Sad to see him go. Penthouse was my favorite magazine back in the day. The women were beautiful (especially those nice hairy pussies), and I enjoyed reading Forum too. May he rest in peace.
No, that honor belongs to Larry Flynt and Hustler.
As for Guccione, Penthouse was an excellent stroke mag, until Guccione decided for some as yet unexplained reason to start doing pictorials of chicks *******. First it would be just one small pic in a pictorial, but it grew and grew until EVERY pictorial would have at least 3 pics of chicks *******. Gross enough on it;s own, but when it was added to the lesbo pictorials that was the last straw.
I've never read or heard an explanation for this and wonder if any poster here has some legitimate ie; non snarky smart ass insight into this.
I was subscribed and read penthouse religiously while I was in college. Bob Guccione was def someone who pused the boundaries, but somehow maintained a artsy look, even if the mag was more and more explicit. May he RIP.