The freedom to speak out, to express one’s individual ideas resonates at the heart of “Hugh Hefner’s After Dark: Speaking out in America”, a documentary featuring the most cutting edge personalities and the most captivating jazz, blues and rock performances from his landmark TV Series, “Playboy’s Penthouse” and “Playboy After Dark” aired in the late 50s and late 60s. Alongside a treasure trove of musical gems, the film features candid conversations about freedom of speech, racism and progressive politics at a time when Hefner was one of the few with enough conviction to give the voices of dissent airtime.

Principal Cast/Interviewees: WHOOPI GOLDBERG | TONY BENNETT | KITTY BRUCE | JOHN KAY | ROGER McGUINN | LEON KENNEDY | JIM BROWN | TAJ MAHAL | JOAN BAEZ | PETE SEEGER | DICK GREGORY | TIM HAUSER | JOHN BURK | GENE SIMMONS | BARBARA DANE | BARRY MELTON | BRUCE BELLAND | SIVI ABERG | ROBERT CLARY | ANNIE ROSS | DICK ROSENZWEIG | MICHAEL WADLEIGH | LINDA RONSTADT | CHARLES STROUSE | SMOKEY ROBINSON | BILL MAHER | RON SIMON | HUGH HEFNER