Jim Stevens

Here are five great photographs of Jim Stevens, of whom I know nothing but how much I like how muscular he is.

Charles Zumwalt

I believe all of these photographs of Charles Zumwalt were taken by Bruce of Los Angeles.

In 1963, Charles appears on the cover of Volume 27 of The Male Figure by Bruce of Los Angeles.

Sam Calhoun by the Athletic Model Guild

The Athletic Model Guild took these two great photographs of Sam Calhoun.

In later years, he appears in several images with his hair dyed white. I think he looks better here.

Bud Counts

Here are four more great photographs of Bud Counts.

I believe the one of him standing and flexing his arms was taken by the Athletic Model Guild.

Rusty Steele

Here's another nice photograph of Rusty Steele. I do not know which magazine this image appeared in.

Pepper Gomez

Jose Pepper Gomez was a beefcake model who became a very popular wrestler in the 1960's all the way into the 1980's. In fact, he was awarded by the Cauliflower Alley Club in 1992 for his numerous contributions to the sport of wrestling. He held numerous titles all over the United States, but is best remembered in wrestling for taunting other wrestlers to jump off a ladder onto his stomach with no ill effects to himself. Hence, he was known as "The Man with the Cast Iron Stomach."

I especially like the image of him on the cover of Strength & Health
and the smaller images of him on the catalog from the Athletic Model Guild. The other model on the catalog is Eugene Meyer.

Please jump to this post on the blog to see a great photograph of Pepper wrestling Bill Brinkley.

Pepper was a local institution in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he lived with his family. He died in 2004 at the age of seventy-seven.

John Weidemann, John Vogel and Kim Fox by Bruce of Los Angeles

Here are several more photographs of John Weidemann. I believe all of these images were taken by Bruce of Los Angeles.

In one image, he and Kim Fox face each other and appear to be boxing or about to wrestle one another to the ground.

In another, John fights John Vogel, who towers over Weidemann.

You'll see Weidemann in the classic Hollywood musical, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. His best scenes are with Jane Russell in the gymnasium while she sings, "Ain't There Anyone Here For Love." She opens the number by ogling John's arm while he flexes, then saying, "Honey, you'll hurt yourself."

Joe Leitel

Joe Leitel was another popular beefcake model of the 1950's less massive than the typical bodybuilders. He was photographed by most - if not, all - of the famous photographers. I suspect some of these images were taken by Pat Milo, but haven't identified them as such because I'm not certain.

I do know the image of him and Don Hawksley sharing a moment in a bathroom was taken by the Athletic Model Guild, as was the tinted image of him leaning against the roof wall of the Athletic Model Guild's original studio.

Bruce of Los Angeles took the photograph of Joe wearing white briefs and leaning back, as well as the one of him resting his hand on the white column.

In literature, I make no distinction between erotica and pornography - it is all porn to me - but I do believe there is a very clear line separating images of adult nudes from images of aroused adults engaged in sexual behavior.

After Bob Mizer's death, I briefly worked at the Athletic Model Guild and just missed meeting in person Joe Leitel, who returned to the studio nearly five decades after his photographs were taken. He was thoroughly, happily heterosexual and thought doing nude photography was fun and no big deal. I find it humorous that most of the nude images I have found of him are of him aroused.

Howard Heidtmann by Pat Milo

Howard Heidtmann looks outstanding in this great photograph by Pat Milo.

I wish I had more images of this model.

Mark Nixon by the Western Photography Guild

Mark Nixon was an extremely popular beefcake model during the late 1950's and early 1960's.

Like Nestor Derkach, he was leaner than the typical bodybuilder of the era but clearly had - and continues to have - his appeal.