An Australian friend of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner has given a fascinating insight into what life at his famous mansion was really like before his death.
Speaking to The Morning Show on Tuesday – after American mogul Hefner died of natural causes at the Playboy Mansion aged 91 – publicist Amanda Archer revealed what went on behind the doors of his home when she visited.
Amanda, who is a best friend of Hefner’s wife Crystal and was a guest at their wedding in 2012, described the mansion as being a ‘very family orientated and warm’ place to be in the last years of Hefner’s life.
Australian publicist Amanda Archer (pictured right) has given a fascinating insight into what life at Hugh Hefner’s famous Playboy Mansion was really like
Amanda (second from left), who is a best friend of Hefner’s wife Crystal, described the mansion as being a ‘family orientated and warm’ place to be in the last years of Hefner’s life
‘He [Hefner] was married to Crystal so there wasn’t lots of girls,’ the LA-based publicist said.
‘He was a one woman man once he was married to her. It was a very family based environment in the last few years for sure.’
Whilst the public perception of the Playboy Mansion may well be one of wild parties and risqué behaviour, Amanda said there was a very different side to it.
‘We would do lots of things during the day cycling, day spas, go shopping, and then there would always be dinner each night at the mansion and movies and just a lot of time was spent there, that was where everyone congregated,’ she said.
Whilst the public perception of the Playboy Mansion may well be one of wild parties and risque behaviour, Amanda said that there was a very different side too
Amanda (pictured right with Crystal Hefner) was a regular visitor to the mansion over the years and revealed that dinner time was at 5.30pm
‘He built this place and it was where he did all of his socialising and all the family came there to visit him and it all just happened there.’
Amanda, who has been a regular visitor over the years also revealed that dinner time was at 5.30pm.
‘We would have to be there at 5.30pm because at 6.30pm the movie would start,’ she said.
Hugh Hefner (pictured left) died of natural causes at his mansion at the age of 91 – leaving behind his wife Crystal (pictured)
Amanda (pictured) had very fond memories of the cheese sandwiches on offer at the Playboy Mansion – describing them as ‘amazing’
‘It was a very family based environment in the last few years for sure,’ Amanda (far right) said of the mansion
‘It was a very early dinner and after the movie we would all stay back for drinks and they would have to bring out plates of cheese sandwiches and guacamole.
‘The cheese sandwiches were amazing! The simple things in life,’ she added.
Amanda said that whilst during wild parties, some people would shun clothing in order to wear body paint instead, that wasn’t always the case.
‘On the normal nights everybody would just rock up in our yoga clothes.
‘It was very casual on movie nights – it definitely wasn’t a flashy affair,’ she said.
Amanda said that whilst during wild parties (pictured is one party) some people would shun clothing in order to wear body paint instead, that wasn’t always the case
‘On the normal nights everybody would just rock up in our yoga clothes. It was very casual on movie nights – it definitely wasn’t a flashy affair,’ Amanda said (pictured is a party at the mansion)
Hefner employed around 60 staff on party nights and kept a security guard at the top of the stairs, Amanda revealed – but she went on to say she would remember the icon mostly for his generous nature.
‘He was so generous… there was a family of people who would be up there there for four or five nights a week,’ she said.
‘He put dinner on for everybody, he put all the holidays on for everybody, if we wanted to go shopping he would get a limo and send a group of us out.
‘He always made things so special for everyone around him,’ she concluded.