The Playboy Murders: Details of Peter Bogdanovich's assault allegations against Hugh Hefner explored

Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of assault.

The founder of the Playboy empire, Hugh Hefner, became the center of controversy as Peter Bogdanovich laid down allegations of assault against him in his memoir for Dorothy Stratten—The Killing of the Unicorn. Hefner was called out for cultivating a dangerous environment for Playmates as Bogdanovich accused him of raping Stratten.

The then-18-year-old Dorothy Stratten was allegedly invited into the jacuzzi on her first day as a Playmate when the assault took place. The Playboy Murders episode Falling Star showcases the tragic death of Dorothy Stratten as it airs on February 26, 2024, at 10 pm EST on Investigation Discovery.

The synopsis reads:

"A 19-year-old is discovered in Canada; after becoming "Playmate of the Year," her husband sees dollar signs, but as her star rises, she's drawn to another man; afraid of losing his meal ticket, her husband shoots them in their home."

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What was Hugh Hefner accused of in Peter Bogdanovich's The Killing of the Unicorn?

In August 1984, Peter Bogdanovich released Dorothy Stratten's biography titled The Killing of the Unicorn: Dorothy Stratten 1960-1980 through publisher William Morrow. The memoir documented an attack on Hugh Hefner and his Playboy kingdom for the malpractices in the organization and sexist viewpoint that made the Playmates vulnerable to danger.

Bogdanovich, who had been allegedly grieving the loss of Dorothy, accused Hugh Hefner of abusing the then 18-year-old Dorothy Stratten. As per the text, Dorothy Stratten had been alone with Hefner after her first day of the photoshoot for the magazine when she was "seduced" by the founder himself.

According to Fox News Digital, Stratten had reportedly married Paul Snider to block Hefner's advances. The Killing of the Unicorn states that Hugh Hefner continued to persuade Stratten as a potential sexual partner following the event of the assault. Dorothy had allegedly been putting up with the nude photoshoots to promote herself in the glamorous world of Hollywood.

According to The Daily Mail UK, Hefner's valet from 1978–81, Stefan Tetenbaum, spoke to the outlet and shared his witnessing Stratten's assault over the jacuzzi grotto. He further shared:

"After we witnessed it, the security guard ... whispered in my ear [that] I should go back into the butlers' pantry and keep my mouth shut. And that's what I did. You had to follow the rules. You had to be discreet, be quiet, carry on. Nobody was going to come forward because nobody wanted Hefner to come after you."

According to The New York Post, Bogdanovich also stated that Paul Snider's ban from the Playboy Mansion further added to his rage and therefore, the motive behind Dorothy Stratten's murder.

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How did Hugh Hefner respond to allegations of Dorothy Stratten's assault?

Hugh Hefner denied the allegations and responded with new information for the media outlets to sensationalize, as per The Guardian.

He mentioned losing any interest in her after he was made aware of her engagement to Paul Snider. Hefner also spoke to Fox News Digital and mentioned:

"I am, publisher of Playboy or no, a very shy man. And I could no more force myself on a woman, psychologically or physically, than could the man on the moon."

Hefner's son, Cooper Hefner, took to X to support his father amidst the uproar against multiple abuse allegations by previous Playmates.