Bush Bonanza

It's Bush Bonanza day, and we start the show with Rick Gordon by AMG.

 

Pat Milo

Ray Tennick shows off his "Ray" jailhouse tattoo along with his bush in this Pat Milo shot.

A certain former New Orleanean may appreciate Ray's happy trail.

 

HRM

HRM produced this photo of Bob Heppe (facing) and Tommy Cutchins.

 

Dave Martin

Randy Saunders and his heavy bush posed with a basketball for Dave Martin.

 

Kris Studio

Chuck Renslow of Kris Studio took this reclining pose of Bob Smith.

 

Lon of New York

This is Bill Cerdas by Lon of New York.

 

Courtny

My source said this photo of Hank Baker is by an obscure studio called Courtny.

I can't seem to find any information about them.  Anyone?

 

Bruce of LA

I don't have a name for this Bruce of LA model.  A Google Images search said he might be Mike Stern, but I have other photos of Mike, and they don't seem to be a match.

 

Jean Ferrero

Evrard Meyssin posed with a sword for Jean Ferrero.

 

Russ Warner?

I have my doubts about the provenance of our last image.  My online resale source claims to have determined that it's by Russ Warner based on cryptic verso markings that they did not show and the paper type.  Somewhat to their credit, they said "Probably by Russ Warner."

 

Wyngate & Bevins Day

It's time for another series featuring those clever fellows who found a way around the obscenity laws in the mid-1960s, Wyngate & Bevins.  Their device was to falsely describe their photos as nudists, which had been declared legal in certain circumstances by a Federal appellate court.  By sifting through legal documents, I've come to the conclusion that the principals of W&B were Samuel and Albert Ratner.  Those legal documents show that the Ratners were fined $35,000 for sending unsolicited promotional material to men through the mail.  They appealed, and the fine was suspended pending the outcome of a similar case already making its way up the legal food chain which eventually cleared them.  We start todays set with (l-r) Don Davis, Bob Penn, Johnny Lamont and an unknown.  

 

Ten in Color

In the first of several lineups in today's series, we have ten men in color.

 

Quintet

My source didn't have names for any of these five,

but the guy at right looks familiar.

 

Octet

Here we have a jovial group that includes (back row, l-r) John King, Unknown, Butch Umbenhauer, Bob Jackson, and Tommy Evans with (front) Bob Zimmerman, Enrique Nieves, and Jim Wayne.

 

Sextet

The guy everybody is quite understandably grabbing hold of is Ted "Rock" Hudson.  I have only a few photos of Mr. Hudson, some of which are Wyngate & Bevins with others appearing to be by AMG.  I'd love to have more.  The other identified model in this group is Jack Stanford at far left. 

 

Jolly Trio

Left to right, Unknown, Ralph Smith and Don Davis.  These guys appeared in other 

publications in poses that one would never, ever have seen in a real nudist camp.

 

Ron and Tony

My source says that's Ron Wallace second from left and Tony Perry at far right.  As the watermark indicates, the Bob Mizer Foundation took an interest in Wyngate & Bevins' work.  There was overlap of models between the two operatons, and a few W&B photos look like they might have been taken on the AMG campus in LA.  I have not, however, been able to find any explicit evidence of a business relationship.  If anyone know more, please comment.

 

Chorus Line

This one looks like they're forming up for a chorus line.

 

M.A.N.

Wyngate & Bevins put out a magazine called M.A.N., which stood for Male Adult Nudists.  

It was obviously all male, but W&B did include females in some of their publications,perhaps 

to avoid being called out as a gay publication.  The mix of models in this one was nice.

 

Nine Male Nudists

Closing with a photo from a W&B set called Nine Male Nudists.  Yes, I know there are only five here, but the real point of interest is the guy at far right.  That's notorious Hollywood pimp and tattletale, Scotty Bowers, looking pretty decent for being about 40.  I plan to give Mr. B his own set soon.

 

Wilhelm von Pluschow

Wilhelm von Pluschow's photography is often overshadowed by his better known younger cousin Wilhelm von Gloeden.  Both worked in Italy, often with what we now consider underage male models.  Von Gloeden was more prolific, but both had talent.  Today is Von Pluschow day.  Our first photo is of a man who posed for several photos in various poses with palm fronds.

 

Doorway

Von Pluschow did more than a few photos in doorways.

 

Recline

This one would have been more impressive were it full length.

 

Bearded Man

I'm including this just so you know that Wilhelm von Pluschow

didn't just take photos of naked young men.

 

Leopard

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Chemistry

I sense some developing chemistry between these two.

 

Lanky

The model is more on the lanky side than usual for this photographer.

 

Pipe

The pipe as the only prop is unusually simple for Von Pluschow's work.

 

Rocky area

This is from a group of photos taken by Von Pluschow in an area

of rocky cliffs, overhangs, and caves.

 

Potted plants

Our closing photo by Wilhelm von Pluschow is a young man with a group of potted plants.