Hugh Hefner
(1926-2017)
Many decades ago as a young student I worked for Mr Hefner's 'Under boss' in the accounts department of the Playboy Club on Park Lane, an exclusive area of Central London (literally around the corner in those days from the old offices of MI5, the British Security Service.)
I never met Hefner personally (too low down the pecking chain!) but what I will say was that it was a great company to work for.
Yes we were always under pressure (to balance the books!) and if we did not, we had to stay working on the job until the books balanced – however long it took - into that night and into the following morning if necessary (!)
That (the prospect of not balancing) was a nightmare – which I still remember to this day. You can thus be assured that 99% of the time we balanced the books rather than suffer the consequences.
That being said I can hardly think of another place in London that I, as a 20- something year old, wanted to work than at the prestigious Playboy Club – and not as a Bunny (!)
Even in those dark times (when the books did not balance) we were fed the choicest of steak, lamb, roast, fantastic deserts whilst going crazy into the early hours of the morning seeking those missing bill copies of monies received in the Club to tally up the figures. The general rule was 'finish the accounting side of the business every day before the Club opens in the evening'.
(We were never offered alcohol whilst working at any time – so a very sober accounts department was always in operation. I think that we were the only (kept intentionally) 'permanently sober' department in the Playboy Club!)
Many decades later coming home from a function in a major capital city, we were joined coming out of the Hotel by a few people we did not know - except that they had attended that same evening's gathering.
We got talking about many things as we headed towards the Subway and I think one asked me what I did as a student.
I said that I was both studying and working and one of the places I was working part-time was at The Playboy Club in Central London.
(The regular joke to follow after saying this often goes along the lines of did I like being a 'Bunny' at the Club!)
He asked about the girls (the 'Bunnies') - what were they like?
I told him not to believe the 'fake news' he reads in the Gutter press about The Playboy Club nor it's London CE, Victor Lownes.
He was a great guy to work for and the girls were the sweetest, kindest, most mannerly and hospitable you could ever meet – not the debauched picture of them painted by the prurient and quasi-Victorian British media – which could not stand to see a successful American entrepreneur making money in London in the manner Vic was, and, as with Freddie Laker the 'establishment' 'conspired' to destroy the reputation of the Club and, as the objective, have it's gambling license revoked. [Apart from business rivalry, no doubt there were mountains of jealousy at Lownes – a foreigner, an American, running the most successful Club in Central London.]
[Many of the girls employed as Bunnies were from 'well-to-do' families simply looking for fun, adventure, romance (!) and that 'wonderful' husband who would private jet them off to......... …........ …....... …........ (places I dare not mention these days as 'the crazies' are all now in control out there!) In those days rich........arrived by private jet just to spend just a few days shopping or gambling or whatever else in London. These days a majority of their successors in wealth head by private jets elsewhere - as London is no longer the 'fun' ('Swinging') Capital it used to be.]
Few of the girls found the eternal romance and happiness they were seeking - and I am sure there were many 'broken hearts'; but that does not mean they should never have 'wished upon a star'.
Likewise the VIPs who came to gamble (sometimes to win but more often than not to loose huge fortunes) they were the nicest people you could ever hope meet – not the persons of 'ill-repute' - always so painted by the British mainstream media at that time.
[Yes Vic did make mistakes - and paid the price for his errors of judgment.
These were all based on 'trust' and 'honor', on broken promises made by individuals he knew personally, rather than sticking to 'the letter' of the requirements, which, with hindsight, he should have done.]
[Yes Vic did make mistakes - and paid the price for his errors of judgment.
These were all based on 'trust' and 'honor', on broken promises made by individuals he knew personally, rather than sticking to 'the letter' of the requirements, which, with hindsight, he should have done.]
He was very moved at what I said and replied:
''Thank you for saying what you just did. My aunt worked as a 'Bunny' at the Playboy Club when she was younger and I've heard and read so many conflicting stories but never met with anyone who actually worked in the Club itself . Thanks for that. Appreciated!''
We parted company going our separate ways and I never saw him again.
I believe (at that time -some 15-20 years ago) that he had recently graduated and was working in 'Logistics' with a well-known organization.
Victor Lownes passed away earlier this year - followed yesterday by Hugh Hefner.
It really is the end of what was a very vibrant and highly creative era.
©Patrick Emek, September 2017