1958's 'Summer Love' with Sexy Movie Star John Saxon

 

This man needs no introduction to numerous generations of movie-goers and aficionados of vintage Hollywood beefcake.  It's a sexy career that spans more than sixty years.  Back in 1956, Mr. Saxon was one of Universal Studio's last "contract" players, developed and groomed through the old studio system to be a leading man and teen idol. It was the end of an era in Hollywood as new rebel stars like Brando would command the spotlight.  But one thing never goes out of style--good looking men.

 

 Saxon was handsome and swarthy and Italian American.  It's reported that he was also the client of a man who would become famous in history because of his associations with Rock Hudson.  According to Robert Hofler's book The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson: The Pretty Boys and Dirty Deals of Henry Wilson, agent Henry Wilson saw Saxon's modeling picture on the cover of a magazine and contacted brought him to Hollywood. Wilson’s stable of male heart throbs also included Robert Wagner, Troy Donahue, Tab Hunter, and John Derek.

John's early work included The Restless Years (1958; with Sandra Dee and Virginia Grey), Summer Love (1958; with Troy Donahue), The Reluctant Debutante (1958; with Rex Harrison and Sandra Dee), and Portrait in Black (1960; with Lana Turner and Sandra Dee).

 

By the 1970's he had become a popular actor in many action roles, including Italian movies and 1973's Enter the Dragon.  John has a black belt in karate and has continued to entertain for decades. 

Lucky Vanous

It's reported that Lucky was born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska.  At 18 he joined the Army and was selected for the 1st Ranger Battalion (Black Berets), an elite anti-terrorist and anti-guerrilla response team.  It was during his time with the Rangers that he traveled extensively and was trained in  demolitions, scuba diving and parachuting.  After completing his duty with the Rangers Lucky attended the University of Nebraska.  While vacationing in New York with a friend, the story goes that Lucky was spotted by an agent for the Elite Modeling Agency, who signed him up to model.

Lucky's 'luckiest' break probably came when he landed a role as the thirsty construction worker in a Diet Coke commercial. That spot set off a nationwide craze for him and sparked a debate about the objectification of men as visual sex toys—something women had been treated as for quite some time.  The spot became one of Coca-Cola's most successful commercial campaigns, which led to appearances promoting Diet Coke throughout the United States and Europe.

In 1994, Psychology Today displayed Lucky Vanous on their front cover sporting the tag line "From Pecs To Sex" with a story about "The Beefcaking of America" that explored changing gender roles which were shifting the spotlight to include men's bodies.   http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200910/the-beefcaking-america .   In other arenas the ad helped to raise the plight of closeted gay office workers, and the homophobia/discrimination which was openly experienced in many workplaces.  The question was openly asked--How would a sexy straight man feel about being admired by gay men?  Whereas the women in the ad (thanks in no small part to the 1970's push for women's liberation and Playgirl magazine's sexual glorification of men) could innocently enjoy the masculine beauty of a shirtless construction worker from their office window, in most cities a gay co-worker could get fired for the same response without any recourse.  The spot ends with the women breathing heavily and agreeing to do it again the next day when Lucky takes his Diet Coke break again. 

Lucky starred in Aaron Spelling's Pacific Palisades which aired on Fox, among other projects. He married in 1989 and divorced in 1996.  Today he operates a restaurant in LA called Lucky Devils.

Do You Remember Him?

 

 Even his name sounds almost too-perfect, but when this model/actor took off his shirt in a soda commercial to cool off, an office full of women watching him went into overdrive.  The television commercial was aired back in 1994.  It's recognized as one of the first media examples of where men became nameless sex objects (just like women had been for decades) who were lusted after purely for their bodies.  And it wasn't just women who were enjoying the commerical.  The actor went on to be named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People of that same year.  Can you name this handsome hunk and the commercial?  Answer later this week.

August 1939 Beefcake

Popular Science magazine offered up this tasty turf and surf beefcake article back in August 1939.  Ahhh, just open your mouth wide, take in a deep breath and inhale that seaside salty air on a hot summer's afternoon...It's sunny Los Angeles with hunky life guards in tight shorts sporting HUGE woodies jutting straight up into the air--what a perfect day at the beach!

For just 15 cents this magazine sure has a lot to offer.  Whatever that gizmo is on the cover-- even it looks phallic-fabulous! This is the same month that a new movie called The Wizard of Oz has its premier in 1939.  Over in Europe, Nazi aggression is being reluctantly tolerated as leaders from around the world try to negotiate peace with Hitler.  On August 23, the German Soviet pact of nonaggression is signed in Moscow by Joachim von Ribbentrop and Molotoff in the presence of Joseph Stalin.

Advertisements are usually a great window into what society was like, and back in 1939 cameras were relatively pricey toys for men.  Above is an ad in this same magazine offering ways for a gent to MAKE MONEY with your CAMERA.  The upcoming World War II would draw away most young men's interest in fun hobbies for many years.  But luckily for all of us, after the war years, some enterprising guys did exactly what this ad suggested, and the result became the male physique photography studio.

August 1992

Playgirl magazine went tiki-crazy tropical with this issue.   In addition to their blonde centerfold Don Nightingale, they offered up feature stories on Keanu Reeves and "How to have an affair without ruining your life."

The Greg Louganis Playgirl Spread

Greg appeared in the August 1987 issue of Playgirl.

Olympiad Athlete Greg Louganis (part two)

Viewers to CNN were treated to an interview with Greg Louganis earlier this week.  Piers Morgan Tonight welcomed one of the most revered Olympic athletes of recent times – four-time gold medal winning diver Greg – for an honest (but not very revealing) sit down interview.  Now 52 years old, Mr. Louganis is at the 2012 Games serving as a mentor to the U.S. diving team, his first visit to the Summer Olympics in 16 years.   

A whole lot has changed in terms of gay acceptance in the United States since Greg competed.  Following the announcement of his HIV status, Louganis was dropped by most of his corporate sponsors, with the exception of the aquatics gear manufacturer Speedo, who continued to sponsor him.  Louganis also posed nude (showing less than most nude models in the magazine-- but nonetheless still looking very sexy) for Playgirl magazine in 1987.  

For Piers Morgan, the three-time Olympian opened up about testing positive for HIV more than two decades ago, and the fears that subsequently followed: 

•   On being diagnosed with HIV: "Honestly, I didn't think that I'd see 30.  Back in 1988 when I was diagnosed with HIV, we thought of HIV as a death sentence," he shares. "Honestly, I didn't think that I'd see 30."

• On the heels of the recent controversy surrounding restaurant chain Chick-fil-A's management anti-gay beliefs:  "Well you know, I’m not real political," said Louganis, who's been openly gay since 1995. "You know, but I know what’s right, you know, what’s right for me and you know, equal rights for everybody."  Jokingly, Louganis went on to suggest that his issue with the chicken specialist has as much to do with health, as it does with rights:  "I mean really, who eats that stuff? I mean I like my arteries, you know, I like my blood flowing." 

 

PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR PART THREE: THE PLAYGIRL PHOTOS

Greg Louganis

Greg Louganis won gold medals at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games on both the springboard and platform.  He remains the only male, and the second diver in Olympic history, to take the diving events in consecutive Olympic Games.

At the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, the handsome sportsman accidentally bashed his head and was rushed out of the pool, needing 5 stitches.  He then returned and performed perfectly before going on to win the gold medal.  It was later revealed that 6 month prior to the accident, Greg had been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.  Living as a gay athlete in an era of AIDS hysteria, Greg recounted his story in a best-selling autobiography Breaking the Surface (co-written with Eric Marcus). The book spent five weeks at number one on the New York Times Best Seller list.

 

 Greg has gone on to be an outspoken advocate for the fight against HIV/AIDS and has worked frequently with the Human Rights Campaign to defend the civil liberties of the LGBT community and people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

More Bo Richards

Bo Richards: The Main Attraction

In 1980 Bo appeared in the Nova Studios short Mr. Fixit.   If you really want to see this performance (he masturbates on a car) it was included in The Cruiser, a collection of five unrelated loops.  In addition to Bo Richards, The Cruiser starred Bud Wilson, Chuck Stears, Clay Cooper, Clay Hughes, Clay Russell, Dale Arnold, Ken Foxx, Mark Kropp, Paul Mackie, Ron Stevens, and Wes Harding.  Interestingly, below are advertisements (for film and video) that reflect the changing world of adult entertainment in the 1980's as videos opened up the market for erotic products compared to films that required a home projector to view.

 

1972 Olympics: Mark Spitz Mania

Mark Spitz competed in the 1968 Olympics when he was 18 and then went back to Indiana University, where he trained and began to work out (in and out of water) more than ever before. Then in 1972 at the Munich Olympics, 22 year-old Spitz won 7 gold medals and broke seven world records.

Millions of people across the world watched the swimming competitions on TV, and especially Spitz:  He was young, tall, tan, good-looking and buff in all the right places. Mark developed a whole bunch of gay fans who thought that the man with the thick moustache was mucho macho grande.

Mr. Spitz returned to the U.S. and received a hero’s welcome. He became a national celebrity and a full-body poster soon followed of him wearing only a Speedo, his gold medals, and a grin. The poster became a huge seller.  It was mainstream beefcake.  It found it's way into many a gay man's home not to mention gay bars. 

Spitz retired from swimming and signed many endorsements (it's reported that he made approximately $7 million in just 2 years). He signed on as a spokesperson for Schick, milk producers, Speedo, and other companies (including men's underwear).  He married his sweetheart.


The next logical move was to Hollywood, but here the swimmer was more like a fish out of water...It seems that he was mega-popular as the Olympic athlete competing in the water; It seems he was very popular out of the water weaning only his Speedo (in that poster);  But it seems that not enough people cared to seem him both out of the water and fully dressed.

The story goes that, based upon the rich history of sexy athletes playing the role of the jungle vine swinger, a Tarzan movie seemed like a natural role for Spitz. Replacing his Speedo with a loin cloth made sense, since Weissmuller had won 5 Olympic gold medals and a bronze before starring in 12 Tarzan movies, but for unknown reasons the deal never materialized. Rumors were that producers didn't think he had the personality or acting talent.  In any case, Spitz never joined that exclusive Tarzan club.

Mark briefly returned to swimming in 1989, but failed to qualify for the 1992 Olympics team. It's reported that he works as a stockbroker and motivational speaker and has  endorsed wrinkle-fighting Botox treatments.  His biography, The Extraordinary Life of An Olympic Champion (by Richard J. Foster) was released in July 2008.  In 1999 Mr. Spitz ranked #33 in the ESPN SportsCentury 50 Greatest Athletes.