I’m currently nose-deep in The Three Musclequeers by Kenneth Sprague (foreword by Bob Birddong & Dic Raisin) It’s the only book that you can’t finish without getting a few pages stuck together
1969–73: Modeling for COLT and purchase of Gold's Gym
While still in college, Sprague was encouraged by a friend to try modeling. He sent a photo of Sprague to the COLT Studio in New York City and shortly afterwards, Sprague was invited to pose for them. During the four-day trip to New York, Sprague did his first nude photoshoot and chose the name Dakota, under which he was represented by the studio. After that, he returned to school and job in Cincinnati, and Colt sent his photos to clients. The response was instant and Sprague was asked to travel to California to do more modeling. In March 1970, Sprague arrived to California and did his second photo session when he was approached by a private collector to appear in a hardcore sex film. His co-star in that film was another bodybuilder and rising porn star Jim Cassidy. The two have since appeared in a handful of scenes and magazine spreads together, often being referred to as the "Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald of gay porn films".[7] Both of them served as a template for characters in the novel, The Iron Game, by David Carter. The author described Sprague as never feeling "any guilt," and someone who "would take whatever position was necessary to ensure that he would end up in good shape financially." Carter also indicated that Sprague worked as a male hustler besides his work in porn. According to the book, Keith Spaulding (Sprague) and James Cass (Cassidy), as a result of their films, each earned at least an additional $100,000 a year by turning "tricks". Sprague later commented by admitting that he had made a great deal of money, but not in the way that Carter portrayed it.[8] Around that same time, Sprague became a member of Gold's Gym in Venice, Los Angeles. On June 27, 1971, he married his girlfriend Maryon Riesenfeld. In August, he entered the Groovy Guy Contest held by The Advocate magazine and ended in the second place.[9]
"I purchased the gym more or less as a hobby; I was training there at the time and the current owner (Danits) couldn't make money with it – in fact, the gross income of Gold's in 1971 was $19,000. I purchased 100% of the stock in Gold's Gym, Inc. for $15,000 cash and the assumption of $74,000 in mortgages and small debts. None of the other guys at the gym appeared to have the money or foresight to buy it. My motive: I didn't want it to close."
—Sprague talking about his purchase of Gold's Gym.[10]
On May 26, 1972, Sprague became the new owner of the Gold's Gym in Venice, California. The then declining fitness club had less than 100 paying members.[10] With the cooperation of wealthy friends and acquaintances, he also acquired a sound stage in Hollywood. Originally started with the idea of becoming a major influence in the field of pornography, the stage served mainly to produce gay porn films. Sprague himself produced several all-male 8mm short films, which were later released as two feature films, Loadstar (1972) and California Supermen (1972), under his own company Dakota Productions. Other bodybuilders including Ric Drasin, Bob Birdsong and Roger Callard appeared in the films. Sprague soon figured out that he could make just as much, if not more in the legitimate filmmaking. Various television commercials and independent productions were shot at his stage, as well as the weekly religious telecasts of Tony and Susan Alamo. THE TRUE HISTORY OF CA BODYBUILDING.
