American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story

Watch American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story

  • TV-MA
  • 2017
  • 1 Season
  • 7.5  (2,419)

American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story is a docudrama series created by Amazon in 2017. It tells the story of Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy magazine, and his remarkable journey from a young man with limited resources to a global icon of pop culture. The show features Matt Whelan as the adult Hefner, Emmett Skilton as a younger version, and Adam Jonas Segaller as Hugh's father.

The series opens with Hugh Hefner's childhood in Chicago in the 1930s. It quickly becomes clear that Hefner's upbringing was far from ordinary. His parents were devout Methodists, and his father was a stern disciplinarian who worked as an accountant. Hefner, on the other hand, was a curious and creative child, who showed an early interest in the female form.

As Hugh grows up, he becomes more and more interested in sex and sexuality. He works for a time as a copywriter at Esquire magazine, but he eventually leaves to start his own publication. The first issue of Playboy is released in December 1953, and it features Marilyn Monroe on the cover. The magazine is an instant success, and Hefner becomes a household name.

Over the course of the series, we see Hugh navigate the ups and downs of his personal and professional life. He becomes a fixture of Sixties counterculture, and he is known for his epic parties at the Playboy Mansion. However, he also faces criticism from feminists and religious groups, who see Playboy as exploitative and immoral. And his own personal life is marked by multiple marriages, affairs, and financial difficulties.

American Playboy is told through a mixture of scripted scenes and documentary-style interviews with real people who knew Hefner. The show also features archival footage and photographs from Hefner's life. This approach gives the series a unique blend of fact and fiction, and it allows viewers to get a sense of the real Hugh Hefner behind the public persona.

One of the standout features of American Playboy is the attention to detail in the set and costume design. The series is set over several decades, and the production team has done an outstanding job of recreating the look and feel of each era. The show's soundtrack is also a highlight, featuring music from the Sixties and Seventies that perfectly captures the mood of the time.

Despite its subject matter, American Playboy is not a salacious or sensationalist show. It presents a nuanced and complex portrait of Hugh Hefner, showing both his admirable qualities and his less than admirable ones. The series also touches on important social and cultural issues, such as the sexual revolution, the civil rights movement, and the Vietnam war.

Overall, American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story is an engaging and well-crafted series that will appeal to a wide range of viewers. Whether you're a fan of Playboy magazine or just interested in the social and cultural history of the United States, this show is definitely worth a watch.

American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story is a series that ran for 1 seasons (10 episodes) between April 7, 2017 and on Amazon

American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story
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Seasons
My Way
10. My Way
April 7, 2017
With Playboy on the brink of bankruptcy, Hefner sacrifices friends and leans on family - handing over the reins to his daughter, Christie. Meanwhile, Hefner breaks his promise to never marry again and gets a second chance at fatherhood as Playboy navigates into the 21st
Down the Rabbit Hole: The Dorothy Stratten Murder
9. Down the Rabbit Hole: The Dorothy Stratten Murder
April 7, 2017
After the death of Bobbie Arnstein, Hugh Hefner retreats permanently to his Los Angeles mansion where he hosts some of Playboy
Sex, Drugs and DEA Investigations
8. Sex, Drugs and DEA Investigations
April 7, 2017
When Bobbie Arnstein - Hugh Hefners secretary and close friend - is arrested in a small-time drug deal, the federal government sees the perfect opportunity to take down the Playboy empire. Hefner is forced to distance himself from Bobbie and the consequences prove deadly.
Below The Belt: Playboy and the Pubic Wars
7. Below The Belt: Playboy and the Pubic Wars
April 7, 2017
Playboy hops across the pond to open a London club and Hugh Hefner falls for UCLA co-ed Barbi Benton while filming his new TV show in Los Angeles. Meanwhile the magazine goes to battle against Penthouse, whose explicit photographs are quickly winning over readers.
Rebel with a Cause: Civil Liberties and Government Crackdowns
6. Rebel with a Cause: Civil Liberties and Government Crackdowns
April 7, 2017
Hefner becomes addicted to an amphetamine drug that turns him into a tyrant of a boss but lets him work around the clock, using the pages of the magazine to fight for civil rights. Playboy lands an interview with Martin Luther King, Jr, and after the leader
The Playboy Interview (
5. The Playboy Interview (
April 7, 2017
Hugh Hefner creates the Playboy Interview, giving a platform to cultural leaders to discuss pressing social issues, and publishes a controversial interview with Malcolm X. While the magazine becomes a voice for political change, a revealing photo spread of a Hollywood starlet lands Hefner behind bars on obscenity charges.
Members Only: The Playboy Club
4. Members Only: The Playboy Club
April 7, 2017
Hugh Hefner makes Playboys bachelor lifestyle accessible to the public by opening the first Playboy Club in Chicago. He supervises the clubs every detail, holding a nationwide casting call for a team of hostesses who will soon become iconic - the Playboy bunnies.
Becoming Mr. Playboy
3. Becoming Mr. Playboy
April 7, 2017
During the mid-1950s, Hugh Hefner becomes the face of Playboy and uses his fame to speak out about social issues. Playboy
Birth of the Centerfold: The Girl Next Door
2. Birth of the Centerfold: The Girl Next Door
April 7, 2017
Hugh Hefner launches a magazine for the modern, post-war American man and it hits the stands to great success. When the new subscription manager catches Hefner
Before the Bunny: Marilyn Monroe
1. Before the Bunny: Marilyn Monroe
April 7, 2017
Unfulfilled by family life and a desk job, Hugh Hefner strikes out against American puritanical values by launching a magazine that celebrates sex. He creates the first issue of Playboy from his kitchen table with the help of Marilyn Monroe as his first pin-up girl.
Description
Where to Watch American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story
American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story is available for streaming on the Amazon website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story on demand at Amazon Prime.
  • Premiere Date
    April 7, 2017
  • IMDB Rating
    7.5  (2,419)