The pictures on this promotional piece are the worst quality in my Spartan collection, but I'm posting it because it demonstrates that Constantine Hassalevris was in demand in the late 1940s and early 50s for "legitimate" bodybuilder photos. All of these were known quantities at the time, but Steve Reeves, Rex Ravelle, Eric Pederson, Bob Laurent, and Alex Aronis were top performers. All those I mention except Steve Reeves posed nude, albeit under pseudonyms at times. And just so you know that Mr. Hassalevris was capable of high quality work, here's a studio shot of Steve Reeves.
Männer, so gutaussehend und begehrt.
ReplyDeleteHassalevris besaß großes Geschick im Fotostudio. Es ist leicht zu verstehen, warum Bodybuilder sich für ihre Fotos an ihn wenden.
Die unglaublichen Reeves beleuchtete Kinoleinwände in Europa. Für Hassalevris und Reeves kam nur die Beste in Frage. (“)
All true. His Greek background gave him a Classical grounding in posing his models.
DeleteThis is a great shot showing what he was capable of, Steve looks magnificent here.
ReplyDeleteYes, despite the bad image quality, the skill comes through.
DeleteRare Spartan catalog with some great physique models.
ReplyDeleteHassalevris attended the physique competitions in LA to take formal portraits of bodybuilders, and then presented them with his business card for physique photos.
Reeves of great determination and perfect genetics.
Reeves never took a bad picture and photographers like Hassalevris did his outstanding physique justice….:)
It pays to get out there and make yourself known.
Delete"You too can have a body like mine!" Read the captions for Charles Atlas. Yeah buddy, can a I maybe borrow it for about 15/ 20 minutes?
ReplyDeleteThese photo sets did not come cheap. Using a standard inflation calculator and assuming this ad was printed around 1955, four albums at $9 would be the equivalent today of nearly $100 today.
ReplyDeleteWhile it does seem expensive, we have to consider that such items were not as widely available as today. I guess people were willing to pay.
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