Larry Flynt

Lore & Background

Flynt was born into poverty in Kentucky, the first of three children. His father served in World War II, and Flynt was raised by his mother and grandmother for his first three years. After his sister died of leukemia and his parents divorced, he was raised by his mother in Indiana and later by his father in Kentucky. He ran away from home at 15, joined the Army using a counterfeit birth certificate, and later served in the Navy as a radar operator on the USS Enterprise, on duty when the ship recovered John Glenn's space capsule. He died of heart failure in Los Angeles at age 78.

Reader's Guide

Larry Flynt's significance lies in his role as a publisher who pushed the boundaries of free speech and obscenity law in the United States. Through Hustler magazine, he challenged societal norms by publishing increasingly explicit content, including the first 'pink-shots' and nude photos of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. His legal battles, particularly those involving the First Amendment, helped define the limits of protected speech. His legacy includes both his impact on adult entertainment and his defense of constitutional rights, though his personal life was marked by multiple marriages, the death of his fourth wife, and his own struggles with bipolar disorder.

Did You Know?

• Flynt joined the U.S. Army at age 15 using a counterfeit birth certificate.
• He was the radar operator on duty when the USS Enterprise recovered John Glenn's space capsule.
• Serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin confessed to shooting Flynt, outraged by an interracial photo shoot in Hustler.