British Beef, Part 2 - Academic Drawings

Part 2 of our British double features is about academic art.  We start with a 1758 drawing

 by Alan Ramsay, a Scotsman whose work can be found in the National Galleries of Scotland.  

If you are ever in Edinburgh, you need to visit this museum in the park below the castle 

not too far from Waverly Station.  Bear and I spent a wonderful afternoon there once.

John Flaxman (1755-1826) used a burly model for this undated drawing.

Flaxman was better known as a neoclassical sculptor than as a painter.

This drawing by Frederick O. Salisbury (1874-1962) is probably from about 1895.

I left this drawing out of a Frederick Leighton series because it was both unfinished and of a more modern style than he usually followed.  Those two factors may be related now that I think about it.

I wish I  had a better scan of this ax wielding model drawn by Ebenezer Crawford.

British Beef Day, Part 1 - Nudes by John Graham

Our Friday double feature is all British, starting with some nude photos by John Graham.  He wasn't as well known as Barrington, but the quality of his work was definitely a cut above Barrington's.  Unfortunately, we don't have nearly as many works by Graham extant.  This is Tom Knott, a bodybuilder who looks quite justifiably pleased with himself.

Based on how often he was photographed by John Graham, I'd say British 

bodybuilder Clive Norman was a favorite model.  If my source's dating is correct, 

this is the oldest Graham photo in my collection at 1949.

This is Alwyn Murtagh, a model who posed for four photos 

in my John Graham collection, none of them full frontal.

John Graham took this reclining photo of Scotsman Mike Wallace in 1957.

And no, this isn't the same guy as the notable American TV news reporter.

Joe Robinson posed for this John Graham photo in 1956.

He was an actor who was also active in judo and wrestling.

Edited to add:  Please see the comment by James IV below for a great story about this model.

Smooches

Kissing is the theme today, and we'll start with this undated all-male reenactment 

of the beach scene in From Here to Eternity.  It may be after 1975, but I had to include it.

You knew you weren't going to get through this series without at least one bedroom scene.

Our splash of color for the day is a still from a not too memorable 1971 production called 

Hard and Able.  Where did they find two guys in '71 who still greased their hair to that extent?

Somehow, I don't see the producers of something like this doing a period piece from the 50's.

This is supposed to be Al Parker and some unknown co-star.

Edited to add:  James IV says that this is from the Colt film "Chute"

with Toby as Al Parker's co-star.  Thanks James!

These two are obviously beginners who haven't got the hang of it yet.

Maybe they got better with time and practice.

Beach Day, Part 2 - Men in Trunks

Sometimes there's something attractive about guys who are just typical like this one.

Ordinary average guy.

Despite the fact that the subject has his eyes closed and his foot is out of the picture, I have always liked this photo.  It had to be made before 1957 because that's when the Fort Pitt Brewery closed.

This is our above average guy for the G-rated half of the series.

He's posing in a very popular spot made famous in physique model lore by Dave Martin.

I don't think Dave took this one, but I'm sure somebody will correct me if he did.

Well, he's not actually on the beach yet, but he will be soon, I'm sure.

Beach Day. Part 1 - Skinny Dippers

Today we see some typical guys out for a day at the beach.

This is the first of two in this series with appendectomy scars.

This guy is definitely above average for today's series.

This may appeal to the overlap between the Bum Brigade and the Chubby Chasers.

This beach goer is showing off his appendectomy scar and a lack of tan lines.

We finish with a nude water skier on a beach . . . 

and yes, you can actually do that.

Mizer's Monkeys

I recently ran a series on goats used by Bob Mizer of AMG in his work.  That elicited several comments about the menagerie Mizer kept at his compound of buildings in LA.

Today we look at Mizer's monkey photos, starting with this attractive tattooed sailor.

Edited to add:  This is Eddie Taylor according to James IV in the comments.

This is the first of two photos today that were taken with 

the same two leashed monkeys in the same spot with the same model.

I have some rather unflattering commentary in the second caption. 

Edited to add:  This is Kenneth Shreves according to James IV in the comments.

I'm not really sure what sort of animal Johnny Stumps is holding in this photo made on one of Bob Mizer's rooftop "Alpine" sets.  Do monkeys have claws on their little feet?

Edited to add:  Thomas says in the comments that it is a guinea pig, and I think he's right.

This model seems to be keeping his eyes on his crotch while the monkeys have some freedom despite the presence of leashes.  I suppose he might be afraid they'll grab something they shouldn't.

Several things stand out in this photo.  First, I hope the model knew that monkeys can 

grab and yank on things with their feet.  (I discovered this myself in a Mexican open air 

market in 1973, but fortunately I had my pants on at the time.)  Second, the monkey 

at right looks quite depressed.  Third, that may be because both the monkeys 

appear to be on leashes and/or chains.  Kinda sad, actually.  No PETA back then.

Edited to add:  This is also Kenneth Shreves according to James IV in the comments.

Locker Rooms

We hit the locker rooms today for some professional sportsmen.  We start with Mel Ott (r) and an unidentified teammate.  Ott played for the New York Giants from 1926 to 1947, an amazing span.

Apparently smoking and naked handshakes were ordinary events in the Cubs' locker room.

The Bum Brigade might appreciate these baseball players 

checking out another team's game on their locker room TV.

This is Pele and some guy named Bellini getting cozy in the locker room.

The guy in the middle with no pants on is Hank Newhouser of the Cleveland Indians.  

The photographer probably told him they'd only show him from the waist up.

Also, I suppose they'll be changing that team name soon.

Chuck Renslow of Kris Studio Day, Part 2 - Semi-Nudes

The semi-nude half of our Kris double feature kicks off with Jim Porter in a wooden chair.

Used by kind permission of copyright holder, Leather Archives & Museum, Chicago, Illinois.

I recently discovered this "new" Kris photo of Bob Kolinski relaxing on a great 

looking mid-century modern sofa.  He's not exactly shabby looking himself.

Used by kind permission of copyright holder, Leather Archives & Museum, Chicago, Illinois.

I had a viewer mention a strong appreciation for Kip Behar not long ago,

so I decided to include this Kris semi-nude photo in addition to the earlier nude.

Used by kind permission of copyright holder, Leather Archives & Museum, Chicago, Illinois.

David Selhime strikes an interesting pose in this Chuck Renslow photo.

I wonder if a certain life model in the UK might want to try this sometime.

Used by kind permission of copyright holder, Leather Archives & Museum, Chicago, Illinois.

Mike Bradburn is a model who looks good nude, semi-nude, or even with pants on.  I think he worked over an extended period of time with Chuck Renslow because he appears noticeably beefier in some photos than others.  I probably ought to give him his own series now that I think about it.

Used by kind permission of copyright holder, Leather Archives & Museum, Chicago, Illinois.

Chuck Renslow of Kris Studio Day, Part 1 - Nudes

Our Sunday double feature showcases the excellent work of Chuck Renslow, founder of Kris Studio in Chicago.  We start with a magazine page featuring Skip Mahoney, a sailor who certainly ticks several fetish boxes for many viewers while reflecting Mr. Renslow's liking for military types.

Used by kind permission of copyright holder, Leather Archives & Museum, Chicago, Illinois.

Johnny Lamont strikes a classic reclining pose in this Kris Studio photo.

Used by kind permission of copyright holder, Leather Archives & Museum, Chicago, Illinois.

There are several photos of Kip Behar in my Kris/Chuck Renslow collection.  Mr. Renslow was known to have made at least one visit to California, so I assume this was made there.

Used by kind permission of copyright holder, Leather Archives & Museum, Chicago, Illinois.

Today's Bum Brigade special should bring a smile to Monsieur Albert, le President in Belgium.

The model, who is delicately balanced here on some sort of bench, is David Allen.

Used by kind permission of copyright holder, Leather Archives & Museum, Chicago, Illinois.

Gary Price was described by Chuck Renslow in his notes as a "hustler," and he posed for this undated leather themed photo with an engaging smile.  Business was probably good while it lasted.

Used by kind permission of copyright holder, Leather Archives & Museum, Chicago, Illinois.

Guest Series by Larry K. - Piggyback

Larry K. continues to generously share material with me, and he provided today's piggyback themed series, starting with these World War I British soldiers ferrying men to a boat on their backs.

From this point forward in the series Larry provides the captions with a few notes from me.

(Yes, I've used this photo before, but it fits perfectly here, so enjoy it again.)

Viewer alert!  There's a great movie clip at the end of the series.

These World War II Aussie soldiers in Tarakan, Borneo, 1945, 

make an impressive display - a double piggyback times three.

These guys are Australian soldiers playing in a river in 1945.

Editor's note:  Larry provided this as a late addition to today's series for the Bum Brigade.

The winner of a wrestling match in the Nuba tribe in southern Sudan is carried aloft for all to see.

Photographed by George Rodger in 1949.

LIFE photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt recorded these University of Michigan Medical School students taking time out from their studies to play piggyback in the pool in 1950.