Hugh Hefner, Founder and chief creative officer of Playboy Enterprises, was found dead of natural causes Sunday morning at his home, the Playboy Mansion, in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles police officer Jimmy N. Gardner. He was 91.
Last year Hefner sold the mansion for $100 million, the biggest home sale ever recorded in Los Angeles County. As part of the sale, Hefner was allowed to remain in residence for the remainder of his life; Playboy Enterprises agreed to pay $1 million a year to lease the property until his death.
Hefner was a native of Chicago, Illinois and a former journalist for Esquire. He was best known for being the founder and chief creative officer of Playboy Enterprises. A multi-millionaire, his net worth was over $43 million due to his success as the founder of Playboy magazine. Hefner was also a political activist and philanthropist active in several causes and public issues. He was a World War II veteran.