Kovert of Hollywood produced this photo of Meichel Brocke. I use the term "produced"
because it's been fairly well established that a large portion of that studio's output
was made by hired photographers under the direction of Freddie Kovert.
Friday, April 4, 2025
Rusty Steele
This photo of Rusty Steele by Troy Saxon looks like another
instance where a curtain rod was used as a staff.
Vic Seipke
Vic Seipke makes a second appearance during Physique Week in this Clifford Oettinger photo.
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Physique Week, Day 5 - Fifteen who got away
Fifteen who got away - Cover men who kept their pants on . . . at least as far as I know
Strength and Health magazine was the preeminent bodybuilding publication of the 20th Century, having a run from 1931 to 1986. More than a few of the men who appeared in it posed for nude photos at one time or another, and you've seen them here. Today I'm presenting fifteen cover men from S & H who to my knowledge never posed nude. This is one of those times I'd love to be proven wrong, so please chime in if you have nudes of any of these exceptional men. These guys are so far off the radar that only one of them has ever appeared on this blog, and yes, he had a singlet on. We start the set with Billy Parker the S & H cover man for April 1966. Mr. Parker was known for refusing to use steroids late in his career, a time when others were doing so widely.
Mike Ferraro
Mr. USA of 1964, Mike Ferraro, appears here six years earlier on the June 1958 cover of Strength and Health. He placed in competitions from 1957 to 1965 and made three additional covers.
Al Berger
May 1941 saw Al Berger make the cover. Here is a blurb
I found about him on oldtimestrongman.com.
Nick Adams
What looks to me like a Samurai sword was used in this cover shot of Nick Adams
from July 1964. He is not to be confused with the actor of the same name
or a modern day bodybuilder who looks like a space alien.
Isaac Berger
The cover man for November 1961 is possibly the most successful 20th Century athlete you've never heard of. Isaac Berger won the weightlifting gold medal at the 1956 Olympics for the 60kg class. He went on to win silver in 1960 and 1964 along with three World and two Pan American championships. In a sport dominated by superheavies, he still managed to shine brightly.
Phil Courtois
World War II was raging when Phil Courtois made the November 1944 cover. If my research is correct, he had been discharged from the U.S. Army Air Force in 1943 due to a chronic sinus condition. That did not, however, keep him from placing in several bodybuilding competitions
and appearing on at least two additional magazine covers.
Joe Mandallo and John Davis
%20-%20Joe%20Mandallo,%20John%20Davis%20(cover)%20(1).jpg)
In a rare two man cover, Joe Mandallo (left) and John Davis appear together on the January 1941
cover. In another rarity, we get a full derriere view of Mr. Davis, who appeared earlier
on this blog winning the gold medal at the 1948 Olympics. I'm repeating
it below so you can enjoy a G-rated front view.
Bob Hoffman
Bob Hoffman was the founder of the York Barbell Company and a co-founder of Strength and Health magazine in 1931. Assuming that this photo was made near the time of publication,
Mr. Hoffman would have been 41 years of age and still in top form.
Anthony Petroline
%20-%20Anthony%20Petroline%20(cover).jpg)
Someone had figured out that tobacco was bad for the health when Anthony Petroline appeared
on the cover in August 1936. The name Petroline is based on the Latin word for rock,
and it seems more than appropriate for this fine bodybuilder.
George Kiehl
%20-%20George%20Kiehl%20(cover)%20(1).jpg)
The February 1938 edition featered George Kiehl on the cover and an article called Sex Relations
and Health. I'd love to read that one. If they only knew what was coming 45 years later, sigh.
%20-%20Ben%20Oakley.jpg)
Dick Bachtell
The January 1936 edition was graced with the very well built Dich Bachtell on its cover.
Vern Weaver
Our final Strength and Health cover man who got away is Vern Weaver from December of 1963.
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Physique Week, Day 4 - One-off Models
For day four of Physique Week, I'm posting a dozen models for whom I've only been able to find one photo. I really hope I'm wrong about that, and I would be happy to have more images of all of them. So please chime in if you have more or know of a different name that might have been used.
We start with the very impressive Rock Albany by Jean Ferrero.
Tony Farrell
Most of Dave Martin's seaside photos show men standing on rocks or beaches, but this one of Tony Farrell is a very nice take on the reclining nude. I'd really like to see more of this guy.
Bernard Crayo
Here we have a photo of Bernard Crayo by Arax of Paris. I was hoping to find out something about Mr. Crayo on the Mid-20th Century bodybuilding websites, but nothing came up. Most of Gregor Arax's models were athletes and competitive bodybuilders.
Jack Pestell
Jack Pestell (1927-2007) was a World War II U.S. Navy veteran who apparently did a one-off with Bob Mizer of AMG. Might he have done more work under another name? Although I find the drapery distracting and obtrusive, it still can't take away from that magnificent physique. Mr. Pestell used his navy experience to build a successful career operating and owning marinas and boat servicing companies. His service photo is below. Thank you, Jack, and Rest in Peace.
Jack Legurson
No photographer is known for this photo, the model
for which is shown on several websites as Jack Legurson.
Doug Troy
This one might be a one-off for both the model, Doug Troy, and the studio, Hombre.
I was unable to find any additional work by either, at least under those names.
Earl Kirk
There's a better than even chance that at one time there were more photos of Earl Kirk by Doug Juleff, aka Douglas of Detroit. Many of Mr. Juleff's prints and negatives were destroyed by the Detroit police, so a large portion of his work was lost. The lighting here is amazing.
Ronnie Applegate
I can't imagine Bruce Bellas taking just one picture of a model as good looking
and well built as Ronnie Applegate, but that's all I could find.
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Physique Week, Day 3 - Hairy Models
In the early days of physique photography, hairy models were very rare because the great majority of thos who posed were competitive bodybuilders who removed their body hair to better accentuate muscles. Today's hairy men are mostly from the 1960s and mostly not bodybuilders. I have, however, tried to pick some well built men. This AMG picture of Alan Arnold is the first of four you will see in today's set by Bob Mizer. Apparently he did not shy away from photographing hairy models. But then again, he took such a sheer volume of pictures (over a million at last count), that it would be hard not to include more than just a few.
Bert Callinder
Pat Milo took these two photos of Bert Callinder that display happy trails and very hairy legs.
I find him very nicel built, and if anyone has a derriere shot of this guy, please let me know.
Tito Cento
Tito Cento was a bona fide champion bodybuilder,
having won the Junior Mr. Italia competition in 1960.
The photo is by Jean Ferrero.
Ken Cunningham
More than one viewer has sent me photos of Ken Cunningham,
but I managed to find this AMG shower shot on my own.
Cliff Harris
.JPG)
Cliff Harris modeled for Dave Martin when he was a student athlete at Stanford University
in the mid-1960s. He played varsity football and baseball. The fishnet prop puzzles me.
.jpg)
Jim Higgins
Although perhaps not the best example, Pat Milo's lighting skills
are evident in this picture of Jim Higgins.
Monday, March 31, 2025
Physique Week, Day 2 - Men of Color, Part 1 - Latinos
The classis physique photo was not the best time to be nonwhite in the USA,
but there were photographers who were ahead of their time. Also, things
blessedly began to change in the mid-1960s. Today we will have a two
part series on Men of Color, with part one featuring Latino models.
We start the show with Juan Montana by Pat Milo.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)