department of Justice
454
00:26:46,522 --> 00:26:48,223
and the FBI to intervene
455
00:26:48,224 --> 00:26:50,858
during that very ugly transition
456
00:26:50,859 --> 00:26:54,162
from slavery to Jim Crow desegregation.
457
00:26:54,163 --> 00:26:59,400
It was a very violent season
of fear and polarization.
458
00:26:59,401 --> 00:27:01,669
Protests on both sides
459
00:27:01,670 --> 00:27:05,140
were breaking out across the country,
460
00:27:05,141 --> 00:27:07,575
and with our program planning to show
461
00:27:07,576 --> 00:27:09,610
white and black people socializing,
462
00:27:09,611 --> 00:27:15,016
Southern television
stations were outraged.
463
00:27:15,017 --> 00:27:17,919
So either we pull Nat
and Ella or they pull us?
464
00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:19,454
Pretty much.
465
00:27:19,455 --> 00:27:22,690
Look, gentlemen, we cannot
afford to lose the South.
466
00:27:22,691 --> 00:27:24,525
That's half our audience.
467
00:27:24,526 --> 00:27:26,361
The stations have all the power.
468
00:27:26,362 --> 00:27:29,630
Fuck the stations. It's censorship.
469
00:27:29,631 --> 00:27:31,933
Nat King Cole stays and
so does everyone else.
470
00:27:31,934 --> 00:27:33,601
We're making the show I want to make,
471
00:27:33,602 --> 00:27:36,005
and if the South pulls us, they pull us.
472
00:27:38,107 --> 00:27:41,509
We start taping tomorrow night.
473
00:27:41,510 --> 00:27:44,545
People who were not old enough
474
00:27:44,546 --> 00:27:48,083
to be around back then
and see those Playboy shows
475
00:27:48,084 --> 00:27:51,519
would probably see
nothing wrong with them.
476
00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:55,490
Why not have black
artists and black musicians
477
00:27:55,491 --> 00:27:58,493
and black comedians and black guests?
478
00:27:58,494 --> 00:28:05,133
But in the '50s, that
was very much a red flag
479
00:28:05,134 --> 00:28:08,003
to certain people and even stations
480
00:28:08,004 --> 00:28:10,305
in certain parts of this country,
481
00:28:10,306 --> 00:28:16,177
and Hefner's intentional
ability to break that barrier
482
00:28:16,178 --> 00:28:18,613
was really a public service on his part
483
00:28:18,614 --> 00:28:19,981
and rather daring.
484
00:28:28,690 --> 00:28:34,129
On October 24th, 1959, we premiered
485
00:28:34,130 --> 00:28:38,366
our first episode of
Playboy's Penthouse,
486
00:28:38,367 --> 00:28:41,269
and sadly, the Southern stations
487
00:28:41,270 --> 00:28:46,774
stuck to their guns
and refused to air it.
488
00:28:46,775 --> 00:28:52,181
But we had made something
I was truly proud of.
489
00:28:53,782 --> 00:28:57,052
I'll admit, I was
nervous to be the frontman
490
00:28:57,053 --> 00:28:58,753
on a brand-new television show,
491
00:28:58,754 --> 00:29:03,192
but I was excited to
see my vision on TV.
492
00:29:06,095 --> 00:29:09,797
Hello there. Glad you
could join us this evening.
493
00:29:09,798 --> 00:29:11,332
I'm Hugh Hefner,
494
00:29:11,333 --> 00:29:13,234
editor/publisher of Playboy Magazine,
495
00:29:13,235 --> 00:29:14,502
and your host.
496
00:29:14,503 --> 00:29:16,571
This is Playboy's Penthouse.
497
00:29:16,572 --> 00:29:19,107
Come on in and meet some of our guests.
498
00:29:19,108 --> 00:29:22,143
Well, here we have Eleanor Bradley
499
00:29:22,144 --> 00:29:23,644
and Ms. Joyce Nazarri,
500
00:29:23,645 --> 00:29:25,746
two of our most popular Playmates,
501
00:29:25,747 --> 00:29:27,682
and Lenny Bruce,
502
00:29:27,683 --> 00:29:30,785
foremost exponent of sick humor and...
503
00:29:30,786 --> 00:29:32,820
Oh!
504
00:29:32,821 --> 00:29:34,289
Isn't that sick?
505
00:29:34,290 --> 00:29:35,890
Oh, boy, the champagne is really
506
00:29:35,891 --> 00:29:38,160
making my nose bubbly, Uncle Hugh.
507
00:29:40,596 --> 00:29:43,631
Nat, what a surprise! Great.
508
00:29:43,632 --> 00:29:45,333
I'm very pleased you
could come up this evening.
509
00:29:45,334 --> 00:29:46,934
- Thank you.
- Come on in.
510
00:29:46,935 --> 00:29:48,836
I was proud to feature Nat King Cole
511
00:29:48,837 --> 00:29:52,973
and Ella Fitzgerald as
two of our first guests.
512
00:29:52,974 --> 00:29:54,209
Thank you.
513
00:29:54,210 --> 00:29:58,045
Nat, this is Spec, A.C. Spectorsky.
514
00:29:58,046 --> 00:30:02,583
They represented the
best in American jazz,
515
00:30:02,584 --> 00:30:05,953
and our show wouldn't have
been complete without them.
516
00:30:05,954 --> 00:30:09,824
These were very talented professionals
517
00:30:09,825 --> 00:30:13,528
in their line of work, jazz,
518
00:30:13,529 --> 00:30:19,100
and Hefner has always felt
that it was right and proper
519
00:30:19,101 --> 00:30:21,769
to have the most talented
520
00:30:21,770 --> 00:30:23,904
and interesting people on this show.
521
00:30:23,905 --> 00:30:25,640
It's great having you with us, Ella.
522
00:30:25,641 --> 00:30:27,808
A real pleasure, as always.
523
00:30:27,809 --> 00:30:29,344
The group is here,
524
00:30:29,345 --> 00:30:30,945
and I wonder if you'd
sing a song for us.
525
00:30:30,946 --> 00:30:33,381
Well, we can try and
do something for you.
526
00:30:33,382 --> 00:30:35,550
It was so cleverly
filmed and photographed
527
00:30:35,551 --> 00:30:37,652
because it was a subjective camera.
528
00:30:37,653 --> 00:30:42,223
You were the audience
walking into that penthouse.
529
00:30:42,224 --> 00:30:44,592
You were watching them.
530
00:30:44,593 --> 00:30:46,394
You felt like you were there with them.
531
00:30:46,395 --> 00:30:47,728
And that's when I think Hef
532
00:30:47,729 --> 00:30:50,365
started being a kind
of living, breathing
533
00:30:50,366 --> 00:30:52,267
visual interpretation
534
00:30:52,268 --> 00:30:56,070
of that man that you're reading about.
535
00:30:56,071 --> 00:30:58,639
It was exactly what I had envisioned.
536
00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:00,441
It was hip, fun,
537
00:31:00,442 --> 00:31:02,943
and thanks to our featured Playmates,
538
00:31:02,944 --> 00:31:05,446
it was also sexy.
539
00:31:05,447 --> 00:31:07,114
I saw it as a chance for Playboy
540
00:31:07,115 --> 00:31:09,049
to become bigger than just a magazine.
541
00:31:11,687 --> 00:31:15,523
But without the South,
there was no guarantee
542
00:31:15,524 --> 00:31:17,124
that we'd pull in enough viewers
543
00:31:17,125 --> 00:31:19,727
to keep the show on the air.
544
00:31:19,728 --> 00:31:21,829
There were a few people
who had the courage
545
00:31:21,830 --> 00:31:23,864
of their convictions to stand with us.
546
00:31:23,865 --> 00:31:26,000
Hefner's money and
reputation was on the line.
547
00:31:26,001 --> 00:31:29,804
He identified unequivocally
with social justice
548
00:31:29,805 --> 00:31:32,741
and with the civil rights
movement of that time.
549
00:31:49,391 --> 00:31:51,125
The ratings data came in,
550
00:31:51,126 --> 00:31:54,762
and I wanted you to
hear it from me first.
551
00:31:54,763 --> 00:31:56,897
Is it good or bad?
552
00:31:59,167 --> 00:32:02,403
They want to make a 26-week commitment.
553
00:32:02,404 --> 00:32:04,672
- Really?
- Yeah.
554
00:32:04,673 --> 00:32:06,241
They're even asking
about a second season.
555
00:32:06,242 --> 00:32:07,275
A second...
556
00:32:07,276 --> 00:32:09,610
Congratulations, Mr. Playboy.
557
00:32:11,046 --> 00:32:12,680
Even without the South,
558
00:32:12,681 --> 00:32:16,917
the response was better
than I had expected.
559
00:32:18,420 --> 00:32:20,120
The civil rights movement
560
00:32:20,121 --> 00:32:22,089
has a particularly profound effect
561
00:32:22,090 --> 00:32:23,691
on the younger generation
562
00:32:23,692 --> 00:32:27,828
and on those who want to see
themselves as hip and cool.
563
00:32:27,829 --> 00:32:30,998
It is no longer cool
and hip to be racist.
564
00:32:30,999 --> 00:32:34,435
And Hugh Hefner latches
onto that notion.
565
00:32:34,436 --> 00:32:37,305
He feels it.
566
00:32:39,174 --> 00:32:42,943
Papers across the country
were talking about us.
567
00:32:42,944 --> 00:32:46,281
The show was a hit,
568
00:32:46,282 --> 00:32:49,918
and we went on to
book even bigger names.
569
00:32:51,520 --> 00:32:53,288
If he does that again,
570
00:32:53,289 --> 00:32:54,955
I'll punch him a shot in the mouth.
571
00:32:54,956 --> 00:32:57,392
Sammy Davis was a big visitor,
572
00:32:57,393 --> 00:32:58,859
as was Tony Bennett...
573
00:32:58,860 --> 00:33:00,895
Tony's gonna wail a little bit here.
574
00:33:00,896 --> 00:33:04,465
... who was a great friend
to playboy Cy Coleman,
575
00:33:04,466 --> 00:33:06,601
so it was just a litany
576
00:33:06,602 --> 00:33:09,670
of who the cream of the crop was
577
00:33:09,671 --> 00:33:11,906
in entertainment at that time.
578
00:33:20,215 --> 00:33:23,083
The success of Playboy's Penthouse
579
00:33:23,084 --> 00:33:24,685
only solidified our status
580
00:33:24,686 --> 00:33:27,488
as the top-selling men's
magazine in the country.
581
00:33:27,489 --> 00:33:29,424
Let's go for two. Thanks.
582
00:33:29,425 --> 00:33:32,360
We had a guaranteed circulation
583
00:33:32,361 --> 00:33:35,663
of over a million copies per month,
584
00:33:35,664 --> 00:33:40,902
and I was now running a
company worth over $20 million.
585
00:33:43,572 --> 00:33:47,207
This is Donna Lynn, our
Playmate for November,
586
00:33:47,208 --> 00:33:49,910
and if Donna doesn't look
exactly like a waitress...
587
00:33:49,911 --> 00:33:52,012
But while my business was going great...
588
00:33:52,013 --> 00:33:53,648
... that's because in Hollywood,
589
00:33:53,649 --> 00:33:55,249
the scene is a little different.
590
00:33:55,250 --> 00:33:57,552
... not everything in
my life was perfect.
591
00:33:57,553 --> 00:34:00,488
... pretty special things,
and we thought Donna
592
00:34:00,489 --> 00:34:02,757
was pretty special,
even by those standards.
593
00:34:02,758 --> 00:34:06,193
Hef invents the idea
of the modern bachelor
594
00:34:06,194 --> 00:34:09,564
without really knowing if
that person actually exists
595
00:34:09,565 --> 00:34:11,799
other than himself, and
to tell you the truth,
596
00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:13,501
he wasn't even that person.
597
00:34:13,502 --> 00:34:16,236
He was married and living in Chicago.
598
00:34:16,237 --> 00:34:19,608
We'll break for just a minute
and we'll be right back.
599
00:34:21,209 --> 00:34:23,678
I wasn't seeing him that much.
600
00:34:23,679 --> 00:34:27,782
We would do the holidays,
the family days, together,
601
00:34:27,783 --> 00:34:30,785
but we weren't acting
together as a couple.
602
00:34:30,786 --> 00:34:35,423
He lived his own life. He
didn't do it to be cruel.
603
00:34:35,424 --> 00:34:38,493
It hurt, but it wasn't
a deliberate cruelness.
604
00:34:38,494 --> 00:34:40,728
I always respected him,
605
00:34:40,729 --> 00:34:42,730
and I think he always respected me.
606
00:34:42,731 --> 00:34:45,366
I think we recognized
that we were dissimilar.
607
00:34:45,367 --> 00:34:47,768
We were dissimilar. And what I wanted,
608
00:34:47,769 --> 00:34:50,938
if I were in a marriage,
what I wanted from it
609
00:34:50,939 --> 00:34:52,608
is something he couldn't give me.
610
00:35:05,487 --> 00:35:10,024
After a decade of marriage,
Millie and I decided
611
00:35:10,025 --> 00:35:14,796
that the best thing for
both of us was a divorce.
612
00:35:20,836 --> 00:35:22,871
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
613
00:35:25,340 --> 00:35:27,908
I believed, initially, that marriage
614
00:35:27,909 --> 00:35:33,247
would be the answer
to my romantic dreams,
615
00:35:33,248 --> 00:35:35,150
and it wasn't.
616
00:35:37,853 --> 00:35:43,891
And I think that that
hurt and disappointment
617
00:35:43,892 --> 00:35:48,664
led me in another direction.
618
00:35:55,203 --> 00:36:00,074
Now that I was on my own,
nothing was stopping me
619
00:36:00,075 --> 00:36:04,311
from fully embracing
the Playboy lifestyle.
620
00:36:04,312 --> 00:36:10,417
So I did what every guy in
his thirties dreams of doing.
621
00:36:10,418 --> 00:36:14,121
I bought a bachelor pad.
622
00:36:21,997 --> 00:36:24,765
The four-story, 40-bedroom house
623
00:36:24,766 --> 00:36:26,834
was in the heart of Chicago.
624
00:36:26,835 --> 00:36:32,372
I dropped $400,000, or
about 3.2 million today.
625
00:36:34,910 --> 00:36:37,311
And if you think that sounds like a lot,
626
00:36:37,312 --> 00:36:41,282
I spent another ten times that
627
00:36:42,183 --> 00:36:44,719
on renovations.
628
00:36:44,720 --> 00:36:49,824
And let me tell you, it
was worth every penny.
629
00:36:51,593 --> 00:36:55,129
The main room is, of
course, my favorite.
630
00:36:55,130 --> 00:37:00,100
It has woodwork in it and
a size and magnificence
631
00:37:00,101 --> 00:37:03,504
that you rarely find in America today.
632
00:37:03,505 --> 00:37:05,606
It looks more as though it belongs
633
00:37:05,607 --> 00:37:07,174
on an English countryside
634
00:37:07,175 --> 00:37:10,878
than in the heart of
Chicago's near northside.
635
00:37:12,614 --> 00:37:15,516
The hi-fi here in the middle of the room
636
00:37:15,517 --> 00:37:18,386
was custom-built for the house,
637
00:37:18,787 --> 00:37:20,821
and down below the main room,
638
00:37:20,822 --> 00:37:23,624
we have the swimming pool.
639
00:37:23,625 --> 00:37:26,661
It's kind of like walking
into a part of Acapulco,
640
00:37:26,662 --> 00:37:28,095
I guess you might say.
641
00:37:28,096 --> 00:37:29,964
There are palm trees
there and a waterfall.
642
00:37:33,234 --> 00:37:36,336
Hef had a pool in his living room,
643
00:37:36,337 --> 00:37:38,038
but Hef didn't swim.
644
00:37:38,039 --> 00:37:41,375
Hef had the finest wine,
but he doesn't drink.
645
00:37:41,376 --> 00:37:43,911
He's the greatest host ever.
646
00:37:43,912 --> 00:37:46,413
It was about other people's pleasure,
647
00:37:46,414 --> 00:37:48,883
for other people to enjoy.
648
00:37:48,884 --> 00:37:50,651
In addition to housing
649
00:37:50,652 --> 00:37:53,821
Chicago's only private
indoor swimming pool,
650
00:37:53,822 --> 00:37:57,625
my mansion was fitted
with the latest technology,
651
00:37:57,626 --> 00:38:02,897
plus a bowling alley, hidden walkways,
652
00:38:02,898 --> 00:38:08,368
a movie theater, and a
full catering kitchen.
653
00:38:10,471 --> 00:38:12,573
This house in Chicago was amazing.
654
00:38:12,574 --> 00:38:15,009
Me and Peter Boyle, we started looking
655
00:38:15,010 --> 00:38:17,311
all around the place,
and we found ourselves
656
00:38:17,312 --> 00:38:20,180
in a swimming pool on the second floor.
657
00:38:20,181 --> 00:38:23,217
And there was this one place
where you slid down a pole
658
00:38:23,218 --> 00:38:25,452
and you got into this pillowed room
659
00:38:25,453 --> 00:38:28,355
that had a glass front
and that was the pool.
660
00:38:31,727 --> 00:38:36,230
But the most legendary room
of all was my master bedroom.
661
00:38:36,231 --> 00:38:40,167
I designed it to look like
something out of a Bond movie,
662
00:38:40,168 --> 00:38:44,038
and the centerpiece was
a circular, rotating bed.
663
00:38:44,039 --> 00:38:45,740
And the point of this, of course,
664
00:38:45,741 --> 00:38:48,008
is not simply a merry-go-round.
665
00:38:48,009 --> 00:38:49,744
It's really turned the room itself
666
00:38:49,745 --> 00:38:51,846
into four separate living sections
667
00:38:51,847 --> 00:38:54,381
so that I can have it
facing the hi-fi area,
668
00:38:54,382 --> 00:38:57,117
facing the TV over here,
669
00:38:57,118 --> 00:38:59,887
or for the work service
or the fireplace.
670
00:39:01,890 --> 00:39:06,493
I'd transformed the mansion
into a bachelor's paradise,
671
00:39:06,494 --> 00:39:09,429
and in December of 1961,
672
00:39:09,430 --> 00:39:13,533
I published a ten-page
spread in the magazine
673
00:39:13,534 --> 00:39:17,805
that gave my readers an inside look.
674
00:39:19,941 --> 00:39:21,541
Every decision that my dad made
675
00:39:21,542 --> 00:39:23,043
was about fostering the brand,
676
00:39:23,044 --> 00:39:26,213
so the mansion in
Chicago was a reflection
677
00:39:26,214 --> 00:39:28,615
of the brand's values,
which were his values.
678
00:39:28,616 --> 00:39:32,186
It was a place where you
could have a really good time
679
00:39:32,187 --> 00:39:36,456
but still find intellectual
conversation if you wanted to.
680
00:39:36,457 --> 00:39:38,458
It was an adult playground.
681
00:39:42,297 --> 00:39:44,699
With the introduction of the mansion,
682
00:39:44,700 --> 00:39:47,534
I literally got out from behind the desk
683
00:39:47,535 --> 00:39:50,370
and then it was party time.
684
00:40:02,283 --> 00:40:05,385
What had started out as my home
685
00:40:05,386 --> 00:40:10,325
had now become the
hottest spot in Chicago.
686
00:40:12,327 --> 00:40:15,662
I spent money and invested money
687
00:40:15,663 --> 00:40:18,866
in the future of this magazine
and company and this dream
688
00:40:18,867 --> 00:40:23,038
in a way that made no
kind of business sense.
689
00:40:24,973 --> 00:40:27,041
All reason and logic were gone,
690
00:40:27,042 --> 00:40:31,611
and everything I
touched turned into gold.
691
00:40:47,763 --> 00:40:52,166
I was living the life
I'd always dreamed of,
692
00:40:52,167 --> 00:40:58,105
and I'd finally become
the ultimate bachelor.
693
00:41:05,947 --> 00:41:10,947
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- www.addic7ed.com -
694
00:41:10,997 --> 00:41:15,547
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