On Nov. 12, Netflix bares all with Mrs. Playmen, starring Carolina Crescentini as the legendary editor Adelina Tattilo, whom TIME magazine dubbed “the Hugh Hefner of Italy” in 1971.
Over seven episodes, it follows the Catholic mother of three as she manages an erotic magazine in conservative Rome after her husband disappears.
Here’s what to know about Mrs. Playmen and the real magazine that inspired the show.
The real Mrs. Playmen
As the show illustrates, the magazine Playmen was known for its daring photographs. It launched in 1967 because Playboy was banned in Italy. Boasting a mix of erotic photos and intellectual articles, the magazine reached a circulation of 450,000 in less than four years.
While it had a “Girl of the Month” pullout, the magazine purported to have a

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