Bob Guccione Passes Away

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PLANO (GaeaTimes.com)- Bob Guccione, the founder of the Penthouse magazine that is known to have given stiff competition to Hugh Hefner’s iconic Playboy magazine, died on Wednesday following a long fight with cancer. The business magnate passed away at the age of 79 and has been survived by his wife April Dawn Warren Guccione and two children Bob Jr. and Tonina Guccione. Following his death yesterday, a statement has been released by his family that divulged that the publishing and entertainment magnate was admitted in the Plano Specialty Hospital where he breathed his last in the presence of his family members.

While reacting to the news of Bob Guccione’s unfortunate demise, Marc Bell, CEO of the company FriendFinder Networks Inc., that now publishes Penthouse, said that the demise of the noted entertainment magnate was “very sad” while adding that a statement is likely to be issued by the company later today. In the meanwhile, the family members of the renowned publishing magnate have pointed out that his funeral service would be taking place soon but it would be a private ceremony.

Bob Guccione’s adult magazine, Penthouse gradually rose to fame in the 1970’s after it went on sale in United Kingdom way back in 1965 while in United States, it was launched four years later. Within quite a short span of time, the magazine made a name for itself and gained extensive popularity for its explicit photos and tabloid journalism. The magazine hogged spotlight in 1984 when it published nude pictures of Vanessa Williams, the first black woman who bagged the title of Miss America. The photos sparked a huge controversy due to which Vanessa Williams had to give up her title.