Hugh Hefner Dead at 91: Stars Remember the Playboy Founder and "Hollywood Legend"

Coco, Kim Kardashian, Larry King, Ryan Seacrest and more celebrities comment on the life and death of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner

By Zach Johnson Sep 28, 2017 12:00 PMTags

News of Hugh Hefner's death has sent shock waves through the Hollywood community.

The famed publisher, who introduced the world to Playboy magazine in 1953, died Wednesday from natural causes at his home, The Playboy Mansion, a rep told E! News. He was 91 years old. Two of American icon's most famous ex-girlfriends—Girls Next Door stars Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett—were among the first to publicly express their condolences.

Hugh is survived by his wife, Crystal Hefner, and four grown children.

As Hollywood mourns his death, celebrities are continuing to share their grief via social media:

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Hugh Hefner: A Life in Pictures
Dan Tuffs/Getty Images

"Hugh Hefner was a legend. I am very thankful he made me part of the Playboy family," MTV reality star Heidi Montag, who posed for the magazine in 2009, tells E! News in an exclusive statement. "Sending my prayers and love to Crystal Hefner, his sons and entire family. RIP."

Information regarding Hugh's memorial services is not available at this time.

"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," son Cooper Hefner, Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises, told E! News in a statement. "He defined a lifestyle and ethos that lie at the heart of the Playboy brand, one of the most recognizable and enduring in history..."