NEW YORK — EPIX will air for the first time "Filthy Gorgeous: The Extraordinary World of Bob Guccione" on Friday night at 11 p.m. (PST, EST).
Barry Avrich’s feature-length documentary film on the life and times of Bob Guccione, the late founder of Penthouse Magazine, is described as "an honest, hard-hitting account of the Renaissance man and provocateur."
The filmmakers further say "Filthy Gorgeous" is the story of "a visionary, public-relations master, recluse and self-destructive optimist, who went from the pinnacle of power, worth hundreds of millions of dollars — to virtually dying penniless."
Penthouse magazine was founded in 1965 by Guccione as a randier competitor to Playboy magazine. The adult publication grossed at least $3.5 billion during its run under Guccione. He resigned from Penthouse International in 2004 and died six years later.
Produced, written and directed by Avrich, "Filthy Gorgeous" is a Melbar Entertainment Group production in association with EPIX, Astral’s The Movie Network and Corus Entertainment’s Movie Cental, with funding from Rogers Telefund, CAVCO and the OMDC.
The EPIX channel is available to more than 30 million homes nationwide through Charter Communications, Cox Communications, DISH Network, Mediacom Communications, NCTC, Suddenlink Communications and Verizon FiOS.