PHYSIQUE PICTORIAL WINTER 55 ....VOLUME 5 Number 4 .....SUBSCRIPTION DATA. Physique Pictorial is published quarterly. Send all subscripifons and correspondence to Physique Pictorial, 1834 West 11th Street, Los Angeles 6, California. Subscription rate for U.S., US Territories, Canada and Mexico: 1 yr: $1.50, 2 years $3.00. Foreign: 1 year $1.75, 2 years $3.50. Magazine will be sent first class in a sealed flat envelope to insure its reaching you in best condition. FOREIGN REPRESENTATIVES: GREAT BRITAIN: Lon Agency 119 Oxford St. Suite 35-A London W1, England; John &Valentine 23 Deanswood Dr. Moortown, Leeds England. FRANCE: E. Silvien 39 rue Sainte Anne, Paris 1. DENMARK: Bladcentralen, Fiolstrade 28, Copenhagen. BELGIUM: Muscles 17 rue Haute, Andrimont. Foreign currency will be accepted for subscriptions at par value less 10% where agents not provided. 日本の皆様。 本誌の御購読に関しては東京都文京区江戸川町15 チャールス・Eタトル商会 (電話92-7207-9) 宛御照会下さい。 に御照会下さるのが便利です。 又英語がおできになる方は直接 PHYSIQUE PICTORIAL

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

EMBARRASSED READER .....Physique magazines should be published with the reader in mind, and displaying the mag in your living room should not cause embarras ment to the owner, The Art-Bob drawings have no place in your magazine, because men just dont wear blue jeans and shorts like Art Bob depicts. I think they are lewd. LS Salt Lake City, U.

AGAINST BLACK PATCHES

...One of the things that gripes me that occurs in all physique magazines is the practice of touching photos with black patches. realize why this is done and the necessity for it, but to one who venerates the human body as a thing of unsurpassed beauty, ir is a devastation to be deplored. I would much prefer to see models wearing a posing strap, shorts, trunks or even trousers rather than

Physique Pictorial's mail bag is fascinating. We are reproducing here a few excerpts from representative letters. We should like to print them all, but space just doesnt permit. If support of our magazine ever gets great enough to warrant it we shall double our size, and besides larger size print, we will make the reader's sounding board a permanent feature. Every letter is very much appreciated. Interesting, thoughtful letters are always permanently filed (even if they are antagonistic). Your name will never be used without your specific permission. The opinions expressed below are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the editors of Physique Pictorial or its other contributors. SLENDER BUILDS FAVORED APOLOGIA PRO CORPUS MENS ....."I am somewhat in the form .... favor the current de-emphosis on the massive builds, as of my maker. Consequently, I cannot be called an object of remarkable as they are in many instances. It is the job of the vulgarity or obscenity per se. A artist whether he be photogragreat gulf separates nudity from lewdness. Whenever man links pher, painter or sculptor to atthe two as one, he admits once. tempt to represent the ideal. more that he himself gave birth to The massive builds, in my mind at least, do not represent the ithe concept of shame. 'God created man in His own Image'. That's deal. JB Wilmington, Delaware. the answer I give to the pseudoQUAINTANCE MISSED moralists, the political 'reformers' ...The Fall 55 issue is over all who deny the pictorialization aunoteworthy, but I missed not seenaturel of my body and others like ing any of George Quaintence's it. This is the irrefutable apology work in this issue. Don't forget I offer for the 'obscenity' of my bohe is our very finest contemporary dy:( Pro-model) HS, So. Carolina. artist and sculptor! Thanks for your clean, wholesome representation of the best male physiques in America. BQ Alamosa, Colo. LIKE A VISIT FROM A FRIEND. ....Whenever I g the latest issue of PP it's like having a won derful friend visit me--even better its like a group of friends. I sense a generous warmth and good feeling. Being confined to bed, I

ART-BOB ENTHUSIAST .....Art-Bob is one of the finest artists ever to be presented in a physique magazine. His drawings are attractive, wholesome and real-

istic. All of the other girls in our Figure and Beauty club think he's the most. Miss Jane S., Boston, Mass

OLDER BODYBUILDERS PREFERRED ...While I enjoy PP immeasurably, I find you tend to photograph only youth; your outlook should be much broader and include studies of the mature man including the 30-50 age S.R., Dublin, Eire. group.

and without some

to be something :

HDS New York, NY

SAN FRANCISCO PERSECUTIONS .....An additional shameless example of the unethical way the SF federal trials against 4 physique photographers who sold nude was handled, was in the case of the last man in which the defendant observed the government's witness (a postal inspector) speaking privately to one of the jurors during court recess. We can only speculate on why the defence attorney did not demand a mistrial ruling. Is this justice? JH San FranCal.

MINDS IN THE GUTTER

can never hope to have a beautiMORE PERSONAL DETAILS SOUGHT ful body myself, but receive great....Should like you to publish more pleasure sharing the triumphs of of the personal history and back others. JC Philadelphia, Penn. ground of the models presented. One IS SMILING "INCORRECT"? admires the body, but any mature artist knows that the body is an ex.....For thousands of years people .....I see the Major models have have been drawing the human form "dead pan" facial expressions, so pression of the inner man. His perin the nude and for thousands of sonal background is of interest too, it must be correct. Although I think a pleasant one is not necthere seems years no one has complained---until now. T essarily in bad taste. WF, Miami. The art hasn't changed so it it must be the people.. it proves that PP WORTH TWICE THE PRICE the minds of folks making these ..... The number of outstanding charges and counter-charges are in photos and artitems you present the proverbial gutter. How can we indicates a taste and selectiveexpect our young people to grow up ness which I and many of my mentally straight and morally strong friends who alsotake your magaif on all sides so-called adults are zine, greatly appreciate. At shouting sin, sin, everything is sinl twice the price you'd still be giv It's not nude photos which are evil, ing good value--but please dont but rather the minds and eyes which take that as a hint! Best of luck. so interpret them that are steeped in filth. 8b Perkins, Los. os Angeles. ..JK Surrey England. CULTURAL MATERIAL .....Iwould like to see a very brief section in PP on cultural or intellectual material of interest to body-builders so that "mens sana in corpore sono" might be more nearly a reality. A panel of experts should briefly list and describe good books, movies, plays, musical records, etc. JW Cleveland Ohio

..EVIL IS TO HIM.... ..You asked for comments on ...) your Fall issue: After getting my magnifying glass and plowing thru the long editorial tirade inside, I was deeply impressed by your loftiness of purpose. But let's face it, as Bill Shakespeare puts it "Methinks thou dost protest too much." The sinuous contours and shadowy suggestiveness of Art-Bob's figures do nothing whatever to defend your righteous expressions of innocent purpose. Pages 25 thru 30 are photographic pornography personified. The attention is much too centered... If your book has this effect on me consider what it might do to some suggestible person... H.O. Gary Indiana.

LESS TALK..MORE ACTION ..... You never cease to hommer at those "anti-nudity' organizations who persecute poor publishers for selling photos of the nude male under the title of "perfection in physiques", yet you continually soothe their indignation with careful draping or all-inclusive supporters. Please, not more of these foolish little works of indignation aimed at these "Anti Freedom, or Anti-Pleasure, or Anti-Nudity" groups until you decide to do something about it yourselves. KM Chicago 4, Illinois.

CLERGYMAN's VIEWS ...I am a clergyman...bodybuilder and health enthusiast. I am certainly behind you 100%, in your fight against narrowminded attitudes which we find so prevalent among ignorant individuals in regard to the human body. In my thinking I have found nothing more beautiful in God's creation than the human body. To look upon a well developed male or female body is for me an awe-inspiring experre ience. To look at them in any other way is degrading to the handiwork of our creator. Simon Peter, the great deciple when working as a fisherman in the hot sun shed his clothing and worked in the nude. Can there be anything but respect, honor and beauty attributed to the man? To do anything else is to scorn God.

..HJV Asst to the Bishop.

TOO MANY EDITORIALS .... Under one guise or another I found eight editorials in the 32 pages (of the Fall 55 PP) I cannot follow your reasoning which implicitly and explicitly condemns all who disagree with you as dupes, corrupt officials,idiots, bribed police officers, philistines, etc. Your liberalism seems a trifle dictatorial, I believe that there are objective and immutable moral standards! One final complaint, your spelling and grammar are incredibly bad.

I would like to see Quaintance portray a scene of Christ on the cross. Though some pieces of evidence would indicate he was crucified nude, this would be offensive to good taste so he should be depicted in a loin cloth, but the two thieves could be shown nailed naked to their crosses. Such a painting could depict in the persons of the thieves the physical torture and, humiliations of crucifixion, while emphasizing in the figure of Christ the transcendent spiritual values of this central event. DW Ypsilanti Mich

to see a foolish unnatural black patch.

E. C., NYC.

PICTORIAL HAS SLIPPED. ...Received my Fall issue a few days ago and in my opinion the magazine has slipped noticeably. Many of the models didnt have much of a build at all. Too, I didnt care much for the amount of space taken up by "editorials" I don't buy your magazine for that information. Also the pic-

tures have too much covering, so

I wont renew. RS Muskegon, Mich SCREENING OF MODELS ....Do the photographers always select young men truly interested in healthy bodies and minds, high morals, living aabove "Sin". Are they selected through reputable circumstances, or unquestionably accepted just because they maintain nice physiques. More consideration on this matter would make it possible for Christian youngmen like myself to purchase physique magazines "without feeling guilty. GH. NYC. "SIN"? IN SWEDEN .....You might in future an editorial on the governmental attitude of the emancipated Scandinavian countries--especially Sweden. These lands, as you know, have a very small delinquency and crime rate; and they are precisely the countries in which nudity in the plastic arts and in photography is regarded as natural and normal. WF, UofC.

PICTORIAL INSPIRATIONAL

..... Your magazine is a great inspiration. It gives one the necessary encouragement, example and urge to improve re and develop his general health of mind and body. I believe the greatest complaints

about physique magazines and photos of bodybuilders come from those individuals who do not have (not because they can't) a physique to be proud of. Those who have had the courage to work towards the improvement of their bodies should be granted every means possible to make their photos available to others for admiration and example. JS. Marathon, Wisc.

REALISM APPRECIATED .....The Wrestling picture on page 30 (Fall 55 issue) is one of the very few I have seen in which the models oppear to be actually wrestling. I hope to see more of these, as faked poses are quite distasteful CK, NYC

JERRY ROSS 23, 5'10", 180 lbs chest relaxed 46, exp 48, biceps 17, waist 29, hips 36, thighs 24, calves 17. If he continues to win many more trophies he may have to build

a special room to hold them. Jerry was MR VENICE 1954, MR MUSCLE BEACH 1954, MR APPOLO 1955, MR. LOS ANGELES 1955, MR. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 1955, and MR CALIFORNIA 1955. Movie fans may recall seeing. him in Athena and Hit The D-ck. Jerry works out 3 times a week, 5 1/2 hours each time! He attributes his fine proportions to applying common sense while training. Like many other successful bodybuilders he has experimented with countless systems, and concludes that each person must adapt the particular system which suits him best at the particular time. Almost all are beneficial; none are magical or effortless. While "pills" may supplement a foolish defective diet none of them will "pile on muscle", nor can lazyman machines do the job, it's all up to you!

Though firms like AMG have offered Jerry's early bodybuilding pictures, he is now making his latest shots available personally. In posing these shots he has been particularly cognizant of the aesthetic quality sought by artists, sculptors, etc. All of the shots are outdoors against rugged and beautiful California backgrounds and are shot by the famous California photographer Herb Dixon. Catalogs A & B $1 each, Album sets A & B (made up of 4x5 inch prints) $4 per set. Photographs. will be autographed on request. Write personally to Jerry Ross,

Box 112, Ocean Park, Calif.

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