*Richard (Dick) S. Rosenzweig, former Executive Vice-President at Playboy Enterprises, Inc., and longtime friend and trusted advisor to Hugh M. Hefner, passed away from pancreatic cancer in his home in Beverly Hills on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. His partner and wife of 53 years, Judy Henning, was by his side.
“Dick loved life,” Henning reflected. “He had a marvelous curiosity about everything. He, of course, was proud of his groundbreaking years with the iconic Playboy magazine, yet was equally proud of his philanthropic involvement in the arts and cultural communities.”
Rosenzweig was a founding member of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary art in Los Angeles, The Wallis Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, and was president and executive producer of the of the world-famous annual Playboy Jazz Festival. “Dick was a thoughtful, elegant and extremely trustworthy man. To me, he was a man who defined high character,” said Academy Award-winning producer Brian Grazer.
Rosenzweig was born in Appleton, Wisconsin in 1935. He received a degree from Northwestern University in 1957 and subsequently served for six months in the US Army Reserve. On a fateful day in 1958 while working in Chicago on the staff of Dun and Bradstreet, Inc., he discovered that a parade blocked his route. He stepped into a nearby building to pass the time by visiting a friend at the newly formed Playboy office. The friend alerted him to a job opening in the advertising department. After applying for a job opening, he was hired in 1958 as assistant to the vice-president of advertising—thus sparking an exciting lifelong adventure in popular media.
Cooper Hefner, former Chief Creative Officer of Playboy and son of the late Hugh M. Hefner commented, “There is so much that I admire and will miss that speaks on behalf of the wonderful person Dick was. It was seen in his unwavering loyalty to my father and his many years as an organizational lead at Playboy; it was present in his consistent engagement in various projects that served to improve his community and city; it was evident in his affinity for family. Like so many others, I am better as a result of having been a beneficiary of Dick’s friendship, guidance, and love. He will be missed by many.”
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Rosenzweig rose quickly through the ranks and held a variety of positions, including a stint as the first executive assistant to founder Hugh Hefner. After serving as senior vice-president and director of marketing, Rosenzweig was appointed executive vice president of the publishing group, the company’s largest division. During his six decade career, he launched new publications, including numerous international editions. In 1977, he moved to Los Angeles, where he was given responsibility for all West Coast operations. He also became executive producer of The Girls Next Door television series and executive producer of NBC’s series, The Playboy Club. He remained Hefner’s most trusted advisor and maintained an office at the mansion until Hefner’s death in 2017.
“Dick Rosenzweig was one of the most respected and beloved members of the Playboy family. During his 61-year tenure, his accomplishments were immeasurable, resulting in everything from TV’s ground-breaking Playboy’s Penthouse, to the legendary ‘Big Bunny’ jet, the internationally acclaimed Playboy Jazz Festival, to his role as executive producer of E!’s hit television series, The Girls Next Door. An epic raconteur, his first-hand accounts of Playboy’s rich history have been both invaluable and inspiring to those of us here at Playboy who had the privilege of knowing and working with him. He will be dearly missed,” stated Playboy CEO Ben Kohn.
Shortly after moving to the West Coast, he was appointed by Governor Edmund G. BrownJr., the Economic and Business Development Council of California. He became a co-founder, director and President of The Wallis Center for the Performing Arts, and also served as chairman of the Beverly Hills Visitors Bureau and the Economic Development Council of Beverly Hills. Additionally, he served as president of the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce and Civic Association, where he was also a longtime board member.
“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Dick Rosenzweig. His passion for our city ran deep. From chairing the Centennial Committee, participating on the CVB, Chamber and Wallis boards to his unending enthusiasm, he was an original. He will be missed by us all,” said Julie Wagner, chief executive officer of the Beverly Hills Conference & Visitors Bureau.
Rosenzweig was a highly respected member of the Southern California cultural and arts communities and was also extensively involved in civic affairs. He served as a board member of numerous organizations, including chairman of the board of Children of the Night, the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, and president and chairman of the Maple Counseling Center in Beverly Hills, a nationally recognized community counseling facility.
He also served as chair of the Modern and Contemporary Art Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, chair of the Beverly Hills Arts and Culture Commission, and on the board of directors of the Henry Mancini Institute of the American Jazz Philharmonic. Additionally, he was an officer and board member of the Music Center’s prestigious Fraternity of Friends. Among his other important endeavors, Rosenzweig was the Director of both the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations and the Chicago International Film Festival.
Rosenzweig is survived by his wife, Judy Henning; his nephew Steven Ziven, with wife Lynn and their children Lisa and Jason; niece Debra Ziven; brother-in-law Alvin Ziven; and nephew Emmett Murphy and extended family. Rosenzweig leaves a great legacy of contributions to worthy endeavors to his community, his family, and his beloved friends.
A memorial celebrating the life of Richard S. Rosenzweig will be planned for a later date.
source: Nina Gordon Public Relations
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