Athletic Model Guild
Encyclopedia
The Athletic Model Guild, or AMG, was founded by gay pornography
pioneer Bob Mizer
in December 1945. During those post-war years, United States censorship laws allowed women, but not men, to appear in various states of undress in what were referred to, with a wink, as “art” photographs. Mizer began his business by taking pictures of men that he knew, both gay and straight
. His subjects would often pose for pictures, which, while ostensibly meant to illustrate fitness tips and the like, were clearly produced and published as homoerotic material.
poses, or perhaps wrestling
in pairs. Often the setup or “plot” of these shoots was fairly absurd and just served to provide a thin legal pretext for the display of the male physique.
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 make a little extra money “renting” themselves out, but Mizer argued vigorously that it was not his business what they did on their own time. Despite some legal setbacks, AMG survived its many trials.
The AMG material (sold in the form of photographic prints, a magazine and short films) slowly evolved over time - from altered images where the male genitalia were “painted” over to photographic prints where the models wore extremely skimpy posing straps and then finally (as the changing laws allowed) to full nudity. He used his magazine, Physique Pictorial which featured other artists such as Tom of Finland
, as means of advertising his material.
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. Andy Warhol
's protégé Joe Dallesandro
, who later worked for Calvin Klein
, was one of the many AMG models that even those not acquainted with Athletic Model Guild might be familiar with. 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.
The 1998 movie Beefcake
directed by Thom Fitzgerald, combines documentary footage with fictional dramatizations in an attempt to tell the story of Mizer and AMG.
After Bob Mizer’s death in May 1992, Wayne Stanley, a friend and legal advisor, tended to his archives. In 2004 the company and its archives were sold to physique photographer Dennis Bell.
Under Dennis Bell's reins, Athletic Model Guild is once again thriving and 2011 will mark its 66th anniversary. The legacy material from Bob Mizer's archives that was once feared lost to time is being organized and digitally remastered. This new material is branded under AMG FILM CLASSICS. New DVD releases contain full length films, as well as never-before-seen film clips and behind the scenes footage as extras. Along with its primary mission of preserving the history and legacy of Bob Mizer and AMG, the company continues to produce new original movies that keep the AMG spirit alive in the present. In his own style, Bell launched the highly acclaimed brand AMG Brasil, a new line of erotic films shot on location in Brazil
, that feature the same youthful models and "joyful spirit" of life that Mizer once loved.
Gay pornography
Gay pornography is the representation of sexual intercourse between men with the primary goal of sexual arousal in its audience. There is also a tradition, and continuing considerable output, of lesbian pornography....
pioneer Bob Mizer
Bob Mizer
Robert Henry Mizer , known as Bob Mizer, was an American photographer and filmmaker who was known for pushing societal boundaries in his work...
in December 1945. During those post-war years, United States censorship laws allowed women, but not men, to appear in various states of undress in what were referred to, with a wink, as “art” photographs. Mizer began his business by taking pictures of men that he knew, both gay and straight
Heterosexuality
Heterosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the opposite sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, heterosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, physical or romantic attractions to persons of the opposite sex";...
. His subjects would often pose for pictures, which, while ostensibly meant to illustrate fitness tips and the like, were clearly produced and published as homoerotic material.
History
A majority of the early AMG films and photos were ambiguously sexual in nature. The formula consisted of images (moving and still) of young men doing bodybuildingBodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a form of body modification involving intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their...
poses, or perhaps wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
in pairs. Often the setup or “plot” of these shoots was fairly absurd and just served to provide a thin legal pretext for the display of the male physique.
Mizer did appear in court to face several charges over the years, including obscenity, drug use, and prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
. Allegedly, Mizer's AMG models would sometimes make a little extra money “renting” themselves out, but Mizer argued vigorously that it was not his business what they did on their own time. Despite some legal setbacks, AMG survived its many trials.
The AMG material (sold in the form of photographic prints, a magazine and short films) slowly evolved over time - from altered images where the male genitalia were “painted” over to photographic prints where the models wore extremely skimpy posing straps and then finally (as the changing laws allowed) to full nudity. He used his magazine, Physique Pictorial which featured other artists such as Tom of Finland
Tom of Finland
Touko Laaksonen, best known by his pseudonym Tom of Finland was a Finnish artist notable for his stylized androerotic and fetish art and his influence on late twentieth century gay culture. He has been called the "most influential creator of gay pornographic images" by cultural historian Joseph W...
, as means of advertising his material.
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. Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
's protégé Joe Dallesandro
Joe Dallesandro
Joseph Angelo D'Allesandro , better known as Joe Dallesandro, is an American actor, and Warhol superstar. Although he never became a mainstream film star, Dallesandro is generally considered to be the most famous male sex symbol of American underground films of the 20th century, as well as a sex...
, who later worked for Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc. in 1968. In addition to clothing, Klein has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewelry....
, was one of the many AMG models that even those not acquainted with Athletic Model Guild might be familiar with. Others included Ed Fury
Ed Fury
Ed Fury , born Edmund Holovchik, was an American body builder and physique model who travelled to Italy to take advantage of the popularity of sword and sandal films...
and Glenn Corbett
Glenn Corbett
Glenn Corbett was an American actor best known for his role on CBS's adventure drama Route 66.-Acting career:...
of 77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip is an hour-length American television private detective series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Roger Smith, and Edd Byrnes....
, and Susan Hayward
Susan Hayward
Susan Hayward was an American actress.After working as a fashion model in New York, Hayward travelled to Hollywood in 1937 when open auditions were held for the leading role in Gone with the Wind . Although she was not selected, she secured a film contract, and played several small supporting...
and Alan Ladd
Alan Ladd
-Early life:Ladd was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He was the only child of Ina Raleigh Ladd and Alan Ladd, Sr. He was of English ancestry. His father died when he was four, and his mother relocated to Oklahoma City where she married Jim Beavers, a housepainter...
. Bodybuilder and former Governor of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
posed for AMG under Mizer in 1975.
The 1998 movie Beefcake
Beefcake
Beefcake is a term denoting the use of nude or semi-nude male bodies. It can refer to a genre or a person. It often is used to denote male sexual attractiveness stemming from physical build but the definition has expanded to include anyone interested in physical fitness, bodybuilding and weight...
directed by Thom Fitzgerald, combines documentary footage with fictional dramatizations in an attempt to tell the story of Mizer and AMG.
After Bob Mizer’s death in May 1992, Wayne Stanley, a friend and legal advisor, tended to his archives. In 2004 the company and its archives were sold to physique photographer Dennis Bell.
Under Dennis Bell's reins, Athletic Model Guild is once again thriving and 2011 will mark its 66th anniversary. The legacy material from Bob Mizer's archives that was once feared lost to time is being organized and digitally remastered. This new material is branded under AMG FILM CLASSICS. New DVD releases contain full length films, as well as never-before-seen film clips and behind the scenes footage as extras. Along with its primary mission of preserving the history and legacy of Bob Mizer and AMG, the company continues to produce new original movies that keep the AMG spirit alive in the present. In his own style, Bell launched the highly acclaimed brand AMG Brasil, a new line of erotic films shot on location in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, that feature the same youthful models and "joyful spirit" of life that Mizer once loved.
Timeline
- 1945: Bob Mizer stands in as a nude model for lighting tests for Fred Kovert of Hollywood
- 1945: Bob Mizer opens AMG Studios in Los Angeles
- 1946: Forrester Millard becomes AMG's first cataloged model
- 1947: Bob Mizer spends 1 year at Saugus Prison Farm for distributing images of male frontal nudity through the US Postal Service
- 1951: First issue of Physique Photo News (the precursor to Physique Pictorial) is published in May
- 1951: Physique Photo News is renamed Physique Pictorial in November
- 1952: Bob Mizer travels to Europe and photographs models
- 1957: 1000 Model Directory, a catalog of all former AMG models, is released
- 1963: AMG publishes Young Adonis magazine
- 1966: Grecian Guild Studio Quarterly releases catalog of AMG models
- 1967: Mizer discovers Joe Dallesandro, of Andy Warhol fame, and shoots him fully nude in the AMG studio
- 1968: Obscenity laws are revised to allow male frontal nudity
- 1973: Inside AMG, a documentary about the studio, is shot at the AMG compound
- 1975: Future Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenneger, poses for Mizer.
- 1980: Upon the suggestion of Old Reliable's David Hurles, Mizer begins experimenting with new video technology
- 1982: Gay Sunshine Press publishes Physique: A Pictorial History of Athletic Model Guild
- 1987: French publisher releases Athletic Model Guild: 160 Garçons Americans by Ralf Marsault
- 1990: Campfire Films produces the first of five documentaries about the studio, entitled Fantasy Factory
- 1992: Bob Mizer dies from cardiac arrest in a Los Angeles hospital
- 1992: Bob's brother Joe, sole heir to the AMG estate, dies and the collection is passed on to Mizer's friend, Wayne Stanley
- 1994: Stanley closes the doors of the LA compound and moves AMG to Northern California
- 1997: Taschen publishing releases The Complete Physique Pictorial, a three volume reprint of the magazine from 1951 to 1990
- 2004: Former Falcon Studio photographer, Dennis Bell, purchases the AMG estate
- 2004: AMG releases the first production from AMG in 12 years, Best Size 35
- 2005: Bell releases first full-length hardcore AMG feature, AMG Resurrection, starring Jason Adonis
- 2006: AMG launches AMG Brasil, a premium brand of hardcore shot entirely on location in Brazil.
- 2009: TASCHEN Books releases Bob's World: The Life and Boys of AMG's Bob Mizer, edited by Dian Hanson
- 2010: AMG establishes the Bob Mizer Foundation, dedicated to the preservation and education of gay physique photography.
AMG Brasil Videography
- Deluge (2006)
- Suruba: Primal Urge (2006)
- Gêmeos (2006)
- Suruba: Bronze (2006)
- Fazenda (2006)
- Suruba: Tropicus (2006)
- Suruba: Pecado (2006)
- Paraíso (2007)
- Carioca: Sarado (2007)
- Suruba: Piroca (2007)
- Amazônia: Capture (2007)
- Amazônia: Release (2007)
- Suruba: Agua (2008)
- Carnaval (2008)
- Suruba: Azul (2008)
- RIO (2008)
- Duro (2009)
AMG Classics Videography
- Best Size #35 (2005)
- Anal Erotic (A&E) 19 & 20 (2005)
- Wrestling Live 1&2 (2-Disc DVD) (2005)
- Wrestling Live 3&4 (2-Disc DVD) (2005)
- Story Film Classics: Unstrapped (2005)
- Story Film Classics: The Wild Ones (2006)
- Story Film Classics: Hardcore Film Classics: Vito & The Love Bandit (2006)
- Nude Posing Film Classics: Caliente! (2006)
- Nude Wrestling Film Classics: SmackDown (2007)
- Story Film Classics: Slave Market (2007)
- Theatre Film Classics: Why The Wooden Indian Wouldn't (2007)
- Theatre Film Classics: Billy Boy (2007)
- Hardcore Film Classics: Cowboy Virgin (2008)
- Theatre Film Classics: Brawn Over Brains (2008)
- Theatre Film Classics: Bike Shop Trade (2008)
- Theatre Film Classics: Teacher's Pests (2008)
- Wrestling Live: 23 (2008)
- Wrestling Live: 25 (2008)
- The Complete Jim Paris (2009)
- The Complete Monte Hanson (2009)
- Richard Fontaine: Days of Greek Gods (2009)
- Story Film Classics: New Recruit (2010)
Industry Awards & Nominations
- 2010 XBIZ AwardXBIZ AwardXBIZ Awards are given annually to honor "individuals, companies, performers and products that play an essential part in the growth and success of adult entertainment". Organized by the adult industry trade magazine XBIZ, the awards were first given in 2003...
Nominee - GLBT Company of the Year - 2010 XBIZ AwardXBIZ AwardXBIZ Awards are given annually to honor "individuals, companies, performers and products that play an essential part in the growth and success of adult entertainment". Organized by the adult industry trade magazine XBIZ, the awards were first given in 2003...
Nominee - Gay Studio of the Year - 2009 GayVN Award Best Ethnic-Themed Video (Latin) for Amazonia