Hugh Hefner started Playboy with $600 and a photo of Marilyn Monroe

Playboy Began with $600 and a Marilyn Monroe Surprise

In 1953, Hugh Hefner borrowed $600 from his mom to launch the first Playboy magazine. He used a nude photo of Marilyn Monroe—taken years earlier—without her permission. Monroe had no idea she’d be the cover star. The gamble paid off. That first issue sold over 50,000 copies and launched a cultural empire. One borrowed check, one surprise cover, and Playboy was born.
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