Celebrity

Hugh Hefner Left His Wife Out Of His Will

Hugh Hefner recently passed away, but it would be a lie to say he didn't live a good life.

In 1953, the iconic Playboy magazine was launched by Hefner, who hadn't hit 30 years old yet.

"It was an exciting time because I had no idea how things would turn out," Hefner said. "I launched the magazine on $5000 dollars. My mother loaned me $1000. The first issue came out at the end of 1953. I knew I needed something original. I had a photographer shoot a 3D feature for the first issue and learned it would cost too much money. When the 3D thing turned out to be too expensive, at that same moment I came across the photos of Marilyn Monroe. People had heard about it but they hadn't seen it. And that was the first issue."

Hugh Hefner in 1955ABC News

Hefner was married to his childhood sweetheart, Mildred Williams from 1949 to 1959. Together, they had two children, Christie and David.

"I was an absent dad. Once the magazine started, I really had two families," Hefner revealed to People. "The dream was the magazine. I worked through the night all the time."

Hugh and MildredAll Famous Things

After their marriage fell apart, Hefner had many girlfriends. He married again in 1989, this time to Kimberely Conrad. Together, they had two sons, Martson and Cooper.

"I was more into the marriage the second time," Hefner confessed. "It was good. I was ready to be a dad again...having two boys was a parallel of my own childhood, my brother and I."

Hugh, Kimberley, and their two sons, Marston and Cooper.EzineMark

The couple separated in 1998 but didn't officially divorce until 11 years later in 2010. In 2012, Hefner married his third wife, Crystal Harris. Despite their 60-year age gap, the two seemed to be in love.

"I didn't give [getting married again] a lot of thought," said Hefner in an interview. "I wasn't really planning on getting married. She indicated that she wanted. And I don't think either one of us has ever regretted it. We're very happy together. I'm not sure how, but something clicked there very quickly. Crystal is one in a million. I feel very lucky to have her in my life in this way."

When Hefner passed away, he left behind a $43 million fortune, not to mention the $100 million he made off selling the Playboy Mansion. He had $36million worth of stocks and bonds and $6million in a joint account with an unnamed person. His monthly earnings from the magazine only totaled $100,000, with the rest coming from his pension.

However, if Crystal thought this was a game of "wait it out and then get rich," you would be wrong.

When Crystal and Hefner got married, it's reported that Crystal signed an incredibly ironclad pre-nup agreement.

AFP/The Sun

Pre-nups usually stipulate how much money the spouse without a fortune to their name will receive upon divorce or death. In this case, how much Crystal would get if Hugh died or left. However, pre-nups don't always negate wills. If Hefner wanted to leave Harris his entire fortune, all he had to do was say so in his will.

But he didn't.

People

According to multiple sources, Hefner left his entire fortune to "his children, the University of Southern California film school and a variety of charities." That being said, she will apparently be "well looked after," whatever that means.

Although it's entirely possible that Crystal and Hugh were just two people in love, it's hard to believe she wasn't a hoping a tiny bit to inherit his fortune.

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