Hugh Hefner, the indelible face and spirit of Playboy magazine, will be buried next to America’s first playmate Marilyn Monroe following his death on Wednesday.
Buried at Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles, Hefner purchased the grave next to the movie star icon shortly after her death in 1962, purchasing the plot for $75,000 in 1992, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Hefner died on Tuesday at the age of 91 from natural causes, according to a statement released by Playboy Enterprises.
The first issue of Playboy featured Marilyn Monroe and was published in December 1953
Hefner will be buried next to Hollywood starlet Marilyn Monroe at Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles
Hefner was born on April 9, 1926 in Chicago, Illinois, and went on to become a millionaire after founding the influential men’s magazine in 1953.
The magazine hit with a splash, selling 50,000 copies of its first issue published in December 1953- which featured Monroe on the cover – and went on to have seven million subscribers by its second year.
Playboy Publisher Hugh Hefner with his girlfriend Barbara Brenton
Born Norma Jeane Mortenson in 1926, Monroe would become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars and an American sex symbol for a generation.
Monroe’s films would gross over $200 million dollars in the decade leading up to her death, which came at the hands of a drug overdose.
Hefner’s son, Cooper Hefner, who is also the chief creative officer of Playboy Enterprises, said: ‘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.
‘He defined a lifestyle and ethos that lie at the heart of the Playboy brand, one of the most recognizable and enduring in history.
‘He will be greatly missed by many, including his wife Crystal, my sister Christie and my brothers David and Marston, and all of us at Playboy Enterprises.’
Hefner will join a number of Hollywood celebrities buried at the famous Los Angeles cemetery, including musician Roy Orbison, writer Truman Capote and iconic entertainer Dean Martin.
Marilyn Monroe on patio outside of her home in Los Angeles (Pictured: Mat 1953)
The Los Angeles cemetery is the final resting place to a number of celeberties, including Roy Orbison and Dean Martin