Meant as a satire of skin magazines, a certain male actor posed nude in the April, 1972 edition of a certain magazine. Which actor, and which magazine?

In a bold and unprecedented move for a mainstream publication, the April 1972 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine featured a nude centerfold of actor Burt Reynolds. This audacious feature, a deliberate satire of the female pinups popularized in men's magazines like Playboy, became a significant cultural moment. The idea was the brainchild of Cosmopolitan's editor, Helen Gurley Brown, who saw it as a "milestone in the sexual revolution" and a way to cater to the desires of female readers.

The now-iconic photograph, shot by Francesco Scavullo, depicted a smiling Reynolds reclining on a bearskin rug with a cigarillo in his mouth, his arm strategically placed. The issue was a massive success, quickly selling out all 1.5 million copies and catapulting Reynolds to a new level of stardom. The centerfold was a radical statement at the time, asserting that women's desires were worthy of acknowledgment and sparking a conversation about sexuality and gender roles.

While the photoshoot cemented Reynolds' status as a sex symbol, he later expressed mixed feelings about the decision, concerned that it detracted from his reputation as a serious actor. Despite his reservations, the cultural impact was undeniable. The centerfold is credited with inspiring the creation of Playgirl magazine the following year and remains a landmark moment in the history of both pop culture and the sexual revolution of the 1970s.