Hugh Hefner is a Playboy at 85: Secret Behind This Incredible Icon

Celebrity death hoaxes are nothing new, but when the false death news of Hugh Hefner, spread after a hack of his Twitter account, many panicked as the iconic man behind Playboy magazine is 85.

The rumors of my death are, as Mark Twain observed in a similar situation, greatly exaggerated. I'm very much alive and kicking, Hefner tweeted, responding to the hoax. I'm lying in bed next to Shera Bechard with a big smile on my face, reading tweets about my unexpected demise. I'm happy to see how many people are pleased that I'm not dead.

Hefner's wedding with 25-year-old finacée, Crystal Harris, was called off recently, days before the announced date. It was alleged that the engagement and wedding announcement was for publicity sake after Perez Hilton reported Harris was overheard admitting the whole thing was a sham.

Nevertheless Hefner's wedding news and the death news, kicked off whole new discussion on how the 85-year-old manages to keep things youthful when it comes to love and life.

If you're in good health, age is just a number, Hefner had said when the news of his wedding with Harris, who is 60 years younger to him, was making the rounds. I'm consistent; when I was 20 I was dating 20-year-old girls and now I'm 85 I'm still dating them.

He has earlier admitted to being 'involved' with maybe eleven out of twelve months' worth of Playmates during his heydays. Donna Michelle, Marilyn Cole, Lillian Müller, Shannon Tweed, Brande Roderick, Barbi Benton, Karen Christy, Sondra Theodore, and Carrie Leigh, who filed a $35 million palimony suit against him, were a few of his many lovers. In 1971, he acknowledged that he experimented in bisexuality.

Hefner had a minor stroke in 1985 at age 59. Hefner underwent several lifestyle changes, following the stroke. The wild, all-night parties were toned down significantly and in 1988, daughter Christie began to run the Playboy empire.

Hefner and his publications are considered to have had significant impact on the moral fabric of human culture in the US, as Playboy was launched at a time when sex and sexual activity was kept very much under wraps.

His philanthropy is well known as Hefner has donated a great deal of his annual earnings back to various charities. He also is the primary donator paying for the preservation of the world famous Hollywood sign.