Only for the articles: 6 writers who can credit some of their careers to ‘Playboy’ stories

Credit: David Klein

Credit: David Klein

Sure, they only get it for the articles. But with Hugh Hefner’s death at the age of 91, not many people realize how many writers’ careers were either launched or grew thanks to the pages of Playboy.

Marilyn Monroe may be the most recognized link between the pages of the magazine, but did you know that without Playboy, we’d probably wouldn't have James Bond’s 50-year career?

Ian Fleming

The spy-turned-author who wrote about spies, Ian Fleming had the short story "The Hilderbrand Rarity" published in Playboy in March 1960, seven years after the debut of Playboy. His James Bond novel "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" came out in hardback at the same time as a series of excerpts in the magazine, Entertainment Weekly reported.

Gore Vidal

Gore Vidal is known as an author of novels and essays, as well as a playwright. He helped rewrite the screenplay for "Ben-Hur" and penned historical novels like "Washington, D.C." and "Lincoln." One of his essays, "Sex is Politics" appeared in Playboy and linked the country's attitudes concerning the bedroom with politics, Entertainment Weekly reported.

Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury's book that warned about censorship of all books at the hands of government "Fahrenheit 451" was published in serial form in the pages of Playboy after it was printed in book form in 1953, CNN reported.

Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut wrote multiple times for the men's magazine since the 1970s. Playboy printed an excerpt from "Armageddon in Retrospect" in 2008 after the writer's death in 2007, Entertainment Weekly reported.

But although they might be the magazine’s primary audience, men aren’t the only ones who got their literary start, or advanced their careers, thanks to Playboy.

Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood has become popular due to the television version of "The Handmaid's Tale." Atwood has been published by Playboy multiple times, including her 1991 story "The Bog Man," 2006's "The Bad News" and 2008's "The Age of Bottleneck," Entertainment Weekly reported.

Gloria Steinem

She founded the women's lib magazine "Ms.," but before she became a publishing icon, Gloria Steinem was a writer. Her breakthrough article didn't appear in Playboy; instead, it was about the company itself. She went undercover as a bunny in one of the Playboy clubs in 1963, writing the exposé "A Bunny's Tale" for "Show" magazine, CNN reported.

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