Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Howard Hunter Photographed by Lon

Lon took this exquisite photograph of Howard Hunter.

When you jump to this post on the blog, you can read a behind-the-scenes detail about another great photograph of this bodybuilder taken by Lon.

Ray Anderson

I do not know who took this photograph of Ray Anderson.

However, after recently reviewing the photographs of unknown models on the blog, I was able to identify this bodybuilder photographed by Lon in this post.

Gerard Ferket and Unknown Model Photographed by Arax Studio

In 1951, Arax Studio took this photograph of Gerard Ferket and this unknown, blond bodybuilder, whose abdomen is spectacular.

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Ray Rodney Photographed by Lon

Lon took this photograph of Ray Rodney.

Leonard Chambers Photographed by the Athletic Model Guild

The Athletic Model Guild took this photograph of Leonard Chambers.

Lionel Ravaute Photographed by Domenique

When I find a moment, I will update other posts on this blog featuring Lionel Ravaute, who was photographed by a business associate of Lon. This photographer went by the names, Domenique, Lon of London and Lon of Paris, while in Europe.

In his book with Reed Massengill, The Male Ideal: Lon of New York and the Masculine Physique, Lon says it was a disastrous relationship. It was the first and only time customers complained about the quality of the images, and Lon was obliged to refund purchases.

Nonetheless, the photographs of Ravaute on the blog were certainly one great success.


Saturday, March 21, 2015

Art Ullrich Photographed by Your Model Service

Your Model Service took these photographs of Art Ullrich.


Larry Farrell Photographed by the Athletic Model Guild

I must thank a fan of this blog for this exquisite photograph of Larry Farrell taken by the Athletic Model Guild.

In fact, in the coming months, this generous fan and I look forward to sharing from his collection many, many images Bob Mizer created in the 1940's, 1950's and 1960's.

Unknown Model Photographed by Lon

Lon took this photograph of this unknown model.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Bob Collier Photographed by Bruce of Los Angeles

Bruce of Los Angeles took this photograph of Bob Collier.

Five-Thousandth Post

To celebrate my five-thousandth post to the blog, I selected this self-portrait of Alonzo Hanagan aka Lon of New York posing with his photograph of John Grimek.

Of course, Lon is one of the great physique photographers, his images available for purchase in nascent bodybuilding magazines as early as the 1930's.

Because the possession and distribution of photographs of nude adults were illegal in the United States until about 1969, Lon was frequently harassed and prosecuted by law-enforcement officials. Most of his archival material was lost to him while he was still alive, as noted in this post on the blog.

John Grimek worked much of his life to popularize around the world bodybuilding as both a sport and healthy lifestyle.

Lon's spectacular photographs of Grimek certainly helped give rise to and propel the interest in beefcake: the widespread popularity of viewing male beauty purely for the pleasure of it.

Joe Dealer Photographed by Plato

Plato took this photograph of Joe Dealer.

When you jump to this post on the blog, you can read about George Haimsohn aka Plato–and why you might have immediately thought of Bernadette Peters when you read George Haimsohn's name.