Ahhh... Finally back from Florida and once again out from under a landslide of paperwork that was waiting at work for me. So rather than delve into another intensive post, I'm going to share some more photos of famous gents with their shirts off – as usual, quite a variety of types. Randomness is a way of life for me sometimes. Walking on the beach put me in the mood for some more treasured chests (having visited this subject once before back in February!) Our cover boy today is yummy Van Williams in a rare color shot from a photo shoot he did while under contract to Warner Brothers (and likely working on Surfside 6.)
Most of us know Lew Ayres (if at all) from his work in the Oscar-winner for Best Picture All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) or from some of his many, many subsequent movie and TV appearances. (As a child of the '70s, I recall his performance in a two-part episode of The Bionic Woman in 1977 and a memorable death scene in Damian: Omen II, 1978.)
Recognize this fit and trim young man? It's rather hard to mistake that face, belonging to iconic cowboy star John “The Duke” Wayne.
From a The Duke to The King, Mr. Clark Gable, once again shirtless as he famously was in 1934's It Happened One Night. His disrobing for bed and the revelation that he wore no undershirt beneath his dress shirt reportedly sent sales of such items plummetting.
John Payne is a legend among gay classic film buffs for that shot George Hurrell took of him in the boxing ring with his legs spread, but since I've posted that one before, I'll share two others. First up, he's in the middle of some free weight work.
Next he's headed to the dressing rooms. Can I come, too??
Robert Ryan wears his trousers high as was the style of the day, but nevertheless demonstrates quite a fit physique.
One of the screen's most finely-sculpted men in the 1950s and '60s was Woody Strode, an imposing presence seen here in 1951's The Lion Hunters (one of the installments in the Bomba, The Jungle Boy series.)
I like this picture of Rock Hudson because he's a bit more filled-out and mature than in some of his earliest shirtless photos.
Prior to his successful run as Ben Casey (1961-1966), Vince Edwards was a body-builder and physique model (with -once they allowed him to grow it - plenty of hair on his chest, AND head!)
Look at the sign that was posted at the Beverly Hills Health Club where Edwards is taking a swim! Their loss, I say...
Edwards' medical drama counterpart Dr. Kildare (also 1961-1966) was played by the more lean and far less brooding Richard Chamberlain.
Tony Curtis seems to be having a rather rowdy time of it in 1953's college athletics film, The All-American. I sort of like the brawny pal who has him by the calf and ankle.
Likewise, this photo is a frolicsome glimpse into the world of men hanging out together at length, in this case the military. Recognize the man (or the chest of the man) at far right in this still from 1961's Armored Command? The world would be seeing much more of it in years to come...
That's future megastar Burt Reynolds in one of his very first films.
1960 gave us the Mickey Rooney-Mamie Van Doren comedy The Private Lives of Adam and Eve with Martin Milner as Adam. Milner would later become better known for his work in the howler Valley of the Dolls (1967) and another sort of Adam, Adam-12(1968-1975.)
Another sort of Adam came in 1960's Can Can with Shirley MacLaine as she did a Garden of Eden number. The Adam to her Eve was played/danced by Marc Wilder, who could also be spotted in musicals such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), TheOpposite Sex (1956) and even Funny Girl (1968.)
In a class all by himself as far as I'm concerned is Underworld favorite and my own ideal man, Clint Walker.
There's really nothing else to say, but just to stare slack-jawed at his towering beauty!
Here he is taking a nap in the sun between takes. How did the surrounding people restrain themselves from climbing on top of him? Ha!
Holding his own quite nicely is Italian actor Raf Vallone in 1962's Phaedra (with Melina Mercouri.)
Before Marilyn Monroe was fired from (the unfinished) Something's Got to Give in 1962, her character had been stranded on a deserted island with hunky Tom Tryon. When the movie was reworked into Move Over Darling the following year with Doris Day, the part Tryon had been assigned was given instead to Chuck Connors.
Steve Cochran, a ladies man of legend, is shown here at the helm of his boat where, sadly, he died during a location scouting expedition in 1965. After succumbing to a lung infection, his three female passengers were forced to drift for ten days with his body on board until they coasted onto a Guatemalan shore.
Taken during his 1964-1969 run on the prime-time soap opera Peyton Place we find Ryan O'Neal.
Here's a shot of Gary Lockwood as an astronaut viewing a message from home in 1968's 2001: A Space Odyssey.
One of THE hottest teen stars of his day (though he was twenty when the craze began) was David Cassidy of The Partridge Family (1970-1974.)
Welsh actor Stanley Baker enjoys a scantily-clad moment with curvaceous beauty Ursula Andress in the bank heist movie Perfect Friday (1970.)
Remarkably fit and trim French superstar Jean-Paul Belmondo is seen here in a still from 1973's spy spoof Le Magnifique.
Beautiful Dirk Benedict becomes the victim of a disreputable scientist's reptilian experiments in 1973's Sssssss. I think Dirk's own snake was fine as it was!
A lean Rod Stewart works on his tan in this photo.
Robert Urich of Vega$ (1978-1981) peruses his script in between takes of the detective series.
Fur lovers may enjoy John Beck (of Rollerball, 1975, and later of Dallas, on and off from 1983-1986.)
Or here is karate instructor-turned-action/marital arts movie hero Chuck Norris.
On Buck Rogers in the 25thCentury (1979-1981), Gil Gerard (seen here with guest star Anne Jeffreys) was often called upon to wear shirts that revealed his mass of chest hair.
This shot offers a better glimpse, one of several times on the show in which he was de-shirted...
A hairy chest hall of famer is Tom Selleck, who starred on Magnum, P.I. from 1980-1988.
Of course we mustn't ignore Lee Majors of The Fall Guy (1981-1986.) Majors has recently joined the cast of the Dallas update as a love interest for Linda Gray.
Another actor who was shucked of much of his clothing on a regular basis was Lorenzo Lamas of Falcon Crest (1981-1990), shown here (like Majors above) in that '80s photo shoot staple of a leather jacket with no shirt on underneath.
Or if fair-haired guys are more your bag, this is Little House on the Prairie's Dean Butler (from 1979-1983), towel-clad after swimming on Battle of the Network Stars.
Since we're on that kick for a minute, let's look at a couple of other stars of the '80s doing some shirtless sporting activity. First is Richard Dean Anderson of MacGyver (1985-1992.)
How about Mark Harmon, then of Flamingo Road (1980-1982) and St. Elsewhere (1983-1986)?
Grant Goodeve of Eight is Enough(1977-1981) seems awfully happy to be there (maybe he won his event?)
The Incredible Hulk's Lou Ferrigno (1978-1982) unfairly compares his bulky physique with a scarily spindly McLean Stevenson!
To get soapy for a moment, we take a gander at Jon Hensley, who played Holden Snyder on As the World Turnsfrom 1985 to 2010, at an industry athletic event.
Also shown here are Kin Shriner (Scotty Baldwin on General Hospital off and on from 1977 to 2013) and Steve Bond (who worked on the same show from 1983 to 1985.)
Bond posed for Playgirl in 1975 and made a staggering impression to say the least.
Look it up some time!
Professional football player-turned-actor John Matuszak enjoyed moderate success with supporting parts in movies such as North Dallas Forty (1979), Caveman(1981) and The Goonies (1985.) In 1982, he also posed semi-nude in Playgirl magazine as seen here...
...and here.
Speaking of sports, who recalls humpy Joe Namath in those Faberge shampoo ads he did? If this photo interests you in any way, I suggest you click on his name and take a look at the tribute he has here in The Underworld!
Robby Benson portrayed an American Indian who beat many odds, including prejudice, to win an Olympic medal for a long-distance race in Running Brave (1983.)
Many of us were horrified when fate snatched John F. Kennedy Jr away from us at only age thirty-eight. In fact, his death in a 1999 plane crash caused me to unclench a little and start making sure I enjoyed life more since we never know when it will be snuffed out!
A few more to go as we near the end of this chesty round-up. Do we know who this angst-ridden, furry gentleman is?
That was none other than Irish-born Shakespearean actor Kenneth Branaugh.
Take a look at the chiseled jawline of Casper Van Dien of Starship Troopers (1997) and a host of other less memorable movies. Lord... He has a tattoo of Casper the Friendly Ghost!
One of my favorite contemporary actors, Spanish-born Javier Bardem, in his early days from Jamon, Jamon (1992.)
Don't ask me why because I cannot offer a reason, but I have a bit of a thing for boy band member-turned-solo singer Robbie Williams.
Someone who does absolutely nothing for me at all, but who the rest of the world seems to adore, is Hugh Jackman, seen here sporting a nice sold build.
Although I do not watch the show, I find myself liking the looks of Jon Hamm of Mad Men (2007-present.) Here we see him on the beach in some sunglasses (and note the tan line on his thighs.)
In this shot, the sunglasses are gone and his trunks have shifted down so that we see the tan line around his waist. Handsome man...
Finally, I leave you with an eye-blistering shot of one of the most handsome men who ever existed on this planet. Mr. Jon-Erik Hexum. Yowza... Till next time, my loves. Take care!
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