Larry Claxton Flynt Jr., or better known as just Larry Flynt, has passed away at 78 after a life as a controversial figure in American history, a promoter of free-speech rights, and the owner of the infamous Hustler magazine.
Flynt's daughter, Theresa, confirmed Thursday that her father passed away. She told reporters that she and her mother were beside Flynt when he passed away Wednesday at the Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.
Flynt became the target of public criticism after he launched his Hustler magazine in the 1970s. The magazine quickly grew in popularity and gained attention from several groups that claimed that it was too obscene.
The publication was sued several times and most became landmark free speech cases. Flynt repeatedly fought to defend his rights to publish pornographic content and he has since been a champion of First Amendment rights, part of the U.S. Constitution that guarantees freedom of speech.
During his lifetime, Flynt had received several threats against his life. In 1978, Flynt was shot while exiting the Gwinnett County Courthouse, where he was facing a trial over his distribution of pornographic materials. The incident left Flynt paralyzed from the waist down.
In 1983, Flynt was sued by Rev. Jerry Falwell over a satirical ad in one of his magazines. The case, considered to be a historic First Amendment milestone, reached the Supreme Court. Flynt eventually won the case with the justices ruling that parodies of public figures are protected forms of speech.
Flynt established Hustler as a newsletter for a chain of adult clubs he had owned in Dayton, Ohio. The magazine eventually grew and became a rival to popular publications such as the Playboy Magazine.
Flynt gained national notoriety after his magazine published nude photos of former first lady Jacqueline Onassis. He eventually used that fame to enter politics. In 2001, Flynt announced that he would be running for Governor in California. Flynt did not win.
Flynt has been the subject of several films and books, including a 1996 biopic titled "The People vs. Larry Flynt" starring Woody Harrelson. The movie received an Academy Award in 1997.
