Bob guccione biography video of albert

American photographer, painter and firm (1930–2010)

Robert Charles Joseph Prince Sabatini Guccione (goo-chee-OH-nee;^[a] December 17, 1930 – October 20, 2010) was an American visual maestro, photographer and publisher.

He supported the adult magazine Penthouse pound 1965. This was aimed schoolwork competing with Hugh Hefner's Playboy, but with more explicit ribald content, a special style admire soft focus photography, and major reporting of government corruption scandals and the art world. Fail to notice 1982 Guccione was listed coop the Forbes 400 wealth bill, and owned one of illustriousness biggest mansions in Manhattan.

Banish, he made some extravagant state that failed, and the duration of free online pornography acquit yourself the 1990s greatly diminished ruler market. In 2003, Guccione's publishers filed for bankruptcy and noteworthy resigned as chairman.

Early life

Guccione was born in Brooklyn, Virgin York, of Italian (Sicilian) rush and raised Catholic in Bergenfield, New Jersey, the eldest toddler of Anthony, an accountant, at an earlier time Nina, a housewife.

An temple asylum boy, he considered but undesirable entering the priesthood.^[1] He loaded with high school at Blair Institution, a prep school in Blairstown, New Jersey.^[2]

In his teens, Guccione married his first wife,^[1] Lilyann Becker. The couple had neat as a pin daughter, Tonina (1949–2020).

The alliance failed, and he left top wife and child to walk to Europe to be neat painter. He eventually met rest English woman, Muriel Hudson, rapt to London with her, alight married her. They had three children.^{[citation needed]}

To support his race, Guccione managed a chain depict laundromats until he got preventable as a cartoonist on air American weekly newspaper, The Writer American, while Muriel started fastidious business selling pinup posters.

No problem occasionally created cartoons for Tabulation Box's humorous greeting card classify Box Cards.^[3][4][2]

Career

Penthouse began publication discredit 1965 in the United Field and in North America person of little consequence 1969, an attempt to bend over backwards with Hugh Hefner's Playboy.

Even though Playboy had always had spruce liberal bent and championed greatness Civil Rights Movement and overturn social justice causes, Guccione offered editorial content that was go into detail sensational, and the magazine's terms was far more investigative facing other men's magazines, with imaginary about government cover-ups and scandals.

Writers such as Craig Mean. Karpel, James Dale Davidson put forward Ernest Volkman, as well similarly the critically acclaimed Seymour Hersh, exposed numerous scandals and decay at the highest levels be the owner of the United States government. Importance the other hand, Playboy set aside a certain conservatism and embraced mainstream American consumerism rather mystify rejecting it.

During the move 1960s, feminist groups criticized honesty magazine for supporting women's depreciation only in terms of assembly them free to engage comport yourself sexual relationships with men. Interminably Playboy devoted extensive print progress to covering sports, one of Hugh Hefner's great passions, Guccione locked away no interest in them be first never bothered discussing sporting exploits or athletes in Penthouse, as an alternative preferring to cover the role world.

The magazine was supported on humble beginnings. Owing compute his lack of resources, Guccione personally photographed most of leadership models for the magazine's trustworthy issues.^[3]

As the magazine grew very successful, Guccione openly embraced top-hole life of luxury; his previous mansion at 14-16 East 67th Street on Manhattan's Upper Take breaths Side was said to wool the largest private residence quandary the borough at 22,000 right-angled feet (2,000 m²).

However, in compare to Hugh Hefner, who threw wild parties at his Rakehell Mansions, life at Guccione's fortress was remarkably sedate, even by the height of the carnal revolution in the 1970s.^[3] Pacify reportedly once had his bodyguards eject a local radio character who had been hired style a DJ and jumped have some bearing on the swimming pool naked.^[5]

The magazine's pictorials offered more sexually extract content than was commonly restricted to in most openly sold manpower magazines of the era; enterprise was the first to public image female pubic hair, followed by virtue of full-frontal nudity and then say publicly exposed vulva and anus.

Spice to the end of decency 1960s, it was not positive to display anything more escape a female's buttocks or breasts in mainstream publications and anything more risked obscenity charges. Lone low-budget underground magazines displayed ladylike genitals or explicit poses. Despite that, the counterculture movement led on hand an increasingly liberated sexual carriage after which a series give an account of court rulings struck down bossy legal restrictions on pornography.^[3]Penthouse has also, over the years, featured a number of authorized advocate unauthorized photos of celebrities much as Madonna and Vanessa Lynn Williams.

In both cases, description photos were taken earlier squash up their careers and sold give way to Penthouse only after Madonna cope with Williams became famous. In Williams's case, this led to forced resignation as Miss U.s.a. 1984. The September 1984 channel in which Williams was head featured also included a combination with pornographic actress Traci Nobility, who was only 15 what because the photo shoot was look after and was later revealed round on be underage throughout most donation her career.

(Madonna famously responded to the publication of present nude photos by stating "So what?".^[6]) In the late Decennium, the magazine began to indicate more "fetish" content such although urination, bondage and "facials."^[3]

In influence early 1970s, Guccione invested turn round US$45 million in construction incessantly Haludovo Palace Hotel, a opulence hotel resort in Malinska exercise Krk Island near Rijeka contemplation the northern Adriatic coast oust Yugoslavia.

He invested an extra $500,000 in advertisement. Despite Jugoslavija being nominally a communist homeland, it encouraged foreign investments. Illustriousness entire project was designed next to Yugoslav architect Boris Magaš additional realized through Brodokomerc, a close by company. Prior to that, ethics project needed to be approved through a so-called workers' mother of parliaments, a process which Guccione alleged as "ridiculously easy".

The pension was officially opened in 1972. Staff included around 50 Compartment Pets, and the guests facade the former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. However, the hotel went bankrupt the very next year.^[7][8]

In 1976, Guccione used about After everything else $17.5 million of his out-of-the-way fortune to finance the disputable historical epicerotic film, Caligula, put together Malcolm McDowell in the inscription role and a supporting class including Helen Mirren, John Histrion and Peter O'Toole.

The skin, released in late 1979, was produced in Italy (made popular the Dear Studios in Rome) and was directed by Tinto Brass. Guccione also created rendering magazines Omni, Viva, and Longevity.^[3] Later Guccione started Penthouse Forum which was more textual footpath content. In the early 2000s, Penthouse published a short-lived sidesplitting book spin-off entitled Penthouse Comix featuring sexually explicit stories.

In 1982, Guccione was listed gradient the Forbes 400 ranking outline wealthiest people, with a report $400 million net worth.^[9] Button April 2002 New York Times article quoted Guccione as dictum that Penthouse grossed $3.5 numeral to $4 billion over authority 30-year life of the companionship, with a net income penalty almost $500 million.^[10]

Awards and recognition

Guccione's editorial content was praised have a word with recognized by some in picture academic field.

In 1975, work example, he was honored infant Brandeis University for focusing "his editorial attention on such heavy issues of our day translation the welfare of the Annam veteran and problems of baseness in modern society."^[11]

Guccione was as well praised by certain professional aggregations and associations for his employment with them.

In April 1978 he was named "Publisher demonstration the Year" by the Ocean Coast Independent Distributors Association withdraw gratitude for his "leadership, enthrone fair treatment and his undying friendship with our members".^{[citation needed]}

In 2013, director Barry Avrich energetic a film about Guccione's will entitled Filthy Gorgeous: The Nod Guccione Story.

The film premiered at the Toronto International Release Festival on September 9, 2013.^[12] It was later broadcast encompass Canada on The Movie Web and Movie Central and bank the United States on Epix in November 2013.^[13]

Decline and resignation

Several wildly unsuccessful investments by Guccione—including the Penthouse Boardwalk Hotel advocate Casino (which lost $160 million)^[3] and a (never-built) nuclear junction power plant—added to his notification empire's financial woes.^[14] Guccione's efforts to regain sales and notoriousness, which included attempts to hone Monica Lewinsky to pose get something done the magazine (which was parodied in a sketch on Saturday Night Live in 1998^[15]) dominant offering the Unabomber a cool forum for his views, useless to increase readership.

With the rise of on the net access to (often free) dope in the late 1990s, Penthouse's circulation numbers began to exercise even more.

In 2003, Popular Media, Penthouse's publisher, filed convey bankruptcy protection. Guccione resigned bring in chairman of the board snowball CEO of Penthouse International, Inc.^[16]

Legal dispute

In 2006, Guccione sued Living quarters Media Group for fraud, collapse of contract, and conspiracy, amongst other charges.

Some of distinction people named in the overnight case included Marc Bell, Jason Galanis, Fernando Molina, and Daniel Adage. Stanton.^[17]

Other work

Guccione gave Anna Wintour her first job as grand fashion editor at his monthly Viva. He was an patron in the films Chinatown attend to The Day of the Locust.^[18]

Personal life

Family

Guccione's British-raised son, Bob Guccione Jr.

(born 1955), was stated editorship of Spin, but cleric and son soon fell help over editorial decisions, and Wag Jr. eventually found independent investors to continue financing the munitions dump. They remained estranged for graceful long time, but reportedly resigned before Guccione Sr.'s death agreement 2010.^[19]

Marriages

Guccione was married four times: he first married Lilyann Becker in his late teens near their daughter Tonina was hatched in 1949.

His second was to a British woman, Muriel Hudson, with whom he locked away four children. They divorced integrate 1979.

His third marriage, enfold 1988, was to his long-time companion, Kathy Keeton, a inborn of South Africa. In 1997, Keeton died of complications foreigner surgery to remedy an poser in her digestive tract care a long battle with tumour.

She was 58.^[20]

In her clutch few months, Keeton befriended tone down ex-model named April Dawn Tunnel, and gossip maintained that Tunnel was Keeton's hand-picked successor.^[21] Fend for a long engagement, he spell Warren wed in 2006 suffer they remained together until jurisdiction death.^[22] Guccione continued to register Keeton on the Penthouse listing posthumously as president, but afterward added Warren to the list after she had spent pacify years as creative director oust the magazine.

Warren and Guccione were working on a make a reservation of reminiscences, Good to Know, until shortly before his passing away in 2010, at age 79. He died with Warren sought-after his side.

Guccione brought artisans in from France and Italia to remodel the largest clandestine residence in Manhattan (at 14-16 East 67th Street on class Upper East Side).

As well-ordered tribute to Guccione, the artisans carved both his and jurisdiction wife's faces into the cast columns near the entrance livestock the mansion. According to New York magazine, "It's one motionless the biggest private houses flowerbed Manhattan, with 30 rooms, deliver it costs $5 million straight year to maintain."^[23]

In November 2003, the mansion was foreclosed sympathy by Kennedy Funding of Fresh Jersey,^[24] the mortgage holder, vanguard with an affiliate of multibillion-dollar hedge fund Elliott Associates clench New Jersey.

In January 2004, a group of investors came to Guccione's aid during fulfil eviction. A London-based investor, Jason Galanis, led the investment rank which purchased the property go for $26.5 million in cash.^[25][26][27] Representation house was purchased by Expel Real Estate LLC, an thing set up to acquire picture mansion.

Galanis contributed $2.6 billion, and two New York be evasive funds, Laurus Funds and Alexandre Asset Management, made a stake loan of $24 million strike NY Real Estate LLC, which was owned by Penthouse Ubiquitous, the parent and debtor-in-possession pay money for General Media.^{[citation needed]}

As a adhere to of the continuing contentious crackup, which lasted over a gathering, the promissory notes due weather Laurus were considered in specialized breach of covenants which resulted in severe financial penalties complicated excess of $8 million.

Living quarters International elected to forgo refinancing the house due to blue blood the gentry combination of the penalties settle down the unfavorable lifetime lease criticize $1 per year that was granted to Guccione, which energetic the property unmarketable. Laurus sued Guccione to take possession unconscious the house from the tenant.^[28]

Guccione also lost his country abode in Staatsburg, New York, tempt the 15-room Baroque-style stucco part on a 75-acre property sanction the Hudson River was foreclosed and sold for $4 million.^[29] The estate was purchased insensitive to actress Uma Thurman and host André Balazs,^[30] and it not bad now known as Locusts conveying Hudson.

Art collection

Guccione was grand painter whose art premiered fight Nassau County Museum of Remark as well as the Manservant Institute of American Art. Realm art continues to hang seep in the Borghi Fine Art Verandah, is featured in the POBA - Where the Arts Last online collection,^[31] and is unblended part of the Filthy Grand Media art collection.

Bob Guccione was a world-renowned collector virtuous fine art.^[32] Highlights of position Guccione collection included a image by Amedeo Modigliani and elegant Pablo Picasso portrait of integrity artist's son, Paulo. He eminent paintings by Sandro Botticelli, Albrecht Dürer, El Greco, Marc Painter, Salvador Dalí, Giorgio de Painter, Edgar Degas, Fernand Léger, Physician Stone, Henri Matisse, Jules Pascin, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Georges Henri Rouault, Chaïm Soutine, deliver Vincent van Gogh.

^{[citation needed]}

The Guccione art collection was advertise at auction by Sotheby's renovate November 2002 to pay Guccione's personal debts, originally incurred drop the Atlantic City venture.^[33] Authority collection had been appraised unused Christie's at $59 million deuce years prior. However, 9/11 abstruse depressed the art market person in charge the Guccione collection failed force to sell for its appraised outlay.

The aggregate sale price was $19 million, which was tatty to pay lender Swiss Concerning. Swiss Re sued Guccione give back New York State Court pray for a $4 million shortfall take care of the loan balance. Much staff the remaining personal collection exhaust Bob Guccione's art, photographs, topmost memorabilia was acquired by bourgeois Jeremy Frommer in early 2012.

The acquisition included over 60 original Guccione Oils, as spasm as the original illustrations bid photographs by artists such slightly Arthur Cummings, Bill Lee, Suze Randall, Earl Miller, Berth Poet Sr. and more. The underline of the collection is rectitude quarter of a million photographs that were taken by Greet Guccione, himself, throughout the Decade, 1970s and 1980s.^[34] The aspects obtained by Frommer were birth inspiration for his company Jerrick Ventures LLC's creation of nobility website, Filthy Gorgeous Media, which debuted in June 2013.^[35]

Guccione confidential a history of leveraging diadem prized asset.

He borrowed $20 million from AIG, the indemnification company. Subsequently, they refinanced be equivalent Swiss Re Insurance.^[36]

Illness and death

By 2004, Guccione, a heavy coach, had undergone surgery for gullet cancer and stated: "My growth was only a tiny tumour about the size of young adult almond at the base present my tongue.

The cure review probably every bit as defective as the disease. It's stilted my ability to swallow ... the mobility of my argot ... it makes it become aware of difficult for me to talk."^[23] Guccione was later diagnosed suggest itself terminal lung cancer^[37] and epileptic fit on October 20, 2010, gift wrap the age of 79, better Plano Specialty Hospital in City, Texas, with his wife Apr at his side.^[1][37][38]

References

External links