Hugh Marston Hefner (Born 1926) American Watercolor on Paper Measure 18"in H x 13 1/2"in W and 23"in H x 18"in W with frame Biography: Hugh Marston Hefner was born in Chicago, IL on April 9, 1926. After serving in the Army during World War II, Hefner studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and majored in psychology at the University of Illinois. He then created pen and ink cartoons and other illustrations for Esquire magazine until 1953 when he started his own magazine, Playboy. By 1970 he had built Playboy Enterprises into a major corporation and was dividing his time between Chicago and Los Angeles. Edan Hughes, author of the book "Artists in California, 1786-1940" Provenance: It belongs to the private collection of Cesar Alvarez, a collector and antique dealer from Coral Gables.