Tom Cowans by Kris

These photos are courtesy of Timarxus and his blog "Black Muscle: 1940-1980" -- a really fantastic collection of black musclemen. Check him out -- unlike myself, he posts very regularly!! ;-)

beach buddies

Pictures featuring tall and short men together are a favorite of mine -- don't ask me why!

Don Fuller and Kip Behar

Following on from a post this past June -- two more shots in the series...

30s wrestler Joe Savoldi

The Ballad of Little Jo

While trawling through the thousands of "vintage" photos on eBay tonight, trying to track down something interesting to share with you all, I was listening to a k.d. lang album to help ground me and keep me sane.

Something in her mood made me think of one of my favorite films, "The Ballad of Little Jo." Starring Suzy Amis and Ian McKellan, the film tells the story of a woman cast out of her upper-class family for having a child out of wedlock and how she ended up living her life as a man in the Old West.



The haunting soundtrack is by David Mansfield -- really, it is simply beautiful. Here is a wonderful sampling --



The heartbreaking End Title song, "Ballad for Little Jo," sung by Kate and Anna McGarrigle, can be heard by clicking here. It is one of my all-time favorite songs, and chokes me up every time I hear it.

two college sports gods from way, way back....

Steve Wengryn by AMG

David Allen and Parrish Ames by Rod Crowther

hairy-chested hunk by Spartan

Dig the tight sock mark just under his calf! ;-)

1950s bodybuilding competitors by Robert L. Jones

Gary Seegar

This is almost definitely by Mel Roberts, but at first I thought it was by Champion. Whoever took it, good work!

A happening from July, 1927

John Derek in "The Leather Saint" [1956]

Woof!

William MacLane catalog Q

One of the long-stated reasons for producing physique photographs was to provide an aid for artists wishing to have model resources for their art. The then-famous (and now nearly-forgotten) William MacLane took this source to heart as witnessed by three of his paintings offered in Catalog Q. The figure on the left in #99-Leisure is a classic pose by Glenn Bishop, the prone figure in #100-Sun Worship is Ed Fury by Bruce of LA and the inspiration for #102-The Studio is a photo of Matt Carroll by John Palatinus.

Enlisted Men's Swimming Pool, Fort McClellan, Anniston Alabama

circa 1945

Peter Seultz by Jock of South Africa

Meet John Palatinus this Saturday, November 5!

This Saturday night, November 5, from 6 to 9 PM, please join me at the opening night party for John Palatinus' exhibition of his historic 1950's physique work in his home town of Palm Springs!

This exhibit has toured Paris, Antwerp and Berlin this year, and I'm very glad to see it end the year back in the States. We had a special preview night this past Tuesday that was a great success -- the official opening, coming in the midst of Palm Springs Pride, should be even better.

John is receiving a Spirit of Stonewall Lifetime Achievement Award from the organizers of Palm Springs Pride and will be in this year's parade -- along with Gilbert Harris, the creator of the Rainbow Flag!

John has become a dear friend in the last few years and I am very proud of the exhibit he and I have created of his "lost work." Believe me, you haven't experienced the wonder of physique photography until you've seen it in a gallery setting -- full of people, both gay and straight, gazing in wonder at what was once considered "obscene art" -- no one has left a "Palatinus Opening Night" not feeling a huge sense of euphoria!!!

A wonderful article by Will Dean about John and his art appeared in last Sunday's "Desert Sun."

Please come and meet the irrepressible John Palatinus this Saturday night!

Savage Gallery & Boutique
870 Research Drive, Suite 1
Palm Springs, California 93362

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAe2ltjwV8A
http://youtu.be/P-8VHRv3RtE

and a flashback to our amazing Paris Opening this past January --
http://youtu.be/K9vL6Pdjgbc

John Palatinus in Palm Springs!