Playboy February 1973 February 1973 Magazine Back Issue

3 PLAYBILL
9 DEAR PLAYBOY
19 PLAYBOY AFTER HOURS
20 ACTS AND ENTERTAINMENTS
22 BOOKS
26 MOVIES
31 RECORDINGS
34 THEATER
39 THE PLAYBOY ADVISOR
43 THE PLAYBOY FORUM
51 PLAYBOY INTERVIEW: MILTON FRIEDMAN—candid conversation
70 JACK, THE TRAVELER'S FRIEND—fiction PAUL THEROUX
75 THE ZIEGFELD GIRLS—pictorial: Susan Clark
80 THE SPARTANS OF INDOCHINA—article TOM BUCKLEY
82 IN SEARCH OF LOVE'S SURE THING—pictorial DOUG TAYLOR
86 THE DIGGER'S GAME—fiction GEORGE V. HIGGINS
88 KEEP IT CLEAN—humor CALVIN TRILLIN
93 FIREPOT PARTY—food THOMAS MARIO
94 THE VARGAS GIRL—pictorial ALBERTO VARGAS
96 GONE IN OCTOBER—article JOHN CLELLON HOLMES
100 CLASS ACT—playboy's playmate of the month
108 PLAYBOY'S PARTY JOKES—humor
110 THE POWDER AND THE GLORY—article JOHN SKOW
113 SITTING PRETTY—modern living
118 OH, LITTLE TOWN OF MILLIONAIRES—article DOUGLAS BAUER
121 WHAT YOUR SEX FANTASIES MEAN—quiz
125 TROUBLE IN PARADISE—article JOHN KNOWLES
126 TEAM SPIRIT—attire ROBERT L. GREEN
131 TWO TO "TANGO"—pictorial
134 MARIA—pictorial
139 THE MAGIC RING—ribald classic JEAN DE LA FONTAINE
141 JAZZ & POP '73—article NAT HENTOFF
156 ON THE SCENE—personalities
192 PLAYBOY POTPOURRI

• Covergirl Jeanette Larson (Not Nude) photographed by Pompeo Posar
• Playmate of the Month is Cyndi Wood photographed by Pompeo Posar
• What Your Sex Fantasies Mean
• The Search For Superskiing
• The Town That Grows Millionaires
• Our Jazz & Pop Poll Winners
• Milton Friedman interviewed by Playboy

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.