Paul Richer Day, Part 1 - Sports Figures

We visit 1900 Paris today with a two part series on the work of Paul Richer.  Part one features sports figures, beginning with Edgar Aabye, a Danish athlete who was on the Gold Medal tug of war team at the 1900 Paris Olympics.  A last minute substitute, his strength astounded observers.  The photo at left above was taken in his younger days.  He was 35 when he won the Gold, shown right.

 

Paul Bourrillon

Cycling was perhaps the biggest thing in the French sporting world when most of Paul Richer's athletic photos were made around 1900.  Paul Bourrillon was the world sprint champion in 1896, French national champion in both 1897 and 1899, as well as winner of the Prix de Paris of 1898.

 

Franz Reichel

The man in the ungainly costume was tailor Franz Reichel (sometimes given as Reichelt), an Austrian born resident of Paris who used his tailoring skills to make some of the world's first parachutes.  Not being content to design and make them, he became a daredevil who tested them.  Things went terribly wrong in 1912 when he tried a new design on the Eiffel Tower and fell to his death.  And in case any of you think the early 20th Century press was more genteel than that of today, think again.  Still pictures of his corpse appeared in the newspapers, and newsreel film of the fall was shown in many theaters.  Paul Richer photographed Mr. Reichel in better times, below.

 

Paul Ruinart

Paul Ruinart was a member of the French national cycling team, but he never won an individual championship.  He did, however, help his team place in some international competitions.

 

Ernst Schultz

 

Closing out the athlete section of today's Paul Richer series, we have Ernst Schultz, 

a Danish sprinter who won the bronze medal in the 1900 Olympics.

Paul Richer Day, Part 2 - Collaboration with Londe

The second part of today,s Paul Richer set show some anatomical photos that he made in collaboration with Albert Londe.  This particular group is all of the same model in a variety of poses.  We start with a full frontal, by far the most common position in the the small album.

 

Side view

This is the only side view in my small Richer-Londe joint effort collection.

 

Derriere

This is one of several takes on the male from the rear in this group of photos.  In a future series

 I will post some showing the model in various phases of twisting and stretching.

 

Seated male

For some reason, probably anatomical, Richer seems to have spent a lot of time on seated males.  

We have this and other photos, plus some of his most detailed drawings are very similar.

 

Familiar Pose

Our concluding Richer-Londe collaboration photo features a pose 

that we've all see dozens of times in classic era physique photography.

 

Al Urban Day

It's Al Urban day, and we start with the only model 

in today's series for whom I have no name.

 

Jack DeMarco

Viewer Rob K. from Nashville sent me this "new" photo of Jack DeMarco.

Thanks, Rob!

 

Bob Spiegel

Here we see Bob Spiegel taking a step forward.

 

Lawrence Langnecker

I have tried vainly for years to find some biographical information on Larry Langnecker, 

a model who appears to have had two sessions with Al Urban.  Anyone?

 

Rudy and Renald

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John Gallagher

This photo of John Gallagher is so good that I don't even mind the oil.

 

Jules Bacon

Al Urban took this picture of Jules Bacon ca. 1941.

 

Doug Hepburn

In case anyone's forgotten, Al Urban did make a mark in "legitimate" bodybuilding photography.  

Above is Doug Hepburn, a Canadian who was the 1953 World Champion weightlifter.

 

Joe Sawacki

 

Here we see Joe Sawacki in a relatively rare Al Urban full derriere shot.

Henry Karczewski

Closing the Al Urban set with Henry Karczewski, one of his best models imho.

 

Merry Christmas

For all of you who celebrate Christmas, please accept my best wishes for a Happy Holiday.

A triple feature follows with two intermissions.

Christmas '25, Part 1 - Bob Mizer/AMG Productions

Part one of our Christmas special features some Bob Mizer/AMG Christmas material.

The two guys above are Butch Umbenhauer, left, and Marty Vogelsberg, right.

 

Casey Parker, Front and Back

This is Casey Parker, a model who appeared with Blackie Preston in a 1975 Christmas themed film with the unlikely name of Goat on the Roof, a board game seen under the tree.

 

The Cut-Up Present

This is from The Cut-UpPresent a production with DocJohnson(l), JimmyLloyd(c), and Johnny Fore(r).  The key to Bob Mizer's squiggle codes is below.

 

Johnnie Stumps, Back and Front

Here we see Johnnie Stumps from both directions.

 

Trio

 

Closing out the Bob Mizer/AMG section, we have a trio in front of the tree.

Unfortunately, I don't have names for them.

First Intermission - Greeting Cards

As some else said, "Ho, Ho, Homosexual."

 

Christmas '25, Part 2 - When Christmas Goes Wrong

In part two, we see what happens when Christmas goes wrong.

Santa was already on his last nerve when Rudolph decided to give 

it a go with a bull elk in a Colorado parking lot.  He had to pull 

out his trusty .38 Special to get the sleigh back in the air.

 

Had to be gay

I think we can safely assume this guy is gay.  The Chihuahua is saying,

"Please!  Somebody rescue me from this clueless dork!"

 

Naughty

Whoever lived in this house must have been very, very naughty.

Shortly afterwards Santa was arrested by the Air National Guard 

for operating a sleigh under the influence.