Playboy's Fifth Anniversary Scrapbook

Silverstein reports back to Playboy on the Geisha girl situation in Tokyo at beginning of his world travels in May of 1957.

Back in the fall of 1953 Editor-Publisher Hugh M. Hefner beat out copy for the first issue of Playboy in his Chicago apartment, which served as the magazine's office for the first three issues. Hefner started Playboy with $600 of his own money and a few hundred more borrowed from friends.

Figure studies of Anita Ekberg caused a sensation when they appeared in the August 1956 issue of Playboy along with the story of sculptor Sepy Dobronyi's bronze statue of the famous film beauty. Statue now stands in Cuban Art Center in Havana.

The original pre-publication title of the magazine was Stag Party and it wasn't changed to Playboy until just before the first issue went to press; Playboy's now-famous rabbit, who bid readers welcome to Volume 1, Number 1, was very nearly a stag, as the two versions of the drawing above illustrate.

The original pre-publication title of the magazine was Stag Party and it wasn't changed to Playboy until just before the first issue went to press; Playboy's now-famous rabbit, who bid readers welcome to Volume 1, Number 1, was very nearly a stag, as the two versions of the drawing above Illustrate.

Neiman's first fashion illustration for the magazine (Jan. 1955) showed the lean Ivy look that Playboy championed in the issues that followed.

Above, Black Country, September 1954, introduced readers to two of Playboy's most popular contributors, writer Charles Beaumont and artist LeRoy Neiman. The story remains one of the finest pieces of jazz fiction ever written; the illustration was honored with an exhibition by the Chicago Art Director's Club.

Below, tasty text and illustration have helped make Thomas Mario's food and drink articles a favorite feature from the earliest issues.

Hefner discusses a layout problem on one of the early issues with Art Director Arthur Paul, the man responsible for the magazine's award-winning art and design. Paul was one of the first to join the Playboy staff.

Subscription Manager Janet Pilgrim became Playmate of the Month in July 1955. Here clowning with Publisher Hugh Hefner at photo studio, Janet is wearing bathing suit for cover shot, Hefner sports top hat and tails used in background of Playmate pose.

Cole's first Female, "The Spinster," appeared in June 1954.

Playmate Barbara Cameron looks on while photographer affixes a paper leaf to tree for the November 1955 cover. Playboy covers are usually collages made up of several photographic and art elements. The rabbit has appeared on every cover but the very first.

Playboy's Penthouse Apartment, presented in a dozen full-color pages in the September and October 1956 issues, has drawn more mail than any other feature published to date, including the Playmates. The article described in detail the design plans and furnishings of an ideal bachelor's apartment. Most readers wanted information on where to purchase various items pictured, some requested blueprints in order to actually duplicate the apartment for themselves.

Early in 1957 the staff moved into the handsome, $750,000 Playboy Building. It has become a meeting place for artists, writers, show business personalities, jazz greats; more than an office building, it is a center of sophisticated activity in Chicago.

June "The Bosom" Wilkinson came over to the Playboy Building to have her picture taken.

Johnny Mathis stopped by to say "hello" sporting a pair of Playboy Cuff links.

"Contrary to popular Western beliefs, the Geisha girl confines her entertainment to singing, dancing, playing a musical instrument..."

Playboy's beavers: Executive Editor Ray Russell, artist LeRoy Neiman, Ass't Art Director Jerry White, cartoonist Shel Silverstein. Silverstein has had his whiskers for two years, but the others began growing theirs after the July article on beards.

Playmate Lisa Winters lounges prettily in Playboy's executive offices in an abbreviated sun-suit. The building is beautified not only by models, but by the magazine's secretarial staff, which ranks among the prettiest in any office, anywhere.

Denison's sophisticated sports car cartoons appealed to both readers' sense of humor and interest in cars.

Janet Pilgrim was guest of honor at Dartmouth during an all-Playboy weekend at that very Ivy college, in the heart of conservative New England. She won the hearts of all on campus, faculty included, and Playboy reported the remarkable event in its October 1956 issue.

The Fly, described as "one of the most throat-drying, palm-moistening, spine-icing horror stories" ever published when it first appeared in Playboy in June of 1957, was turned into a big-budget movie thriller this year by 20th Century-Fox Studios.

Typical of the magazine's unusual approach in art, a story by Ray Bradbury in the January 1957 issue was illustrated by Picasso drawings never before printed in America.

A formal photo of Editor-Publisher Hugh M. Hefner taken in the Playboy Studio five years after conceiving his dream of an entertainment magazine for the urban man. For the future, Hefner and staff hope to make Playboy the best men's magazine in the world.