Ken Haak Day

As promised when I posted a photo by Ken Haak in a series on the year 1985 three weeks ago, we get a full set today.  Mr. Haak (1923-1991) was a World War II veteran who became well known fashion photographer after attending art school on the GI Bill.  He only sporadically did male nudes in the 1960s and 70s, but really hit his stride with it in a frenetic burst of energy between 1983 and 1985.  Most of these works feature dusky lighting, but the photo above from a group of pictures he made for After Dark is an exception.  We'll see another from that shoot later today.

 

Seeing double

Although I'm not sure just what the point was, we get two different presentations of what I'm pretty sure is the exact same image.  This can be done in the developing process . . . or through digital manipulation.

 

Tan lines

Despite the subdued lighting which seems to be a sort of trademark for Ken Haak's male nudes, 

we see tan lines.  The model may be the same one featured in my recent 1985 post.

 

Reclining

This is another of the flurry of male nudes Ken Haak did in 1985.

 

Back to Back Invitation

Ken Haak created this promotional piece for a 1985 New York arts event.

 

Rear view

The model's right foot adds an interesting element to this rear view male nude by Ken Haak.

 

1972

My source dated this Ken Haak photo at 1972.  I really like the lighting.

 

Steve McQueen

I found this publicity still from the 1968 movie Bullitt for sale on a vintage website and listed as by Ken Haak.  Mr. Haak was well known as a fashion photographer, but I was not aware that he had done any movie related work.  As was often the case at the time, the movie was in color, but the still was in black and white for easier newspaper publication.  The picture is all over the internet, but no other source says it is by Ken haak.  Can any one confirm the provenance?

 

After Dark II

This is another image from the group Mr. Haak shot for After Dark.

 

Lynes-like

Our final photo by Ken Haak leaves me thinking of George Platt Lynes,

althought Mr. Lynes would have used sharper focus and contrast.

 

Hairy TV and Movie Stars II

About a month ago, I got a lot of viewer response to a set of hairy chested TV and movie stars,

 so today will be the second on an ongoing series, most of which will be viewer requests.  

We start with Gary Cooper.  Who knew?

 

Ken Clark

Despite playing Stew Pot in the mega-hit movie South Pacific, Ken Clark ending up doing 

mostly B movies and spaghetti westerns.  He always looked great doing them, however.

 

Aldo Ray

A pre-Gilligan's Island Tina Louise is having a tawdry rendezvous 

with Aldo Ray in this steamy publicity still from God's Little Acre.

Aldo's gettin' grabby, and he isn't ever around the corner yet.

 

Clint Eastwood and Eric Fleming

Rawhide stars Clint Eastwood and Eric Fleming appear above in a screen grab that doesn't do justice to Mr. Fleming's chest hair.  The image below shows them in the shower sharing a bottle of shampoo.

 

Richard Chamberlain

I don't have a date for this beach photo of Richard Chamberlain.

 

Gary Merrill

That's Gary Merrill at right in a screen grab from Mysterious Island.

 

Dan Blocker

I was happy to get a private message from Roger D. of Minneapolis asking for photos 

of Dan Blocker.  I had a crush on Hoss before I even knew what a crush was.

 

Massimo Girotti

Someone mentioned Massimo Girotti, so here he is.

 

Robert Goulet

We see Robert Goulet here wrapped in a towel next to Robert Morse who seems to have

 a headache.  Below, another view of Mr. G. that some of you will no doubt appreciate.

I have to confess to getting the flutters when I saw that beard.

 

Robert Conrad

Finishing our furry celebrity request special with a young looking 

Robert Conrad about to climb a rope in a gym.

 

1930s Day

Today we visit the 1930s, and I know very little about more than a few of the photos.

This is one that should be well known, but Google Images search came up with nothing.

 

Forest nude

All the info I had on this one was a year, 1932.

 

Barn door

I find this 1930s photo of a mature man in front of a barn door interesting.

 

Wrestlers

I like the pose and the action element in this wrestling photo from the 30s.

 

Year or decade

There is a disproportionate number of photos in my 1930s folder dated 1930,

and I suspect some of them may have been the decade rather than the year.

This young man lying on his back in the grass is nice to look at eithe way.

 

John Grimek

John Grimek posed early in his career for this picture by an unknown photographer.

 

Peru

This photo was made in Peru in 1931, but the men

 look more like European tourists than Peruvians.

 

Marcel Rouet

We are accustomed to seeing Marcel Rouet photographede by Arax,

but this time the photographer was one V. Henry.

 

1930

My source only had a date for this one, 1930.

 

Looks familiar

Our last 1930s model looks familiar, as in being a well-known bodybuilder.

I can't, however, recall his name, and Google Images search was no help.  Anyone?