Muscle Beach History - by Stuntmovie

[DroppingPlates]

Thank you as well for sharing your stories, Stunt

[The Ugly]

Thank you as well for sharing your stories, Stunt

Indeed. Stunt has had an amazing life.

[Mr. MB]

Dave Johns with Mae West in Las Vegas.....

[stuntmovie1]

I hate to say "You're wrong, MB!" ...... but ..... "You're wrong, MB!".

And here is why you're wrong, MB!

I know for an absolute fact that that photo of Dave and Mae West was shot in Santa Monica, California. (See below for possible exclusion.)

I know that undisputed 'fact' for a couple of reasons.... (Disputes are welcome though!)

#1 reason is that I was standing on that stage (in the wings - "stage left") about 20 feet away when Mae presented that 1977 overall Mr A. trophy to
Dave. Bert Goodrich who escorted Mae onto that stage is standing out of frame a few feet on Mae's left side.

Bert and Mae actually talked to me before that photo was taken! If I recall correctly, he said, "May we pass by please?"

#2 reason is the fact (to the best of my knowledge) that Dave never appeared on stage during Mae's "Muscle Man " act within Vegas nor anyplace else.

#3 reason is that Mae performed that act only during the  1950's and possibly into the early 1960's. (More minor details on Mae and her performances  if you are interested ... such as ... She and W.C. Fields owned some of the south end Las Vegas Strip desert while it was still an over-baked wasteland. (Difficult to prove that though.)

#4 minor reason is ... Dave is still wearing his contestant number on his trunks which trunks were  considered to be inappropriate men's stage-ware way back then even in LV.. (I think Mae's act had somewhat of a Roman theme ... Never saw it....  but friends were in it.)

MB, where were you the day that Dave won that 1977 Mr America title?

To the best off my recollection that contest was promoted by Ken Sprague while he owned the Santa Monica Gold's Gym at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium with a real live high school symphony orchestra instead of the contestant's recorded music.

And a big parade with an elephant if I recall correctly. (Photos of that event can be found someplace here on this GetBig Board.)

Thanks, MB ... and "THANKS" to all you other GetBiggers who enjoy reading this ancient history stuff. (One of my very young nephews asked me if I knew or had ever met "DEMETRIUS".)

For you newbies ... Demetrius was a gladiator in ancient Rome. (IMDB 'DEMETRIUS AND THE GLADIATORS".)

And "NOPE!" .... I never did meet Demetrius! (But I did meet the vast majority of Keith's acquaintances ... including A.S., S.S., C.N. etc., etc. ... but never Jonsey!

SHIT!!!

(MB ...What is the name of that large auditorium situated by the USC campus? Numerous contests were also held there at one time or another and it could be remotely possible that that was the site where Mae presented Dave his trophy ... and possibly not the Santa Monica Civic.)

Joe! Where are ya when we need ya??

[Primemuscle]

Mae West in Las Vegas and singing in Sextette

[Mr. MB]

Yipes...now you have me. I went to the Shrine Auditorium near USC campus around 1977 to see a show. I must admit those were my fuzzy days. 3 years later I crashed and have been clean and sober since. Quite frankly all I remember is giant posters of Bodybuilders as we entered the hall. If my life depended on it I could not name the show or a single contestant. It makes sense however because I went to all the Bert Goodrich appearances and promotions. My training was hit and miss, mostly miss in those days.

Thanx for the clarity.

[The Scott]

...

Thanks, MB ... and "THANKS" to all you other GetBiggers who enjoy reading this ancient history stuff. (One of my very young nephews asked me if I knew or had ever met "DEMETRIUS".

For you newbies ... Demetrius was a gladiator in ancient Rome. (IMDB 'DEMETRIUS AND THE GLADIATORS".)

And "NOPE!" .... I never did meet Demetrius! (But I did mer the vast majority of Keith's acquaintances ... including A.S., S.S., C.N. etc., etc. ... but never Jonsey!

SHIT!!!

(MB ...What is the name of that large auditorium situated by the USC campus? Numerous contests were also held there at one time or another and it could be remotely possible that that was the site where Mae presented Dave his trophy ... and possibly not the Santa Monica Civic.)

Joe! Where are ya when we need ya??

Stunt, "Demetrius and the Gladiators" was the sequel to "The Robe".  It starred Victor Mature in the title role with William Marshall, Debra Paget, Susan Hayward and Michael Rennie to name but a few of the cast members.  Have it on Laser Disc.

I pretty much know you knew this stuff but figured most of the others here probably did not.  Had a friend/co-worker that did some work for Mature in his later years.  Said he was a real gentleman.

[funk51]

 

Stunt, "Demetrius and the Gladiators" was the sequel to "The Robe".  It starred Victor Mature in the title role with William Marshall, Debra Paget, Susan Hayward and Michael Rennie to name but a few of the cast members.  Have it on Laser Disc.

I pretty much know you knew this stuff but figured most of the others here probably did not.  Had a friend/co-worker that did some work for Mature in his later years.  Said he was a real gentleman.

[funk51]

 

[funk51]

 

[stuntmovie1]

SCOTT.... Yea, Mature was considered to  be one of the better guys in the movie business but he never considered himself to be much of an actor.

He once attempted to become a member in a very exclusive Los Angeles Golf Club only to be told that they did not accept actors.

And his retort was .... "I'm not an actor .... and I have 64 films to prove that!"

He made a movie called "ONE MILLION BC" in 1940 and it was one of the first full length Hollywood films I saw on the family Philco TV set.

I watched it whenever it came on because of the exploding volcano scene only to end up living on the side of one many years later.

Ed Holvochick had numerous roles in those sold Hollywood Cinemascope features. He eventually became Ed Fury and almost no one ever heard of him again.

One of my family members made it big time in Hollywood but hated it and quit after a couple of major films.

Closer family members work consistentlly and seldom get time to spend with their family as a lot of the major productions are now filmed outside of Los Angeles.

Off topic ... Sorry bout that.

[Primemuscle]

Ed Fury had a varied career. Physique model and actor are just some of the things he's known for.

[Primemuscle]

Ed Fury was the top male athletic model of his generation, starred in a number of Hercules-type 'Sword and Sandal' and other adventure movies, and had the singing lead of Marius in Josh Logan's Broadway production of "Fanny". UCLA did a retrospective of his movies and RAI Italian television recently did a documentary on his life and career. Ed Fury has kept his good health and good looks through healthy living, including lots of fresh organic fruit and vegetables, plenty of exercise, no tobacco and no alcohol, and having a wide range of intellectual and artistic interests.

Filmography:
The Wild Women of Wongo (1958) as Gahbo
La regina delle Amazzoni (1960) aka Colossus and the Amazons as Glauco
Ursus (1961) as Ursus
Ursus nella valle dei leoni (1961) aka Ursus in the Valley of the Lions as Ursus
Maciste contro lo sceicco (1962) aka Maciste against the Sheik and Samson against the Sheik as Maciste
Ursus nella terra di fuoco (1963) aka Ursus in the Land of Fire as Ursus

[BIG AL MCKECHNIE]

Why the fuck has stuntmovie become stuntmovie 1 all of a sudden?

[Primemuscle]

The Athletic Model Guild, or AMG, was founded by Bob Mizer in December 1945.

Mizer did appear in court to face several charges over the years, including obscenity, drug use, and prostitution. Allegedly, Mizer's AMG models would sometimes earn extra money “renting” themselves out as "gay for pay' hustlers, but Mizer argued vigorously that it was not his business what they did on their own time.

Several bodybuilders and actors of the day got their start posing for Mizer and his friends at AMG. It is estimated that he shot over 10,000 men throughout the course of his career. Others included Ed Fury and Glenn Corbett of 77 Sunset Strip, and Susan Hayward and Alan Ladd. Bodybuilder and former Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger posed for AMG under Mizer in 1975.

When I was a teenager, I found my way to AMG studios to see about modeling. I was in a photo shoot in the hills above Ventura Blvd. out in Thousand Oaks. I am not sure if any of the photos of me on horseback in a G-string were ever published. My modeling  career was very brief. I am not sure why I didn't pursue this when I was a little older and a bit beefier.

[Primemuscle]

 

[The Ugly]

The Athletic Model Guild, or AMG, was founded by Bob Mizer in December 1945.

Mizer did appear in court to face several charges over the years, including obscenity, drug use, and prostitution. Allegedly, Mizer's AMG models would sometimes earn extra money “renting” themselves out as "gay for pay' hustlers, but Mizer argued vigorously that it was not his business what they did on their own time.

Several bodybuilders and actors of the day got their start posing for Mizer and his friends at AMG. It is estimated that he shot over 10,000 men throughout the course of his career. Others included Ed Fury and Glenn Corbett of 77 Sunset Strip, and Susan Hayward and Alan Ladd. Bodybuilder and former Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger posed for AMG under Mizer in 1975.

When I was a teenager, I found my way to AMG studios to see about modeling. I was in a photo shoot in the hills above Ventura Blvd. out in Thousand Oaks. I am not sure if any of the photos of me on horseback in a G-string were ever published. My modeling  career was very brief. I am not sure why I didn't pursue this when I was a little older and a bit beefier.

Oh Lawdy.

[Primemuscle]

Oh Lawdy.

Yeah well, I was young and dumb.

[Mr. MB]

Around 1983-84 I was approached by a BB photographer after a local show which I competed in earlier that evening. This fellow was at all the local Natural. AAU and NPC shows. I had seen his work in a lot of the magazines.  He told me added publicity would help in my future shows. He promised to get me in the mags. I met him in the Malibu hills at a horse ranch to which he had access. We walked over to some rocks which I had seen before in a lot of his pics. He asked if he could watch me change into a thong which he brought along. BINGO!! Adios MFer. I was back in my car and outta there in a flash. I wondered how many men he had messed with in the past and what compromises they did.

[Primemuscle]

Around 1983-84 I was approached by a BB photographer after a local show which I competed in earlier that evening. This fellow was at all the local Natural. AAU and NPC shows. I had seen his work in a lot of the magazines.  He told me added publicity would help in my future shows. He promised to get me in the mags. I met him in the Malibu hills at a horse ranch to which he had access. We walked over to some rocks which I had seen before in a lot of his pics. He asked if he could watch me change into a thong which he brought along. BINGO!! Adios MFer. I was back in my car and outta there in a flash. I wondered how many men he had messed with in the past and what compromises they did.

Fortunately, was not asked to "compromise" anything of significance when I wore the G-string in that photo shoot. Getting naked has never seemed like a big deal to me. Clothes are man's invention. Throughout the history of clothing, as much has been done with fashion to enhance human sexuality as has been to cover it up. Think about the codpieces men wore in the middle ages. Think about the Victoria secret push up bras of today. Anyone who has ever gone to a nude beach realizes that once the novelty of seeing naked people has wore off, there is very little about most folks' naked bodies that is sexy.

Obviously you were older than me. I am not sure I was even driving yet, which would have made me 15 years old.

[Mr. MB]

I have no problem being naked. It was the "can I watch you".  That sent me on my way. My last flash was at the 2010 Masters Nationals where I changed into my suit in the back room with the other men and about 20 over 40 Bikini contestants who came on after our class. The Bikini gals changed right there too. All were shaved down like 12 year olds.

[Primemuscle]

I have no problem being naked. It was the "can I watch you".  That sent me on my way. My last flash was at the 2010 Masters Nationals where I changed into my suit in the back room with the other men and about 20 over 40 Bikini contestants who came on after our class. The Bikini gals changed right there too. All were shaved down like 12 year olds.

Yeah, some dude asking if he can watch you change clothes is creepy, I'll give you that. He could have simply engaged you in conversation while you were changing thereby having an excuse to look at you. In asking if he could watch, he was blatantly admitting his interest were not on the up and up.

Not having ever been in a bodybuilding competition, I wouldn't know what the prep area is like. I suspect many bodybuilders don't suffer from false modesty though. Posing suits being what they are or aren't these days, there is practically nothing left to expose anyway.

[The Ugly]

Fortunately, was not asked to "compromise" anything of significance when I wore the G-string in that photo shoot. Getting naked has never seemed like a big deal to me. Clothes are man's invention. Throughout the history of clothing, as much has been done with fashion to enhance human sexuality as has been to cover it up. Think about the codpieces men wore in the middle ages. Think about the Victoria secret push up bras of today. Anyone who has ever gone to a nude beach realizes that once the novelty of seeing naked people has wore off, there is very little about most folks' naked bodies that is sexy.

Obviously you were older than me. I am not sure I was even driving yet, which would have made me 15 years old.

So very wrong. Not you, Prime, this "studio."

[Primemuscle]

So very wrong. Not you, Prime, this "studio."

Just going by age, I would agree. It is possible I never mentioned my age, To be fair, I think I looked older. I had no trouble getting served when I was 15 years old. No one ever asked me for ID.

[stuntmovie1]

BIG AL... Stuntmovie - 1?!!!  I have no idea how that came about but I managed to win a brand new computer and during the sign in and password procedures, I apparently messed it up a bit.

Thanks for asking but I still see the original name on these here posts.