Bruce's Ranchito

Bruce Bellas, aka Bruce of LA, once owned a small rural property northeast of Los Angeles that some chroniclers of the golden age of physique photography refer to as the "ranchito."  Based on the models used in the photos made there and the fact that many of them appeared in trunks or posing straps, I'm fairly certain that most of them are from the late 1950s to mid 60s.  He probably sold the place at some point because none of his later models appear there, and it is not mentioned in reference to the sizeable estate Bruce left Scotty Cunningham.  Today we will see ten pictures I believe were made at the ranchito, beginning with Louis Phillips.

 

Keith Stephan

This color slide of Keith Stephan is a bit washed out, but he always impresses.

 

Bob Freeman

Bruce posed Bob Freeman in a spiffy checked swimsuit for this one.

My little juvenile self had one like it in 1959.

 

Sam Stall

We get some swagger from Sam Stall in a photo I first posted several years ago.

 

Bob Collier

I initially didn't know if Bruce Bellas was dabbling with 3D photography, or if some collector or editor 

thought it would be cute to splice two copies of this color slide together.  If you look very closely, however, you will see subtle differences, so it might be 3D after all.  Who knew?

 

Dick Spero

More than one model posed with this rail fence, and this time it's Dick Spero.  It was Mr. Spero's 

recent appearance on the blog in a ranchito photo that inspired today's series,

but he went full frontal nude for that one.

 

Joe Leitel

Here we see Joe Leitel in the window of a barn or shed.

 

Kim Fox

Kim Fox is another of Bruce's ranchito models who appears

 both frontally nude and in posing straps.

 

John Manning

Although he's hard to recognize, this is John Manning.  He was one of the notorious

 Manning brothers who were in and out of jail so much that pictures 

of the three of them together are considered rare.

 

Hugh Pendleton

Closing with Hugh Pendleton posed against what looks like a barn wall.

 

G-Rated Hairy Guys

Our theme today is hairy G-rated guys, and we start

 with a man perched on a seaside ballustrade.

 

Hood

I'm not sure, but I think this guy is sitting on the hood of a Chevrolet.

 

Couch Potato

Here we have a hairy couch potato and an ugly lamp.

 

Legs

Harry Lapow took this photo at Coney Island in 1970.

 

Big Smile

We get a big smile from this hairy guy.

 

Dad

Dad had a smoke, a beer, a baby, and several tattoos.

 

Beach

I wish we could see more of this fellow in a beach chair.

 

Polaroid

This grainy Polaroid might be a father and son.

 

Military

I think this one from 1971 was probably a military man.

 

Happy Angler

Finishing up with a happy hairy chested angler.

 

Bear Day

It's Bear Day, and let's start with a beach wader.

 

Beefy

Now that's a beefy bottom!

 

John Deere?

Is that a late 70s John Deere cap he's wearing?  My uncle gave me one of those,

but I never told him I wore it to the gay bars in New Orleans.

 

Hippie Bear

I knew several hippie bears back in the day.

 

Fishing Bear

I posted another view of this bearish Australian fisherman a few years ago.

 

Poolside

Here we have a happy Australian poolside bear.

 

More?

This guy apparently did just one photo shoot, and I have

 three or four pictures from it.  Anyone have more?

 

Beard and Bulge

This would make a good underwear ad, "For bears who need support."

 

1960s

This one is supposed to be from a 1960s nudist magazine, but there's a little imprint near 

the bottom that says Redbeard.  I should know, but did they do stuff like that back then?

 

Bubba

Closing with a fellow they had to call Bubba.