Hugh Hefner and BHugh Hefner and Bob Guccione come to the industry from very different families. Hefner from a stern, Puritan upbringing that left him frustrated and yearning for affection. Guccione from a large, loving Italian-American clan. Hefner wants to be somebody, and he sees an opening in the field for a lifestyle magazine combining intelligent writing on pop culture and social issues with photos of sexy women. Playboy is revolutionary. It takes off, big time...
The sexual revolution that Hugh Hefner helped set in motion is entering a new phase. Male Baby Boomers are all grown up. Now, they've got power. They’ve got money. And they want to spend it on pictures of beautiful, naked women. It’s a wildly lucrative market, and Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione wants a piece of the action. A big piece. Playboy rules in the United States, but London-based Guccione is set to bring Penthouse stateside. He’s ready to challenge Hefner on his own turf...
It’s the early 1970s, and mainstream culture is embracing X-rated material. What was once considered sordid and offensive is now hip and cutting edge. The era of Porno Chic is in full bloom. Hugh Hefner is riding high. His Playboy empire is vast. He has wealth, women, and the magazine is selling nearly seven million copies a month. He seems untouchable. But trouble is on the horizon: Guccione is determined to take Hefner down. Penthouse is gaining momentum...
Playboy and Penthouse once defined the adult genre. Now, they’re now fighting to stay relevant. Hardcore porn, accommodating almost any taste, is available on video tape and cable television, a mere remote click away. Hefner and Guccione are facing the inescapable vagaries of getting older in a young man’s game. Sex industry rivals are coming and they’ll be followed by even bigger guns. But the aging warriors aren’t surrendering yet. Summary See Privacy Policy at https://art19...