Los Angeles – Hustler founder Larry Flynt died Wednesday from heart failure, according to the entertainment tabloid TMZ.
TMZ noted that for nearly 50 years, Flynt's was one of the biggest names in the adult entertainment industry. Flynt launched "Hustler" magazine in 1974, which brought him fame and fortune as it skyrocketed in popularity and competed with other adult and men's publications like Playboy.
Flynt was born in Kentucky in 1942. He founded the Hustler Club in 1965, and expanded that into a newsletter which became Hustler Magazine in 1974. He then created an adult-entertainment empire of magazines, films, and even a casino.
Flynt was involved in numerous First Amendment arguments and lawsuits which was showcased in the 1996 movie The People vs Larry Flynt starring Woody Harrelson as Flynt.
Flynt was shot in 1978 which left him partially paralyzed with spinal cord damage, confining him to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.