Playboy (USA) — February 1964

1 PLAYBILL
5 DEAR PLAYBOY
9 PLAYBOY AFTER HOURS
19 THE PLAYBOY ADVISOR
27 PLAYBOY'S INTERNATIONAL DATEBOOK—travel PATRICK CHASE
29 THE PLAYBOY PANEL: JAZZ—TODAY AND TOMORROW—discussion
41 THE PLAYBOY FORUM
45 THE PLAYBOY PHILOSOPHY—editorial HUGH M. HEFNER
48 SILVERSTEIN'S HISTORY OF PLAYBOY—humor SHEL SILVERSTEIN
59 THE 1964 PLAYBOY ALL-STARS—jazz NAT HENTOFF
66 THE PLAYBOY LP LIBRARY—modern living
70 BIFFEN'S MILLIONS—novel P. G. WODEHOUSE
73 JOE MEETS SAM—satire JAMES RANSOM
76 IN BED WITH BECKET—pictorial
83 THE NIGHTMARE—fiction PAT FRANK
87 THE HIDE OF FASHION—attire ROBERT L. GREEN
91 WHERE DOES IT SAY IN FREUD?—fiction JACK RAPHAEL GUSS
92 GEORGIA PEACH—Playboy's playmate of the month, Nancy Jo Hooper
98 PLAYBOY'S PARTY JOKES—humor
101 THE MONEYGRABBERS—article MURRAY TEIGH BLOOM
105 SOUNDS OF '64—modern living
111 SYMBOLIC SEX—humor DON ADDIS
113 MAMIE—pictorial
121 LADY LUCK AND THE LYRICIST—humor JACK SHARKEY
123 ANGELIQUE'S DELIGHTFUL DECEPTION—ribald classic
124 THE HIPPEST OF SQUARES—attire ROBERT L. GREEN
126 HOW TO TALK DIRTY AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE—autobiography LENNY BRUCE
129 PLAYMATES REVISITED-1954—pictorial

• Covergirl Cynthia Maddox (Nude) photographed by Pompeo Posar
• Playmate of the Month is Nancy Jo Hooper photographed by Pompeo Posar
• "The Moneygrabbers" by Murray Teigh Bloom
• "How to Talk Dirty and Influence People: Part Five of an Autobiography" by Lenny Bruce.
• 1954 Playmates Revisited: Marilyn Waltz, Arline Hunter, Margie Harrison, Margaret Scott and More!
• In Bed with "Becket"
• Ralph J. Gleason, Stan Kenton, Charles Mingus and More interviewed by The Playboy Panel

Playboy's original title was to be "Stag Party," but an unrelated outdoor magazine, Stag, contacted Hefner and informed him that they would legally protect their trademark if he were to launch his magazine with that name. Hefner and co-founder and executive vice president Eldon Sellers met to discuss the problem and to seek a new name. Sellers, whose mother had worked for the short-lived Playboy Automobile Company in Chicago, suggested the name "Playboy".

The first issue, published in December 1953, did not carry a date, as Hugh Hefner was unsure whether there would be a second issue. The first centerfold was Marilyn Monroe, although the picture used had originally been taken for a calendar, rather than for Playboy. The first issue was an immediate sensation; it sold out within a matter of weeks. Known circulation was 53,991 (Source: Playboy Collector's Association Playboy Magazine Price Guide). The cover price was 50¢. Copies of the first issue in Mint to Near Mint condition fetched over $8,000 in 2007.

The famous logo, depicting the stylized profile of a rabbit wearing a tuxedo bow tie, was designed by art designer Art Paul for the magazine's second issue and has appeared on every issue since; a running joke in the magazine involves hiding the logo somewhere in the cover art or photograph. Hefner said that he chose the rabbit as a mascot for its "humorous sexual connotation", and because the image was "frisky and playful".

An urban legend started about Hefner and the Playmates of the Month because of markings on the front covers of the magazine. From 1955 to 1979 (except for a six month gap in 1976), the "P" in Playboy had a number of stars printed in or around the letter. The legend stated that this was either a rating that Hefner gave to the Playmate according to how attractive she was, the number of times that Hefner had slept with her, or how good she was in bed. The stars, which ranged in number between zero and twelve, actually indicated the domestic or international advertising region for that printing.

Since reaching its peak in the 1970s, Playboy has seen a decline in circulation and cultural relevance because of increased competition in the field it founded — first from Penthouse, Oui, and Gallery in the 1970s; later from pornographic videos; and more recently from lad mags such as Maxim, FHM, and Stuff. In response Playboy has attempted to re-assert its hold on the 18–35 male demographic it once controlled through slight changes to its content and focusing on issues and personalities more appropriate to its audience—such as hip-hop artists being featured in the Playboy Interview.

Christie Hefner, a daughter of Hugh Hefner, became the CEO of Playboy in 1988 and is now also the Chairman of the Board.

The magazine celebrated its 50th Anniversary with the January 2004 issue. Celebrations were held at Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, and Moscow during the year to commemorate this event.

Circulation
The best-selling Playboy edition was the November 1972 edition, which sold 7,161,561 copies. One-fourth of all American college men were buying the magazine every month. It is interesting to note that although this issue is available in abundance, it is very difficult for collectors to find this issue in excellent condition. The black ink on the cover wore off easily and it is difficult to find this issue with a bright clean crisp black color. A Near Mint copy of this issue is a hard find.

Perhaps coincidentally, a cropped image of the issue's centerfold (which featured Lena Soderberg) became a standard image for testing image processing algorithms. It is known simply as the "Lenna" (also "Lena") image in that field.

Today, Playboy is still the largest selling men's magazine selling about two million copies a month in the U.S.