Playgirl (not to be confused with the later women’s magazine of the 1970s) was a short-lived American men’s magazine published from 1955 to 1957. Founded and edited by San Francisco burlesque promoter Walter Hale, its content focused squarely on burlesque performers and pin-up photography, targeting a male audience. The magazine ran for only four issues before a legal dispute with Playboy over its title forced it to cease publication.
Unlike its upscale competitor *Playboy*, Playgirl made *“no pretense of being a literary publication”*.
{{MagazineInfobox CoverPrice=$1.00|#| PublicationFormats=Print|#| CoverDate=1955|#| PrintPublicationDate=1955|#| ElectronicPublicationDate=Unknown|#| PrintEAN-13=Unknown|#| PrintEAN-2=Unknown|#| ISSN=Unknown}}
Founding and Editorial Vision
Playgirl was launched in 1955 by Walter Hale, a colorful figure often described as a “carnival barker” style promoter in the burlesque circuit. Hale served as both editor and publisher, running the San Francisco-based Playgirl Publishing Co. with a small, do-it-yourself-style team. Much of the magazine's written content was penned by Hale himself under various pseudonyms, and he often enlisted the featured burlesque performers to contribute personal anecdotes and humor.
The magazine’s editorial direction was centered on cheesecake photography and burlesque. It was explicitly a men’s entertainment magazine, but its pages were filled with pictures of burlesque actresses and models in nude or nearly-nude poses, accompanied by tongue-in-cheek captions and racy articles. The overall style was bold and unrefined, with one reviewer later noting the “amateurish (in a good way) production values” and intimate, fun vibe.
Cultural Context and Reception
When Playgirl debuted, it entered a booming market for men’s magazines. It was very much in the mold of traditional pin-up digests and burlesque programs popular in the early 1950s. However, the landscape was shifting with the 1953 launch of Playboy, which offered a more sophisticated blend of photography and journalism. In this context, Playgirl’s unabashed burlesque focus was lower-brow, appealing to a niche of enthusiasts rather than the mass market.
Reception: Playgirl achieved only modest circulation, with a print run of around 30,000 copies per issue. This was a tiny figure compared to Playboy, which was selling hundreds of thousands of copies by 1957. Hale didn't rely solely on newsstand sales; he also distributed the magazine at carnivals and strip shows, tying it closely to the live burlesque scene and its fans.
Legal Battle with Playboy
The most significant event in Playgirl’s brief history was its legal battle with Playboy Enterprises. In 1957, Playboy’s publisher filed a trademark infringement lawsuit, arguing that the name “Playgirl” was deceptively close to “Playboy” and that Hale was attempting to ride on the coattails of their success.
Although the court noted the two publications had no similarity in makeup or subject matter, the name was deemed confusingly similar. In November 1957, a U.S. District Court ruled in Playboy’s favor, and Playgirl was enjoined from using its name. This lawsuit effectively ended the magazine’s publication, as Hale ceased operations rather than attempt to rebrand.
Issue Breakdown
Playgirl released a total of four issues during its run. Each was an oversize magazine format sold for $1.00.
- Vol. 1, No. 1 (1955) – The 52-page debut issue, introducing the magazine’s burlesque theme and Hale’s “Play Girls on Parade” revue.
- Vol. 1, No. 2 (1955) – Continued with pin-ups and pictorials of regional burlesque performers.
- Vol. 1, No. 3 (1956) – Featured burlesque stars from California and beyond, along with humorous essays.
- Vol. 1, No. 4 (1956) – The final issue, which featured famed burlesque queens Tempest Storm and Blaze Starr on its cover, making it the most star-studded edition.
Legacy
Though short-lived, the original Playgirl is remembered as a quirky chapter in publishing history and a candid snapshot of 1950s burlesque culture. It serves as an example of the small, independent players that existed alongside titans like Playboy, testing the waters of public taste and the legal limits of the era.
The magazine bears no resemblance to the famous Playgirl magazine launched in 1973, which was created for a female audience and featured male nudes. The later publication's success has completely overshadowed Hale’s magazine, but the 1955-1957 version remains a cult relic for collectors of vintage pin-up art and burlesque memorabilia.