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Stephen King: The Playboy Interview
To celebrate the Interview’s 50th anniversary, the editors of Playboy culled 50 of its most (in)famous interviews and published them over the course of 50 weekdays (from September 4, 2012 to November 12, 2012) via Amazon’s Kindle Direct platform. This is the interview with the horror author Stephen King from the June 1983 issue.
- GenresNonfiction
33 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 1983
55 people are currently reading
686 people want to read
About the author
Stephen King
2,413 books887k followersStephen Edwin King was born the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his father left them when Stephen was two, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of them. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 12, 2020
This is the quintessential interview of Stephen King. Dating back to 1983 he freely talks about everything: his novels, fears, childhood, obsessions, headaches, sexual preferences and interests, the missing father, his family and kids, Tabby, critics, future directions in his works. If you follow this author since I do since the 80s it's extremely exciting to see where he got since then. Some predicted that he'd soon quit. He's still there and did some of the best works ever. Awesome interview I can highly recommend to King beginners, advanced or professional readers!
February 5, 2022
I've really enjoyed this interview. It was well made, not rushed (over the course of 2 weeks, while staying with the man himself). Stephen is one sharp fellow.
August 26, 2022
যে-কোনো সাক্ষাৎকার বুঝি এমনই হওয়া উচিত, যেখানে প্রশ্নকর্তা এবং উত্তরদাতা দু'জনেই প্রস্তুতি নিয়ে আসেন আর কথা বলেন দিল খুলে।
আশির দশকে 'প্লেবয়' ম্যাগাজিনের জন্য এই সাক্ষাৎকারটি নেওয়া হয়েছিল। তখনও আজকের মতো বিশ্বজোড়া খ্যাতি পাননি স্টেফেন কিং। তবে, নিজ দেশ যুক্তরাষ্ট্রে যথেষ্ট পাঠকপ্রিয় হয়ে উঠেছেন। এমন মুহূর্তে তিনি 'প্লেবয়' ম্যাগাজিনকে এই দীর্ঘ সাক্ষাৎকারটি দেন।
ছোটোবেলায় অমিশুক ছিলেন স্টেফেন কিং। বন্ধু-বান্ধব বিশেষ ছিল না। তাই কল্পনার একটা রাজ্য তখনই মনে মনে গড়ে উঠেছিল। আর, তার একজন চাচা ভীষণ ভালো গল্পবলিয়ে ছিলেন। এমন সুন্দরকরে গল্প বলার ধরন তাকে পরবর্তীতে লেখালিখি করতে পরোক্ষভাবে উৎসাহ দিয়েছিল।
রাতারাতি খ্যাতি পাননি কিং। বরং 'ক্যারি' লেখার পর পাঠকপ্রিয়তা পেতে তাকে বড় একটি সময় অপেক্ষা করতে হয়েছে। সেইসব দিনের কথা স্মরণ করেছেন কিং। ব্যর্থতা ও হতাশায় কতটা মুষড়ে পড়তেন সে কথা বলেছেন তিনি।
আমাদের প্রাচ্যদেশে লেখক নিজেকে মহাপুরুষ হিসেবে উপস্থাপন করতে চান। অন্যদিকে, সাক্ষাৎকারগ্রহীতা যথাযথ প্রস্তুতি না নিয়েই নিতে চান সাক্ষাৎকার। এখানে তেমনটি হয়নি। স্টেফেন কিংয়ের লেখাগুলো পড়ে তবেই নেওয়া হয়েছে সাক্ষাৎকার। তাই তার সাহিত্যচর্চা নিয়ে অনেক তথ্যই পাঠক পাবেন।
কিং 'হার্ড ড্রাগ' পছন্দ করেন। গাঁজা খেলে তার কাজ হয় না। বরং তিনি এলএসডি সেবনে উৎসাহী। যৌনজীবন নিয়ে প্রশ্নের উত্তরে অকপটে বলেছেন, অনিয়ন্ত্রিত জীবনযাপনের কারণেই হয়তো কিছুকালের জন্য অক্ষম তথা Impotent হয়ে গিয়েছিলেন। সুস্থ হতে নিয়েছেন চিকিৎসা।
নিজের লেখালিখিকে শতভাগ মৌলিক দাবি করেননি। 'ড্রাকুলা'সহ আরও কিছু পুরােনো বই থেকে ধারণা ধার করেছেন - একথা স্বীকার করতে তিনি কুণ্ঠিত নন।
স্ট্যানলি কুব্রিকের পরিচালিত 'শাইনিং' তাকে সন্তুষ্ট করেনি। অনেকটা আক্ষেপ নিয়েই কিং বলেন, কুব্রিক বইটার মূল ধারণা ধরতে পারেনি। হরর বইকে সে পারিবারিক ভায়োলেন্স বানিয়ে ফেলেছে। কোনোদিন সুযোগ পেলে 'শাইনিং' নির্মাণের তার ইচ্ছের কথাও ব্যক্ত করেছেন স্টেফেন কিং।
যারা কিংয়ের বই পড়েছেন ও বই-নির্ভর চলচ্চিত্রগুলো বেশি দেখেছেন, এই সাক্ষাৎকার তাদেরকে আরও আকর্ষণ করবে।
আশির দশকে 'প্লেবয়' ম্যাগাজিনের জন্য এই সাক্ষাৎকারটি নেওয়া হয়েছিল। তখনও আজকের মতো বিশ্বজোড়া খ্যাতি পাননি স্টেফেন কিং। তবে, নিজ দেশ যুক্তরাষ্ট্রে যথেষ্ট পাঠকপ্রিয় হয়ে উঠেছেন। এমন মুহূর্তে তিনি 'প্লেবয়' ম্যাগাজিনকে এই দীর্ঘ সাক্ষাৎকারটি দেন।
ছোটোবেলায় অমিশুক ছিলেন স্টেফেন কিং। বন্ধু-বান্ধব বিশেষ ছিল না। তাই কল্পনার একটা রাজ্য তখনই মনে মনে গড়ে উঠেছিল। আর, তার একজন চাচা ভীষণ ভালো গল্পবলিয়ে ছিলেন। এমন সুন্দরকরে গল্প বলার ধরন তাকে পরবর্তীতে লেখালিখি করতে পরোক্ষভাবে উৎসাহ দিয়েছিল।
রাতারাতি খ্যাতি পাননি কিং। বরং 'ক্যারি' লেখার পর পাঠকপ্রিয়তা পেতে তাকে বড় একটি সময় অপেক্ষা করতে হয়েছে। সেইসব দিনের কথা স্মরণ করেছেন কিং। ব্যর্থতা ও হতাশায় কতটা মুষড়ে পড়তেন সে কথা বলেছেন তিনি।
আমাদের প্রাচ্যদেশে লেখক নিজেকে মহাপুরুষ হিসেবে উপস্থাপন করতে চান। অন্যদিকে, সাক্ষাৎকারগ্রহীতা যথাযথ প্রস্তুতি না নিয়েই নিতে চান সাক্ষাৎকার। এখানে তেমনটি হয়নি। স্টেফেন কিংয়ের লেখাগুলো পড়ে তবেই নেওয়া হয়েছে সাক্ষাৎকার। তাই তার সাহিত্যচর্চা নিয়ে অনেক তথ্যই পাঠক পাবেন।
কিং 'হার্ড ড্রাগ' পছন্দ করেন। গাঁজা খেলে তার কাজ হয় না। বরং তিনি এলএসডি সেবনে উৎসাহী। যৌনজীবন নিয়ে প্রশ্নের উত্তরে অকপটে বলেছেন, অনিয়ন্ত্রিত জীবনযাপনের কারণেই হয়তো কিছুকালের জন্য অক্ষম তথা Impotent হয়ে গিয়েছিলেন। সুস্থ হতে নিয়েছেন চিকিৎসা।
নিজের লেখালিখিকে শতভাগ মৌলিক দাবি করেননি। 'ড্রাকুলা'সহ আরও কিছু পুরােনো বই থেকে ধারণা ধার করেছেন - একথা স্বীকার করতে তিনি কুণ্ঠিত নন।
স্ট্যানলি কুব্রিকের পরিচালিত 'শাইনিং' তাকে সন্তুষ্ট করেনি। অনেকটা আক্ষেপ নিয়েই কিং বলেন, কুব্রিক বইটার মূল ধারণা ধরতে পারেনি। হরর বইকে সে পারিবারিক ভায়োলেন্স বানিয়ে ফেলেছে। কোনোদিন সুযোগ পেলে 'শাইনিং' নির্মাণের তার ইচ্ছের কথাও ব্যক্ত করেছেন স্টেফেন কিং।
যারা কিংয়ের বই পড়েছেন ও বই-নির্ভর চলচ্চিত্রগুলো বেশি দেখেছেন, এই সাক্ষাৎকার তাদেরকে আরও আকর্ষণ করবে।
July 30, 2014
Simply the best Playboy interview ever. Intriguing details about superstition and almost being driven over the edge by menial jobs and family, along with other choice tidbits, make it a must read.
July 8, 2025
I read this interview in a book called “The Stephen King Companion” by George Beahm (the 1989 edition to be exact) which was a compilation of everything written about King at the time and the editor’s analysis of Kings (then) complete bibliography.
It’s the best interview with Stephen King you can read or listen to.
5/5; highly recommended.
It’s the best interview with Stephen King you can read or listen to.
5/5; highly recommended.
January 14, 2022
Eloquent and wide ranging
I'm fairly certain this could nearly have been done without the interviewer, as King's answers seem eloquent and rambling at the same time. A man with a minimum word count to write per day does not give short answers.
"When I couldn’t sleep, in that black hole of the night when all your doubts and fears and insecurities surge in at you, snarling, from the dark—what the Scandinavians call the wolf hour—I used to lie in bed alternately wondering if I shouldn’t throw in the creative towel and spinning out masturbatory wish-fulfillment fantasies in which I was a successful and respected author. And that’s where my imaginary Playboy Interview came in. I’d picture myself calm and composed, magisterial, responding with lucidly reasoned answers to the toughest questions, bouncing brilliant aperçus off the walls like tennis balls. Now that you’re here, I’ll probably do nothing but spew out incoherencies!"
With literary allusions, an expected adoration for the darker parts of life, and love for his family, this was a pleasure to read.
I'm fairly certain this could nearly have been done without the interviewer, as King's answers seem eloquent and rambling at the same time. A man with a minimum word count to write per day does not give short answers.
"When I couldn’t sleep, in that black hole of the night when all your doubts and fears and insecurities surge in at you, snarling, from the dark—what the Scandinavians call the wolf hour—I used to lie in bed alternately wondering if I shouldn’t throw in the creative towel and spinning out masturbatory wish-fulfillment fantasies in which I was a successful and respected author. And that’s where my imaginary Playboy Interview came in. I’d picture myself calm and composed, magisterial, responding with lucidly reasoned answers to the toughest questions, bouncing brilliant aperçus off the walls like tennis balls. Now that you’re here, I’ll probably do nothing but spew out incoherencies!"
With literary allusions, an expected adoration for the darker parts of life, and love for his family, this was a pleasure to read.
September 24, 2020
Portrait of the young author
Stephen King seemed to bug the interviewer just a little. Instead of blowing off psychic phenomena and bowing to the sterile Playboy Philosophy he seems to think we are more than meatbots. This is the young liberal writer thinking for himself. Not concerned with the political correctness and just so politics of what would be the future. I really liked the Stephen King of this interview.
Stephen King seemed to bug the interviewer just a little. Instead of blowing off psychic phenomena and bowing to the sterile Playboy Philosophy he seems to think we are more than meatbots. This is the young liberal writer thinking for himself. Not concerned with the political correctness and just so politics of what would be the future. I really liked the Stephen King of this interview.
August 1, 2013
A great, insightful interview with King, from one of the best phases of his career; he'd already finished CHRISTINE and was working on PET SEMATARY. Some of his responses here went on to become staple responses for future King interviews for the next decade.
January 16, 2015
I've heard Mr. King speak. The interview didn't quite capture his charm, and the format had him quoting others too much, as if their words are any better than his own. Very honest, though; I was surprised.
October 17, 2013
A nice interview for Stephen King fans. its worth the time.
September 22, 2014
funny, interesting interview
August 13, 2018
Look at the character ‘Celebrity Stephen King’ as baby
It’s old enough and I’m a fan enough to notice the dates bits. Mr King, in his moment, was giving some carefully reconstructed artfully PC answers, and entertaining. Masterful as in who the heck was his handler? Still, there is essential almost period piece honesty (and caution), we don’t meet the writer we meet the under construction celebrity “Stephen King”. There were some good advisors though tattered by hasty patching the celebrity was worth meeting
It’s old enough and I’m a fan enough to notice the dates bits. Mr King, in his moment, was giving some carefully reconstructed artfully PC answers, and entertaining. Masterful as in who the heck was his handler? Still, there is essential almost period piece honesty (and caution), we don’t meet the writer we meet the under construction celebrity “Stephen King”. There were some good advisors though tattered by hasty patching the celebrity was worth meeting
September 14, 2016
Great Insight
A marvelous interview of King from 1983, giving a very interesting look into his thoughts and feelings. King shares a lot, often being both self-deprecating and quite funny.
A marvelous interview of King from 1983, giving a very interesting look into his thoughts and feelings. King shares a lot, often being both self-deprecating and quite funny.
February 23, 2016
Funny,informative,historical,prophetic and marginally more entertaining than Bazaar of Bad Dreams.
January 25, 2017
King of horror
A look back at a younger Stephen King. One of my favorite writers. It speaks of his beginning and his fears.
A look back at a younger Stephen King. One of my favorite writers. It speaks of his beginning and his fears.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews