Playboy Enterprises (originally known as HMH Publishing)
Known for
Executive for Playboy Enterprises and creator of the Playboy Clubs with Hugh Hefner
Spouse(s)
Judith Downs Marilyn Cole
Children
Victor Aubrey Lownes IV Meredith Lownes
Victor Aubrey Lownes III (April 17, 1928 – January 11, 2017) was an executive for HMH Publishing Company Inc., later known as Playboy Enterprises, from 1955 through the early 1980s. Soon after he met Hugh Hefner in 1954, Hefner founded Playboy magazine, and Lownes eventually joined his publishing company, serving as vice president. Lownes was a close confidant of Hefner and gained a reputation for dating Playboy Playmates.
Lownes headed Playboy Europe and the UK Playboy Clubs from the mid-1960s until his dismissal in the early 1980s. Lownes oversaw Playboy Enterprises's move into casino gambling in the UK in the 1960s, which became Playboy's most successful business other than its publishing until the advent of cable television. He oversaw the most successful part of Hefner's attempt to diversify out of publishing and into motion pictures, hotels and casino gambling. During his time as head of Playboy Europe, he was Britain's highest paid executive, drawing a large salary and eventually becoming Playboy Enterprises's second biggest shareholder.[1] Lownes is credited with creating Playboy Clubs in the United States.[2]
^"Bunny Redux". TIME. August 4, 1975. Archived from the original on January 13, 2005. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
^"The Trad: The Real Playboy: Victor Lownes". The Trad. May 17, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
1928, in Buffalo, New York, the elder son of Victor Aubrey Lownes Jr. and Winifred (Winnie Mark) Lownes, a wealthy couple with ties to the Yale time lock...
Lownes is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: Anna Lownes (1842–1910), American painter VictorLownes (1928–2017), American businessman...
entrepreneur VictorLownes, head of Playboy UK, who convinced the group that a feature film would be the ideal way to introduce them to the US market. Lownes acted...
At the time, Taurins was dating one of the Playboy Club co-founders, VictorLownes III. Taurins had suggested a costume modeled after the Playboy Magazine...
1974, and, within a few days of starting work there, was noticed by VictorLownes and test-photographed for the magazine. Marilyn also worked as a barmaid...
Sam Giancana in US series The Making of the Mob: Chicago in 2016 and VictorLownes in American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story in 2017. He went on to star...
former Editor-in-chief, CCO) Christie Hefner (former Chairman and CEO) VictorLownes Products Related American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story Hugh Hefner:...
club. They were presented to the Door Bunny. In 1965, Hugh Hefner sent VictorLownes to London to open Playboy's British casinos, following legalization...
some notoriety when it was purchased by American Playboy executive VictorLownes and English Playboy Playmate Marilyn Cole for £115,000. They renovated...
Elizabeth Taylor, Michelle Phillips, Warren Beatty, Laurence Harvey, VictorLownes, Hugh Hefner, Richard Harris, Al Capp, Tony Curtis, Howard Sackler,...
1953–69 Sheikh Ahmed Yamani, Saudi Energy Minister (interviewed 1974) VictorLownes, head of British Playboy 1966–81 Marilyn Cole, receptionist at Clermont...
to Be Seen", and "Nudge Nudge". Financed by Playboy's UK executive VictorLownes, it was intended as a way of breaking Monty Python into America, and...
Enterprises' financial difficulties in July 1975, Senior Vice President VictorLownes estimated that the publisher only spent three weeks at the Chicago Mansion...
design bunny costumes for the Playboy Playmates, an idea suggested by VictorLownes. She created the original Playboy Bunny costume, which was presented...
Stocks House achieved some notoriety when in 1972 it was purchased by VictorLownes, an owner of Playboy magazine, who hosted lavish, rowdy parties there...
discussion programme After Dark to discuss gambling alongside, among others, VictorLownes and David Berglas. Alvarez was portrayed by Jared Harris in the 2003...
portrait of Lyndon B. Johnson Jessica Jaymes, pornographic actress VictorLownes, Playboy Clubs executive Enock Makonzo, football player for the Edmonton...
Michigan Avenue in the 1950s. This paved the way for a partnership with VictorLownes and Hugh Hefner, launching the Playboy Club in 1960. Morton was the...
Margot Honecker, East German politician and First Lady (d. 2016) 1928 – VictorLownes, American businessman (d. 2017) 1928 – Cynthia Ozick, American short...
cancer and pneumonia. Mark Josephson, 73, American cardiologist, cancer. VictorLownes, 88, American businessman (Playboy). Charles Lyell, 3rd Baron Lyell...
group Fascinating Aïda, having been recommended to Dillie Keane by VictorLownes, and was nominated for two Olivier Awards for Best Entertainment. She...
Biographical sketches and described the rich interior of Cameron's house. VictorLownes lived at No. 3 in the 1960s; Christine Keeler attended a party there...
Wins? Professor Anthony Clare Frederick Martens Tony Colston-Hayter VictorLownes 'Dougie' Mary-Ann Hushlak, Bishop of Willesden David Berglas Al Alvarez...
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