The Beefcake Era

Were any of these models actually gay or just the early version of gay for pay?

I was about 11 years old and was in a major department store with my parents, circa 1962-1963. They were shopping for something, so I said I was going to wander over to the books and magazines department and come get me there. On the racks, I saw this magazine entitled "Young Physique" or something like it with pictures of guys like at OP's link.

When I saw these guys, I had the most intense, raging erection, one that I haven't experienced since then.

It was then and there I knew I was definitely gay.

R1 I assume that these sorts of relationships have been around for a long time.

Those pouches they wore are amazing.

OP, 1998 is hardly "mid-century".

Sorry, OP, I misread your link.

I thought the movie was ok. It's kind of weird that Mizer's mother sewed the models' pouches.

My first husband was a Mel Roberts model when he was in high school. He posed under the name Sonny Adams in the mid 60s.

There were so many other famous photographers too.

I've also just found one named Lon of New York.

Some of these guys from yesteryear were gorgeous!

Lucky you, R7. Looks like he had a thick cock.

Before there was a Jeff Stryker, there was Jim Stryker. In the 1960s, when physique magazines were 5X7 inch black and white or sepia. There were codes on each page, supposedly telling us what type of sex the model enjoyed.

Google is your friends---tons of stuff on Mizer, including coffee table books.

I remember going to a newsstand when I was 11 or 12 and seeing the "health" section.. picking up an AMG mag... I do think that's when I found "language" in my psyche about the specific desire that would define my life. Well, not specific, but certainly intensely focused. Wot? Those posing pouches were... ritualistic.

This was one of the gym teachers at my high school.

Everybody do it now....

"Were any of these models actually gay or just the early version of gay for pay?"

Both. Some were gay, some were not.

There were some actors who did beefcake poses early in their careers, like John Saxon and Glenn Corbett

It was R9, sadly he died on me in 2001. At least we had thirteen years together....

Literally...on you, r17?

Illustrator George Quaintance bestrode the beefcake era like a colossus.

R16, Corbett replaced George Maharis on "Route 66." Maharis was arrested for going down on a guy at a gas station.

Did any of them do gay porn?

^ George Maharis did.

Arax was another beefcake photographer....

Did any do those gay film loops back in the day?

I found this site with a huge trove of all kinds of photos of that era. So hot.

I wonder how these photographers got these guys to do all of this. Even Bob Mizer (the most famous photog) had guys living with him for weeks/months. That's pretty brazen for the '50s - '80s.

Would love to find videos of all this. Seems impossible

That blog has some great photos. Exhibit A(ss)

bump