Stephen David Entertainment and Alta Loma Entertainment Pact to Produce "AMERICAN PLAYBOY: The Hugh Hefner Story, Mini-Series Based on the Life of Playboy's Founder"
Jan 12, 2016, 12:00 ET
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Stephen David Entertainment (SDE – a Banijay Group company) and Playboy's Alta Loma Entertainment will co-produce a mini-series on the life of Playboy founder and American icon Hugh Hefner and his legendary company, one of the world's most recognizable brands. AMERICAN PLAYBOY: The Hugh Hefner Story will begin production in 2016. Stephen David will Executive Produce the project with Alta Loma executives Peter Jaysen and Dick Rosenzweig. The production partners are currently entertaining offers.
AMERICAN PLAYBOY: The Hugh Hefner Story will benefit from unprecedented access to Mr. Hefner's vast video and photographic archives, which have documented the daily life of the mercurial Editor In Chief from 1953 to today. In addition, Playboy Enterprises will open its archives, which include more than 60 years of the pages of its iconic magazine, as well as previously unpublished material.
Told in the groundbreaking "hybrid" docudrama style of other SDE productions, AMERICAN PLAYBOY spans over six decades of American history, telling the dual narrative of Hefner's personal life, intertwined with the evolution of the country he sought to change. What started in December 1953 with a nude centerfold of Marilyn Monroe, transformed into Hefner's personal vision of what America could be – Playboy became a high-minded, egalitarian magazine, placing Hefner on the frontlines of the country's greatest struggles. Not merely a sexual revolutionary, Hefner fought for free speech, civil rights, nuclear disarmament, women's rights and more. From publishing blacklisted writers to freeing prisoners of repressive sexual legislation, to battling with J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI and Jerry Falwell, Hefner used his media empire and public persona to espouse a progressive philosophy far ahead of his time.
"When I started Playboy magazine in 1953, I couldn't imagine the incredible journey that was to follow and that Playboy would have such a significant voice in the discussion of our ever-changing culture," said Playboy Founder, Hugh Hefner. "I'm pleased that this docu-series will help serve as a reminder of where we've been and how we've evolved as a society, but more importantly my hope is that it will inspire others to pursue their dreams."
As the force behind the EMMY award-winning series THE MEN WHO BUILT AMERICA, the EMMY-nominated THE WORLD WARS and THE MAKING OF THE MOB: NEW YORK, SDE has a proven track record producing successful hybrid-genre programs that use a combination of traditional documentary techniques integrated with scripted storytelling elements. Production on AMERICAN PLAYBOY will begin early this year. SDE is currently in production of THE WEST and the second season of THE MAKING OF THE MOB for AMC.
"Hugh Hefner is a fascinating, enigmatic personality and I couldn't be more excited to partner with Alta Loma and Banijay to bring his story to life," said Stephen David. "As a brand, Playboy has unparalleled international recognition, and we look forward to reaching audiences around the world."
"Time and time again, Hugh Hefner went up against very powerful forces in our society to fight for those who could not speak for themselves," said Scott Flanders, Chief Executive Officer of Playboy Enterprises. "Now, with the help of this incredible team, the rest of the world will know just what a catalyst Hef was for positive social change in the United States and around the world."
Alta Loma Entertainment is currently in production of the television series YOU ME HER starring Greg Poehler, Rachel Blanchard, and Priscilla Faia for Direct TV and Eone Television which is slated to premiere on March 8, 2016.
About Stephen David Entertainment
Stephen David Entertainment (SDE) – a Banijay Group Company – is an Emmy® Award-winning, New York-based production company with its own in-house post-facility. SDE counts The Men Who Built America, The World Wars and The Making of the Mob: New York among its popular, hybrid documentary series. In the five years since its inception, SDE has developed numerous docudrama mini-series and select scripted projects, utilizing high-end production techniques and cutting-edge VFX. In 2014 and 2015, SDE was named to Realscreen's Global 100 list of top production companies.
About Alta Loma Entertainment
Alta Loma Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Playboy Enterprises, Inc., a media and lifestyle company that markets the brand through a wide range of media properties and licensing initiatives. Playboy is one of the most recognized and popular consumer brands in the world. The company publishes Playboy magazine in the United States and licenses foreign editions of Playboy around the world; operates Playboy.com, a leading men's lifestyle and entertainment site; and creates content for distribution via feature films, television networks, websites, mobile platforms and radio. Through licensing agreements, the Playboy brand appears on a wide range of consumer products in more than 180 countries, as well as retail stores and entertainment venues. For more information about Playboy Enterprises, please visit www.PlayboyEnterprises.com.
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SOURCE Playboy Enterprises, Inc.