One of the more influential men of the 20th century has died.

Hugh Hefner, who introduced the world to Playboy magazine in 1953, passed away from natural causes on Wednesday.
 

The 91-year-old took his final breaths at his iconic Playboy Mansion, surrounded by loved ones.

Hefner started Playboy from his kitchen table 64 years ago and has turned the groundbreaking magazine into one of the world’s more recognizable brands.

In the process, Playboy became the largest-selling and most influential men’s magazine in the world.
 

It’s currently published in more than 20 countries around the world and products featuring the company’s trademarks drive more than $1 billion in annual sales.

"My father lived an exceptional and impactful life as a media and cultural pioneer and a leading voice behind some of the most significant social and cultural movements of our time in advocating free speech, civil rights and sexual freedom,” said Hugh’s son and current CCO of Playboy, Cooper Hefner. “He defined a lifestyle and ethos that lie at the heart of the Playboy brand, one of the most recognizable and enduring in history.”

Before creating Playboy, Hefner served in the Army, attended college and worked for a number of years in the magazine publishing industry.
 

Photo Credit: Hugh Hefner on Facebook
 

He became convinced that there was a market for an upscale men’s magazine and was quickly proved right.

After putting up his furniture as collateral for a loan and borrowing the rest from family and friends, he published the first issue of Playboy in December 1953 and it was an instant sensation.

While the magazine earned a reputation from some, the magazine wasn’t only about pictures of beautiful women.
 

Photo Credit: Hugh Hefner on Facebook
 

Hefner took a progressive approach not only to sexuality and humour, but also to literature, politics and culture.

The magazine has published fiction from writers like Ian Fleming, Joseph Heller, Jack Kerouac, Margaret Atwood, Charles Beaumont, Ray Bradbury and many more.

While the internet has hurt Playboy in a sense, the brand continues to be well known and influential brand around the world.
 

Hefner is survived by his wife Crystal and his four children, Christie, David, Marston and Cooper.

Playboy’s website was transformed on Thursday to simply show a classic picture of Hefner with a popular quote from the American icon.

“Life is too short to be living somebody else’s dream.”
 

Photo Credit: Playboy