Millie Williams, whose full name was Mildred Williams, was the first wife of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner. The couple married in 1949, several years before Hefner launched Playboy magazine, and had two children, daughter Christie and son David. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1959.
Williams lived a much more private life than her famous former husband. While Hefner went on to build the Playboy publishing empire and become a major figure in American popular culture, Williams largely remained outside the spotlight. She did, however, appear in television documentaries discussing her former marriage and was identified publicly as Hefner’s first wife.
Williams died in December 2025 at the age of 99, according to biographical records and later reporting about Hefner’s former partners.
| Biography Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Mildred Williams |
| Known As | Millie Williams |
| Born | March 10, 1926 |
| Birthplace | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | December 13, 2025 |
| Age at Death | 99 |
| Nationality | American |
| Known For | Hugh Hefner’s first wife |
| Former Husband | Hugh Hefner |
| Marriage to Hugh Hefner | 1949 |
| Divorce | 1959 |
| Children | Christie Hefner and David Hefner |
| Second Husband | Edwin Gunn |
| Second Marriage | 1960 |
| Education | Northwestern University |
| Occupation | Private life; limited reliable career information |
| Television Appearance | 60 Minutes (1993), as Hugh Hefner’s ex-wife |
| Net Worth | Not reliably verified |
Early Life and Background
Mildred Williams was born on March 10, 1926, in Chicago, Illinois, according to biographical records. She was later known by the nickname Millie.
She attended Northwestern University, where she was a fellow student of Hugh Hefner. Contemporary accounts describe the two as college sweethearts. The relationship began before Hefner became associated with Playboy and before his career as a publisher had taken shape.
Details about Williams’ parents, childhood and early professional life are not extensively documented by reliable sources, so those aspects of her biography remain private.
Education and Relationship With Hugh Hefner
Williams and Hefner met while they were students at Northwestern University. Hefner later recalled that Williams graduated before he did and went on to teach.
The couple became engaged in the late 1940s. Their relationship encountered a serious difficulty before their wedding, when Williams disclosed that she had been involved with another man while Hefner was serving in the U.S. Army. Hefner later described the revelation as deeply painful in interviews with the Los Angeles Times and other publications.
Despite the incident, they proceeded with their marriage.
Marriage to Hugh Hefner
Millie Williams and Hugh Hefner married in June 1949. Their wedding came four years before the first issue of Playboy appeared on newsstands in December 1953.
At the time of their marriage, Hefner was still establishing his career. He had recently completed his studies at the University of Illinois and had served in the Army. He had not yet become the publishing figure who would eventually build the Playboy brand.
The marriage lasted approximately a decade. Williams and Hefner separated during the 1950s and divorced in 1959.
Children: Christie and David Hefner
Williams and Hefner had two children.
Their daughter, Christie Hefner, was born in 1952. Their son, David Hefner, was born in 1955. Both were born before their parents’ divorce.
Christie later became closely involved with Playboy Enterprises. She joined the company in 1975 and eventually became its chief executive officer, a position she held for more than two decades.
David, by contrast, has generally maintained a private life away from the Playboy business and public attention.
Williams’ relationship with her children remained an important part of her later life. A 2026 retrospective about Hefner’s former partners reported that Christie described her mother as an important source of encouragement and inspiration.
Divorce and Life After Hugh Hefner
Williams and Hefner divorced in 1959, as Hefner’s publishing career was beginning to expand rapidly. Playboy had launched in 1953, and by the end of the decade Hefner was increasingly building the public persona that would define his career.
After the divorce, Williams did not become a central figure in the Playboy organization or Hefner’s celebrity lifestyle.
She later married Edwin Gunn in 1960. According to biographical records, Gunn and Williams eventually divorced. Gunn also adopted Williams’ two children, although Christie and David later resumed using the Hefner surname.
Williams’ life after her marriage to Hefner was largely outside entertainment media. This makes her biography quite different from that of Hefner, whose personal life became a major component of his public image.
Public Appearances and Documentaries
Although Williams generally remained private, she occasionally appeared in television programming connected with her former husband.
IMDb records her as appearing as herself in a 1993 episode of 60 Minutes in a segment about Hefner and Playboy. Archive footage of her was also subsequently used in other television programs.
These appearances provide some of the limited public record of Williams speaking about or being associated with Hefner’s history.
Later Years and Death
Mildred “Millie” Williams died on December 13, 2025, at the age of 99, according to biographical records.
Her death was noted in later coverage of Hugh Hefner’s former wives and partners. A 2026 retrospective by The Daily Beast reported that Williams’ daughter Christie provided an obituary tribute describing her mother as smart, funny and full of life.
Williams outlived Hefner by more than eight years. Hefner died in September 2017 at age 91.
Net Worth
There is no reliable public estimate of Millie Williams’ individual net worth.
Although Hugh Hefner accumulated substantial wealth through Playboy, his former wife’s personal finances were not publicly documented in a way that would support a credible net-worth figure. For that reason, no estimate is provided.
Interesting Facts About Millie Williams
- Her full name was Mildred Williams, and she was also known as Millie.
- She was born in Chicago, Illinois, on March 10, 1926.
- She and Hugh Hefner were college sweethearts and married in 1949, four years before Playboy was launched.
- Williams and Hefner had two children, Christie and David.
- Their marriage ended in 1959 after about 10 years.
- Williams later married Edwin Gunn in 1960.
- She appeared as herself in a 60 Minutes segment about Hugh Hefner and Playboy in 1993.
- Williams died in December 2025 at age 99.
FAQs
Who was Millie Williams?
Millie Williams, whose full name was Mildred Williams, was Hugh Hefner’s first wife. She was married to Hefner from 1949 until their divorce in 1959 and was the mother of his two eldest children, Christie and David.
When did Millie Williams marry Hugh Hefner?
Williams married Hugh Hefner in June 1949. Their marriage took place several years before Hefner founded Playboy magazine.
How many children did Millie Williams have with Hugh Hefner?
Millie Williams and Hugh Hefner had two children, Christie Hefner and David Hefner.
When did Millie Williams and Hugh Hefner divorce?
The couple divorced in 1959, after approximately 10 years of marriage.
Who is Millie Williams’ daughter?
Her daughter is Christie Hefner, who later became chairman and CEO of Playboy Enterprises.
Did Millie Williams remarry after Hugh Hefner?
Yes. Biographical records state that Williams married Edwin Gunn in 1960. The marriage later ended in divorce.
When did Millie Williams die?
Mildred “Millie” Williams died on December 13, 2025, at the age of 99, according to available biographical records.
Conclusion
Millie Williams was the first wife of Hugh Hefner and the mother of his first two children, Christie and David. She married Hefner in 1949, before the creation of Playboy, and their marriage ended in divorce in 1959.
Unlike her former husband, Williams largely avoided public attention. Her life was primarily documented through her family connection to Hefner and occasional appearances in retrospective television coverage. She died in December 2025 at age 99, leaving behind a family that remained part of the broader history of the Playboy empire.
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