The photo above with winner Frank Leight at center was actually taken at the 1942 Mr. America competition. (That's Sigmund Klein at left, but I have no ID on the man at right.) Below is a frontal nude by Lon of New York with a pair of his Classical columns.
And I can't resist adding this third photo of the amazing Mr. Leight.
I like the pose in the middle shot, and the light use of oil.
ReplyDeleteI agree, and this is a bit unusual for Lon.
DeleteBodybuilder to the right is Santo Leone, he later became Mr New York State 1948.
ReplyDeleteRex in DC
Thanks for the ID.
DeleteMajestic, all 3, but I particularly like the first (semi-naked masculinity), and the second (all the elements of a hot body - and not overdeveloped). 🔥🔥🥰🌭
ReplyDeleteFoto 1- Ein Symbol Männlicher Stärke.
ReplyDeleteFoto 2- Wie Samson im Tempel.
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The Samson comparison is spot on.
DeleteThe nude of him is classic and beautiful shot.
ReplyDeleteSo true.
DeleteSig Klein, Frank Leight, and Santo Leone
ReplyDeleteAlways interesting to see the strong man style trunks and pose style for competitions and their nude work. You may have mentioned in the past. Were the bodybuilding fans in general aware that many of the competitors modelled nude?
ReplyDeleteI don't think that it was generally known that these men posed nude. I've read that even a number of gays who collected the mainstream bodybuilding magazines did not know, at least initially. If they responded to some of the ads placed in those publications by Lon, Al Urban, and others, they could eventually find out there was more on offer.
DeleteThank you, Jerry.
DeleteNo problem.
DeleteMy question is, if this was roughly 1942, were these men active serving in the military during World War II, or were they somehow exempt, to be able to spend the time to get physiques like this in the gym…?
DeleteThe USA had been registering men for the draft in 1940 and entered the war in December 1941. It was well into 1942 before large numbers of men were actually called up because they did not have the facilities in place to train them. The peak year for the draft was 1943.
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