Centerfold Centerfold The centerfold or centrefold of a magazine refers to a gatefolded spread, usually a portrait such as a pin-up or a nude, inserted in the middle of the publication, or to the model featured in the portrait. In saddle-stitched magazines (as opposed to those that are perfect-bound), the centerfold does not have any blank space cutting through the image. The term was coined by Hugh Hefner, founder of "Playboy" magazine. The success of the first issue of "Playboy" has been attributed in large part to its centerfold: a nude of Marilyn Monroe. The advent of monthly centerfolds gave the
Playboy was published in 1953 and serialized in the March, April and May 1954 issues of "Playboy". An urban legend started about Hefner and the Playmate of the Month because of markings on the front covers of the magazine. From 1955 to 1979 (except for a six-month gap in 1976), the "P" in "Playboy" had stars printed in or around the letter. The legend stated that this was either a rating that Hefner gave to the Playmate according to how attractive she was, the number of times that Hefner had slept with her, or how good she was in bed. The