20-plus photos of the old Lake Geneva Playboy Club
Take a step back in time to when Lake Geneva hosted the renowned Playboy bunnies.
The resort is now the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, a resort that offers golf courses, a ski hill, water park and more on over 1,300 acres of land east of Lake Geneva.
A look at the concept
Surrounded by Playboy Bunnies, Hugh Hefner, center, views a model of the Lake Geneva Playboy Club site.
Fire in the hole
Hugh Hefner, center, presses a red button, setting off a dynamite charge to blow a hole in a hill once called Indian Knob. The charge was set off during a ceremony in August 1966 on the site of what would become the Lake Geneva Playboy Club, which opened in 1968.
Under construction
The Lake Geneva Playboy Club was built on over 1,300 acres of converted farmland. It opened in May 1968.
Cher at the Playboy Club
Cher at the Lake Geneva Playboy Club in 1971.
Cher and Chasity at the Lake Geneva Playboy Club
Cher along with young Chasity at the Lake Geneva Playboy Club. Chasity, whose parents are Sonny and Cher, later underwent a gender transition and is now Chaz Bono.
Sonny, Cher and Chasity (later Chaz)
A rare photo from the Lake Geneva Playboy Club of Sonny and Cher and their young Chasity, now known as Chaz.
Goofin' around
A trio of Playboy bunnies have some fun on construction equipment at the site of what would become the Lake Geneva Playboy Club.
Grand opening
Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, center, is joined by Bunnies using water in a ceremony marking the grand opening of the Lake Geneva Playboy Club in May 1968.
Early days
Playboy Bunnies gathered outside at the Lake Geneva Playboy Club.
A taste of glamour
Inside the Lake Geneva Playboy Club, which operated from May 1968 to December 1981.
Jobs
At one time, an estimated 250 jobs were held at the Lake Geneva Playboy Club.
The Bunnies
Diana Peterson, far right, joins other Lake Geneva Playboy Club Bunnies and a customer at the club. A Bunny was a club waitress, and between 1960 and 1988, Playboy Club Bunnies were selected through auditions.
Inspection
Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, left, inspects a group of Bunnies after the bunny costume underwent a redesign for the Lake Geneva Playboy Club.
Gregory Hines
Among celebrities who came to the Lake Geneva Playboy Club was Gregory Hines, the legendary actor/dancer/singer, considered to be the greatest tap dancer of all time. Hines, left, appears here with club maitre d' Jerry Pawlak, center.
Ann-Margret
Perhaps best known for her roles in "Bye Bye Birdie," "Tommy" and "Grumpy Old Men," actress Ann-Margret also visited the Lake Geneva Playboy Club.
The Smothers Brothers
Playboy Club maitre d' Jerry Pawlak, center, greets the musical-comedy duo The Smothers Brothers at the Lake Geneva Playboy Club. The Smothers Brothers were an American folk singing and comedy act that hosted a TV variety show in the late 1960s.
1976
In 1976, up to 100 women were Bunnies at the Lake Geneva Playboy Club.
Circus time
Lake Geneva Playboy Club Bunnies with a circus elephant.
Playboy Club: Cake version
Christie Hefner, second from right, daughter of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, cuts a cake shaped like the Lake Geneva Playboy Club in the summer of 1980.
Reunion
Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, center, is surrounded by former Lake Geneva Playboy Club employees at a reunion event.
50th anniversary
In 2018 — 50 years after the Playboy Club opened — a special anniversary took place, allowing people such as ex-Bunnies (left) Liz Cocroft and Pattie Geldermann the chance to look over old photos and share memories.
Cocktails
Former Bunnies (left) April Brown and Tana Lambert, spend time together over cocktails at the Lake Geneva Playboy Club 50th anniversary party.
Today
The former Lake Geneva Playboy is now the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, 7036 Grand Geneva Way, town of Lyons. Over 25 years ago, the Marcus Corporation purchased and renovated the property.
Steve Targo
Special Sections Coordinator
By adapting its tours to allow guests to see the yaks, emus, ostriches and more from the comfort of their vehicles, Safari Lake Geneva went viral.
The weekly Resorter event column returns with words on a food truck festival, the return of a coffee shop inspired by a hit TV sitcom, and a race where a beer awaits those who cross the finish line no matter how fast they run.
Prom? A burger train? Racing for beer? All this and more will be happening soon in Walworth County.
The Food Truck Festival is no longer happening in Elkhorn.
Stand-up comedy, a boat tour under the fireworks and a prom are some of the events scheduled in the area.
Fourth of July fireworks, line dancing and being active outdoors are the focus of some of community events in this week's Happenings.
With over 1,300 acres of various recreational opportunities, it's no wonder the local resort was on the minds of Travel + Leisure readers.
Over 200 donated quilts from Wisconsin, Illinois, Idaho and Florida will be in the Quilt Auction.
Wisconsin's governor was right to issue a mask mandate, Steven Doelder writes in this letter to the editor.
Teapots and Peeps — yes, the sugar-coated marshmallow candies — are the focus of new exhibits at the recently reopened museum.
Maxwell Street Days, a classic car and tractor show & more are on the local community event schedule.
A local online event connecting readers to authors will go on a little longer than expected.
A truck-and-tractor pull is coming to Elkhorn, while Maxwell Street Days is set to return to Lake Geneva.
This year, safely celebrate life's blessings at several area restaurants that offer everything from intimate meal settings to buffets.
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Editor's Note: This story originally ran in May 2018, in commemoration of the 50 years since the Playboy Club first opened.
Never before over the almost 79 years that I have been on this planet have I experienced a year like 2020, the year of the coronavirus or Covi…
People reported seeing unusually bright "stars" around what was then the Playboy Club, now Grand Geneva Resort & Spa.
Live streams, holiday shows and a Rock Central fundraiser are some of the gigs happening soon in the area.
The silent auction features about 118 items donated by area businesses. Bidding for the silent auction items began Feb. 13.
LYONS — A Burlington woman allegedly threatened another woman with a gun, pepper sprayed her, kicked and punched her then stole the victim’s gun.
GENEVA — A Lake Geneva woman has been charged after she allegedly used fake names to purchase medication from a Town of Geneva pharmacy.
The current president is actually from Williams Bay.
GENEVA — A woman has been charged after she crashed and police found marijuana in her car.
LAKE GENEVA — An alleged drug dealer is being charged after reportedly selling heroin to a man who overdosed and fell of a roof.
Lake Geneva's room tax rate to increase from 5 % to 8 %.
ELKHORN — An Elkhorn man in a reportedly stolen vehicle sent police on a car chase after he resisted to comply with officers.
ELKHORN — Racing, biker games and live music are just some of the aspects of the first ever Rustic Road Rally.
The Lake Geneva Public Library is launching a capital campaign with a goal of $500,000 to improve the library experience for all patrons.
No shortage of things to do this Memorial Day weekend, with all the events planned in East Troy, Delavan, Sharon and other communities in the area.
Police were called to the Timber Ridge Resort, 7020 Grand Geneva Way, on Monday, April 19, for a report of two intoxicated subjects with small children in the hallway, one of the subjects being a nude man.
To make ends meet, a small town girl takes a job at a resort and learns more about life than she expected in Christina Clancy’s “Shoulder Season.”
MADISON — The Wisconsin Historical Society is now seeking artist proposals for a new exhibit that will travel to schools, museums, and other c…
It was an urban, pleasure-filled paradise plopped down in the middle of conservative, church-going America.
The village's Fourth of July fireworks display comes to the beach a little later than usual this year.
Lake Geneva city officials are considering going to weekly recycling collection instead of the current every-other-week recycling collection a…
Illinois man in kidnapping case pleads guilty in Walworth County Circuit Court
A 33-year-old Bloomfield man faces drug charges after he was found dazed and confused with heroin in his pocket at a Genoa City pizza place.
A 20-year-old man faces charges after he reportedly attempted to flee and elude a police officer while operating a motor vehicle in the Villag…
A bedroom set supposedly from the original Lake Geneva Playboy Club, which opened in 1968 and has been the Grand Geneva Resort and Spa since 1…
TOWN OF LYONS — The new director of food and beverage at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa is a local who is no stranger in the kitchen.
Jordan Mozer is giving a free public lecture Monday, March 7, at 7 p.m.
The information presented here is subject to change. To have an event appear in this column, email us at newsroom@lakegenevanews.net.
The information presented here is subject to change. To have an event appear in this column, email us at newsroom@lakegenevanews.net.
It’s going to be one loud summer, as live music is back in a big way.
ELKHORN — The Geneva Lake West Rotary Club’s 17th Annual Golf Outing is Thursday, May 26, at Evergreen Golf Club.
What better place is there to treat Mom on Mother’s Day than the Lake Geneva area?
TOWN OF LYONS — Dustin Urbanik has been appointed executive chef at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa.
WHITEWATER — The City of Whitewater and the Whitewater Arts Alliance will present two free workshops in tandem with the concert series Savory …
TOWN OF LYONS — Gingerbread houses, hot apple cider, over two million lights and more return to Grand Geneva Resort & Spa for the holidays.
Alyssa Peluso, 31, was banned for life from the Delavan Dollar Tree at 303 S. Wright St. after a Black Friday melee on Nov. 25 that allegedly …
Boundless Adventures zipline and aerial park in Bristol Woods Park will open Saturday under guidelines established with help from the Kenosha County Division of Health, owner Lorrie Funtleyder said Monday.
A free, public drive-through COVID-19 testing site will open Tuesday in the parking lot at Pick ‘n Save Kenosha South, 5710 75th St.
A Mequon man charged with stalking Thursday is the focus of an investigation into the whereabouts of a missing Kenosha resident.
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Frostman's department has taken heat over the last several months for delays in processing 6.5 million weekly unemployment claims.
When it comes to taking the perfect selfie, the limit lies within the imagination of the photographer.
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