Inside the Scandalous True Story of “Mrs Playmen: ”All About the Real-Life, Boundary-Breaking Erotic Magazine
- - Inside the Scandalous True Story of “Mrs Playmen: ”All About the Real-Life, Boundary-Breaking Erotic Magazine
Keith LangstonNovember 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
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Camilla Cattabriga/Netflix ; Chianura/Scalfari/Agf/Shutterstock
Carolina Crescentini as Adelina Tattilo in episode 102 of Mrs Playmen ; Adelina Tattilo. -
Netflix's Mrs Playmen follows Adelina Tattilo as she takes over the successful erotic magazine Playmen
The series, out Nov. 12, charts her wins and losses as the magazine faces scrutiny and grows its fanbase
Here is the real-life story of Playmen magazine
Netflix’s miniseries Mrs Playmen tells the true story of Italy’s most famous adult magazine, Playmen, and its trailblazing co-founder, Adelina Tattilo (Carolina Crescentini).
Tattilo kept a mostly private personal life, but was a fiercely determined businesswoman and, some would argue, activist.
As a mother of three in her 30s, Tattilo and her then-husband, Saro Balsamo, were inspired by America’s Playboy magazine to create their own Italian version, tailored more to European tastes. Both loved and hated, their magazine, Playmen, became a huge success, but it also faced immense backlash, with many saying the publication was indecent and went against the country’s Catholic values.
But others, like Tattilo herself, said that Playmen empowered women and was a tool for female liberation. “I hope Playmen will contribute to changing, in an intelligent way, certain archaic attitudes toward love and sex among Italian men and women,” she told TIME in 1971.
The magazine had highs and lows, including scoring a large circulation, but it also faced lawsuits, run-ins with the law and even created a scandal involving nude photos of Jackie Kennedy. The Netflix series, out Nov. 12, chronicles the issues of Playmen that Tattilo led herself after Balsamo abandoned her amid obscenity charges against the magazine.
But what is the true story behind Mrs Playmen? Here's everything to know about Adelina Tattilo and her time as the editor-in-chief of Playmen.
Who was Adelina Tattilo?
Beniamino Ziccardi/Netflix
Carolina Crescentini as Adelina Tattilo in episode 102 of Mrs Playmen.
Born in Manfredonia in 1928, Tattilo was almost 40 and a mother of three when she launched the successful erotic magazine Playmen in Italy. The publication was most notable for showing photos of nude women, including famous faces like Brigitte Bardot and Amanda Lear.
But it also had articles on art, politics and culture. According to the Italian news agency adnkronos, Playmen even featured interviews with prominent figures like Fred Astaire and Allen Ginsberg.
“The magazine wasn't just erotica,” the publication stated, “it was a tool for cultural liberation. Adelina herself declared that her goal was to combat bigotry, challenge false moralisms, and affirm a libertarian, radical, and socialist culture.”
Playmen eventually began being sold all across Europe.
Why did Playmen have so much legal trouble?
Camilla Cattabriga/Netflix
Francesca Colucci as Elsa and Marco Rossetti as Steve in episode 107 of Mrs Playmen.
According to a TIME article from 1971, in under four years, Playmen had gained a circulation of 450,000. But, the magazine was technically illegal in Italy, going against Article 725 of the Italian penal code for "violation of the common sense of decency." But this didn’t stop Italians from buying the magazine, and in fact, may have only made it more popular.
“Each month there is a race between the readers and the cops,” TIME wrote. “Playmen rarely lasts more than 48 hours on the newsstands; in that time, it is either sold or seized.” The publication added, “The readers are usually quicker than the police.”
What was Playmen's infamous Jackie Kennedy scandal?
Pictorial Parade/Getty
Jacqueline Kennedy leaves the Alvin Theatre on May 15, 1970 New York City.
In 1972, an issue of Playmen published nude photos of Jackie Kennedy that were taken without her knowledge or consent. The photos were shot while the former First Lady was sunbathing nude on the private island of Skorpios in Greece.
Tattilo said in a 1972 interview with TIME that the photos were taken by a group of photographers on a boat, and that she paid “More than $34,000 and less than $51,000" for the images. The photos caused a media frenzy and scandal, with issues flying off the shelves and Playmen gaining global recognition.
Over the next few years, the images were republished in erotic magazines across the world, including in the United States. They were featured in the August 1975 edition of Hustler after the magazine’s owner, Larry Flynt, purchased them. The ordeal even made its way into the Oscar-nominated 1996 film The People vs. Larry Flynt.
However, Tattilo didn’t see herself as accountable or to blame for the scandal. “After all," she said to TIME, "Jackie knew that photographers have shot at that particular location more than once. If she didn't want to be photographed, she should not have exhibited herself.”
What happened between Tattilo and Playboy’s Hugh Hefner?
Camilla Cattabriga/Netflix
Filippo Nigro as Chartroux and Carolina Crescentini as Adelina Tattilo in episode 102 of Mrs Playmen.
After becoming a huge success in Europe, Tattilo began selling Playmen in the U.S. under the name Adelina with the tagline "America's edition of Italy's Playmen." Tattilo allegedly wanted to sell the magazine with a tie to Playmen to capitalize on the brand's already-established notoriety.
Her company, Chuckleberry Publications, was soon sued by Hugh Hefner's Playboy, per UPI.
The judge ruled in favor of Playboy and said that Adelina needed to edit its tagline and could never change its name to Playmen in the U.S.
Adelina lasted only a few years, but during its short time, it attracted some big names, including interviews with filmmakers like Mel Brooks, and even published essays by Stephen King.
What happened to Adelina Tattilo?
Camilla Cattabriga/Netflix
Carolina Crescentini as Adelina Tattilo in episode 101 of Mrs Playmen.
After the success of Playmen, Tattilo went on to form a publishing empire. She had a hand in publishing the books Dizionario della Letteratura Erotica (Dictionary of Erotic Literature), La Marijuana Fa Bene (Marijuana Does You Good) and Playdux: Storia Erotica del Fascismo.
Per the Italian edition of Elle, Tattilo also launched Libera, a feminist magazine designed to empower women that featured images of nude men alongside coverage of fashion, politics and feminism.
Playmen published its final issue in 2001, and Tattilo died at 78 in 2007 after what La Repubblica described as a “brief illness.”
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
