Showcasing vintage male photography, mostly nude. You must be 18 years of age or older to visit this blog! If you hold a copyright on any material shown on this blog, notify me, and it will be removed immediately.
Followers
Monday, March 10, 2025
Earle Forbes Day
Earle Forbes is one of my favorite photographers, and I've acquired some more of his work since the last series I did on his work. This model looks familiar, but I have no info on him. Anyone?
Classic Earle Forbes, one of the pioneers in physique photography, along with Lon Hanagan, Edwin Townsend and the Ritter brothers. We will never see their likes again. Rex in DC
The first Mr Canada competition was organized in 1947, and Leger was the winner of that competition. He is the first official Mr Canada. The pic above was taken in 1948. Alan Paivio, came in 2nd, but won 1st place in 1948. As a teen, Leger worked as a lumberjack in Canada's bush country, a job he loved. Bio's speak of Leger having had an appealing personality, modest, unsophisticated, and "happy-go-lucky." The heavy lumberjack work contributed to his muscular development, which was observed during a trip he made to New York City. In a serendipitous event, he was in a taxi, and the taxi driver was a good friend of Joe Weider. Leger was agreeable to meeting Weider, who readily agreed to train Leger. Bio's of Leger tell of him being "a natural" in terms of his physical development, since his young teen years (late 1930s), and his physique improved a lot under Weider fairly quickly. Sadly, he came to feel disheartened by this world of competition, in which he felt exploited -- eg, exaggerations that he gained 30 pounds of muscle in 9 months of training, etc., that were highly overstated (per Leger himself). He confided to friends that he felt he was being "used as a springboard", for commercial benefits in the bodybuilding industry. Tho Weider was not specifically named, it seems that was the reference. I never came across more info on Leger -- his personal life, year of death, etc. But the little info out there says that his physical gifts and competition wins never went to his head. Most of the info about him that I could find is on musclememory.com. -2ndWave
The Weider’s had a history of defrauding people. Dan Lurie was the first when they sold him their weight equipment business without telling him about back taxes they owed to the IRS. The bodybuilders used for publicizing contests, protein powders and supplements that received little compensation if any, the countless magazines that people subscribed to without reimbursement for the issues not received, the quack devices that the Weider organization had to stop selling after receiving cease and desist orders from state and federal regulators. The Weider's were a mixed bag as they did put bodybuilding on the map, offered good monetary awards at their contests, exposed the heads of the AAU and their favoritism, defended their publications from censorship, and physique photographers from prosecution. They could have done better, but greed caught up with the Weider brothers. Rex in DC
.jpg)
What do you think, Jerry? Christmas bus material?
ReplyDeleteSure. Nice all over tan.
DeleteRené Léger, Mr Canada 1947?
ReplyDeleteThanks! Confirmed by Cambria below.
DeleteRENE LEGER posed for Earl Forbes in 1948. That was the Year he was named Mr. Canada. Sending you another Photo,
ReplyDeleteGot it just now. Thanks1
DeleteAlan Palvio was Mr Canada 1948.
ReplyDeleteThis is nice, Forbes took some great photos. Tony Sansone comes to mind.
ReplyDeleteYes, Mr. Forbes and Edwin Townsend took turns photographing Tony Sansone for years and years.
DeletePorträt von männlicher Stärke und Schönheit. (“)
ReplyDeleteAn utterly sublime physique.
ReplyDeleteClassic Earle Forbes, one of the pioneers in physique photography, along with Lon Hanagan, Edwin Townsend and the Ritter brothers. We will never see their likes again.
ReplyDeleteRex in DC
The first Mr Canada competition was organized in 1947, and Leger was the winner of that competition. He is the first official Mr Canada. The pic above was taken in 1948. Alan Paivio, came in 2nd, but won 1st place in 1948. As a teen, Leger worked as a lumberjack in Canada's bush country, a job he loved. Bio's speak of Leger having had an appealing personality, modest, unsophisticated, and "happy-go-lucky." The heavy lumberjack work contributed to his muscular development, which was observed during a trip he made to New York City. In a serendipitous event, he was in a taxi, and the taxi driver was a good friend of Joe Weider. Leger was agreeable to meeting Weider, who readily agreed to train Leger. Bio's of Leger tell of him being "a natural" in terms of his physical development, since his young teen years (late 1930s), and his physique improved a lot under Weider fairly quickly. Sadly, he came to feel disheartened by this world of competition, in which he felt exploited -- eg, exaggerations that he gained 30 pounds of muscle in 9 months of training, etc., that were highly overstated (per Leger himself). He confided to friends that he felt he was being "used as a springboard", for commercial benefits in the bodybuilding industry. Tho Weider was not specifically named, it seems that was the reference. I never came across more info on Leger -- his personal life, year of death, etc. But the little info out there says that his physical gifts and competition wins never went to his head. Most of the info about him that I could find is on musclememory.com.
ReplyDelete-2ndWave
Interesting story. Thanks!
DeleteThe Weider’s had a history of defrauding people. Dan Lurie was the first when they sold him their weight equipment business without telling him about back taxes they owed to the IRS. The bodybuilders used for publicizing contests, protein powders and supplements that received little compensation if any, the countless magazines that people subscribed to without reimbursement for the issues not received, the quack devices that the Weider organization had to stop selling after receiving cease and desist orders from state and federal regulators.
ReplyDeleteThe Weider's were a mixed bag as they did put bodybuilding on the map, offered good monetary awards at their contests, exposed the heads of the AAU and their favoritism, defended their publications from censorship, and physique photographers from prosecution. They could have done better, but greed caught up with the Weider brothers.
Rex in DC