California Desert Day

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Bert by Pat

Pat Milo may have been the least likely photographer to visit the desert,

but this great shot of Bert Callinder makes up for the small numbers.

 

Bruce II

A German collector sold this print online, but had no name for the model.

 

John Miller by AMG

This is John Miller as photographed by Bob Mizer of AMG.  Mr. Mizer 

eventually built his own version of the California wilderness in his 

central Los Angeles compound, but it wasn't always convincing.

 

Bruce III

Both of these unknown Bruce models look mighty fine to me,

but the beefy guy at left really caught my eye.

 

Denny Denfield

Bryan B sent me this Denny Denfield photo of another unknown model.

Thanks, Bryan!

 

Bruce IV

Here we have Jerry Debry with a sword by Bruce.

 

Mel Roberts

Mike Kelly posed for Mel Roberts beside a dead tree in a small dry stream bed.

 

Bruce V

Our fifth and final Bruce photo of the set features the handsome John Weidemann, 

one of my favorite models.  Maybe I need to give him his own series soon.

 

Dave Martin

We close with John Julian by Dave Martin with a nice cactus in the foreground.

 

Early 20th Century Day

We return yet again to the early 20th Century for today's series.  We start with 

an example of the nature boy genre where atavistic scenes play out.

I have to say nature was kind to this fellow.

 

Shower

Modern communal showers were introduced in 1872 by French physician François Merry,

but they didn't become common until World War I.  The concept really took off

when the YMCAs made them a routine part of physical culture.

 

Wrestlers

Here's your allotment of beef for the day.

 

1900

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Nicely developed

The muscular development of this man approaches what I would consider the ideal.

 

Acrobats or wrestlers?

I can't decide if these two are acrobats or wrestlers.

Either way, I like the picture.

 

Group

I would really like to know the story behind this photo of eight men.

 

Ring Pull

I don't think this fellow succeeded in pulling that ring out of the rock,

but he certainly showed of some nice muscles while trying.

 

Backside

Sometimes a simple pose gets the job done.

 

Glare

Finishing the set with a photo that works despite the glaring light.

 

Odds and Ends

It's time for another round of leftovers, hard to categorize photos, and just plain misfits.  We start 

with a happy physique model cropped at an odd angle.  I think he's adorable.

 

Off for a swim

This one was left over from my last skinny dipping series.

 

Driftwood

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Kovert?

This trio looks very much like Kovert of Hollywood's style.

Note the foggy patch at lower right.

 

Grease

Was all that grease necessary for the model to contort himself like that?

I think it may be dribbling down the front of the block he's on.

 

Lifeguards?

Even though at least one guy's swim suit doesn't match the rest,

I think this is a group of 1970s California lifeguards.

 

Boots on the Beach

Those boots and the rope don't really go with the beach, but whatever.

 

Sports team?

I can't figure this one out.  Maybe a sports team?

 

W.F. Archer

It took some work, but once I decyphered the signature, I got the story on this photo. The gentleman is W.F. Archer winner of Britain's Best Developed Man contest.  Started by Eugen Sandow in 1901,

 it was the first and biggest physical culture contest in the UK in the early 20th Century.

 

Tan Lines

I really should have saved this last photo for a tan lines series, but it seemed just odd enough to go here.  The high waisted bathing suit that produced those lines was 1940s at latest.