Zaro Rossi - autographed!

Here's that picture I promised back in January -- a photo personally autorgraphed by Zaro Rossi! If only my name happened to be Jack....

When I purchased this sepia beauty, I admit to being a bit skeptical about the signature's authenticity. What led me to bid was the fact that while the seller could read the name with no problem, he (she?) didn't appear to know the model's last name, limiting the search potential (I found this while searching under the very generic "gay vintage 50s" in my endless quest for Palatinus photos). Someone familiar with classic physique models would surely have put "Zaro Rossi" in the item description!

Lo and behold, just a couple of weeks ago, another autographed Zaro came up for auction -- from a different seller. Compare the two -- the autographs are identical. It's no secret that Zaro sold sets of photos of himself directly to his fans -- here's an advert for the second picture from a March 1958 issue of Adonis that features the second photo.

Sadly, the cost of this second picture exceeded my meager means -- but I'm very happy to have visual proof that I own an actual photograph signed by the incomparable Zaro!

Charles Klejniak and an official admirer...

I recently acquired this fantastic holiday snap of Belgian bodybuilder Charles Klejniak posing with a British bobby outside the Houses of Parliament. I think this is an awesome photo!

Bee Gees - "You Win Again"

First Donna, and now, tonight, I learn that Robin Gibb has left the world. Only 15 years older than me! Thank you, Robin (and Maurice, and Barry, and Andy) for creating the soundtrack of my youth.

Donna Summer - "State of Independence"

Farewell, Donna -- and thank you for all the wonderful music. (And thanks to Rick Castro at Antebellum for reminding me of Donna's fantastic version of this song.)

Jim Park by Russ Warner

Jimmy Somerville - "The Core"

Nearly 30 years after "Smalltown Boy," the Voice is still transcendent.

Jimmy Somerville - "Heartbeat"

Ah, the wonders of YouTube -- I had never seen this video until tonight. From 1995 - the hit single that never was. I find Jimmy incredibly sexy -- always have, always will. So there.

Jimmy Somerville - "Coming" (from the film "Orlando")

A forgotten classic, from Sally Potter's amazing film "Orlando" in 1992. A fan-made video by Eretico80, featuring the art of Eadweard James Muybridge, the godfather of physique photography.

Jimmy Somerville and Bronski Beat - "Smalltown Boy" -- Live!

A rare live performance by the original Bronski Beat -- Jimmy Somerville, Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbachek. This song is as powerful (and relevant) today, nearly 30 years after it was recorded...

unknown by Stan of Sweden

Clive Poster and buddy by Dennis Kellett

From the early/mid 50s (that's Clive on the left).

Eros Ramazzotti - Un'Altra Te

Just a couple of favorites from Eros...

Eros Ramazzotti - Piu Bella Cosa

Johnny Sheffield as "Bomba"

I was very young when I became a "Tarzan" fan -- the character from both the films and the books. The Tarzan of the movies had no relation to that of the written word, but I loved them both.

When I first read "The Son of Tarzan" -- the 4th novel -- I immediately wanted to strip my clothes off and run through the vast wooded areas behind my house -- just like Jack Clayton.

In the movies, the (adopted) son of Tarzan and Jane was played by Johnny Sheffield -- a child actor picked personally by Johnny Weismuller. He portrayed "Boy" in the Tarzan series from 1939 through 1947.

When the producers felt that "Boy" was becoming too old to appear alongside Tarzan, he was let go from the series after appearing in "Tarzan and the Huntress." But jungle fever was still running strong in Hollywood -- Johnny was recruited to embody the character of "Bomba" (a child's version of Tarzan that was first published from 1926 - 1938) starting in 1949 and running twelve films through 1955.

While I certainly remember "Boy" from the Tarzan films, I only became aware of "Bomba" in the last dozen years -- those films never appeared on the independent Boston television stations when I was a youngster. Through the miracle of the internet, in the past couple of years I have been able to view these films and totally love their innocent adventurousness.

After the Bomba series ended, Johnny Sheffield gave up his Hollywood career and became a business man, but he never turned his back on his jungle career and happily signed many a picture from his past for his ever-growing circle of fans.

Johnny Sheffield died in 2010, aged 79, from complications after a fall while pruning a tree in his yard. Active to the very end!

I recently purchased some wonderful original 8x10 photos of Johnny as Bomba -- I'll scan the best as soon as they arrive in the post. But I'm wondering -- was "Bomba" a source of fascination for budding gay boys in the 50s? Do any of my readers remember watching Johnny in the cinema, or on syndicated TV of the 60s? I would love to hear from anyone, whether from "back in the day" or who disovered him last week, who loved the films of Mr. Johnny Sheffield.

Jim Stevens by Paul Hawker

Dale Gilbert

While Dale was photographed several times by Don Whitman's WPG, this photo doesn't really resemble a WPG shot.

Forrester Millard by AMG

One of the first AMG models (if not THE first), Forrester passed away last year at age 81.

Roger Conte by Tyc

real hunky sailors!

Keith Maynard by Douglas of Detroit

A neat example of double-exposure that Douglas Juleff and Bob Mizer (AMG) liked to work with...