Oh, J.C.....
You have got to watch this documentary. Before Tom of Finland would titillate us from the covers of one-hand reading books and physique pictorials (do covet those, though), there was J.C. Leyendecker (who grew up here in Chi). Leyendecker was the man who literally coded homosexuality into the American consciousness. Between the end of the XIX century and the middle of the XX century, he draw the love of his life (Charles A. Beach) in many an advertising campaign and made his face and body the face and body of masculinity in America for almost fifty years...
How's that for a love story?
Oh, you're happy to see me?
She could literally not be there...
Oh, daddy.
Oh, I'd give thanks all day long.
Hmmm ... beef....
Oh, hunny....
So, if you use a streaming service, look for the documentary. I found it on HBO, but I know that AppleTV and Amazon have it. Other streamers may too, and it should be on VOD. I recommend it, as a piece of queer history and as a love story, too.
One can never know enough about LGBTQ+ history (or queer love stories!), right?
Happy viewing!
XOXO
It sounds fascinating; I'm off to see if I can find it.
ReplyDeletexoxo
It was fab.
DeleteI wish there were more documentaries on him. I think there's some that people on YouTube have made, but this is the first one I've seen in a mainstream streaming service.
XOXO
Unfortunately, the embedded video won't play in Canada, but I'll see if I can find the doc on one of the streaming services you mention. I'm familiar with Leyendecker's very stylish men's illustrations and I like it!
ReplyDeleteUgh. YouTube and its selective stalking.
DeleteBut the documentary is there, somewhere. I think Paramount+ has it, and so does AppleTV and Amazon.
XOXO
Big says,
ReplyDeleteI get HBO and Prime, so I should be able to see it. It's the saddest thing in the world to have your talent be recognized and utilized only so long as you keep your sexuality under wraps. Walt Disney did that to more than one of his early stars...canceled them right out of work and into obscurity when he discovered they were gay.
I imagine that's what it will be like if Mike Johnson and Clarence Thomas get their way.
Dammit, I hit Publish too soon. XOXO
DeleteYes, Prime should have it!
DeleteAnd they did use him to sell shirts and clothes. And then suddenly, the plug was pulled. They did probably found out that he lived with his lover.
But here we are, talking about him years after his death...
XOXO
HuntleyBiGuy:
ReplyDeleteFinally something that I was able to find on one of my streaming services, Paramount+.
I watched it and it’s a fascinating and sad story. He had such talent and his work was amazing! It’s so sad that, without explanation, all of his commissions ceased, and that the majority of his beautiful work was destroyed.
I fear that we may be on the cusp of another “purge” with the current repuglican party. We all know that nothing will be accomplished in the remainder of the legislative session because they don’t have the votes to move anything through the House. All we will get is investigation after investigation, and bullshit motions.
THIS is why it’s so important to get out and vote next year. There are a couple of off-year elections next week that are VERY important, namely Virginia and Ohio. Virginia is looking for repug control of all three branches of state government. In Ohio women’s bodily autonomy is on the ballot as a state constitutional amendment. We must prevail in both of these states. This will give us momentum going into next year.
VOTE because, literally, your life depends on it.
XOXO 👨🏼❤️💋👨🏽
RAmen, babes.
DeleteSo, so true....
XOXO
Big says,
DeleteMany lives depend on us getting out the vote. XOXO
I will check that out, and not because I'm old enough to remember Colliers... I'm not...
ReplyDeleteHahahaha
DeleteOh, wait. Now I'm going to go thrifting to try and get some of those clothes!!!
You're a bad influence, Dave!
XOXO
One of the great commercial artist of his time. Too bad a "purge" relegated him to the dump heap until recently.
ReplyDeleteHe was fantastic.
DeleteAn innovator. And I think something provoked the jobs to dry up. It was their loss, though. But now we can talk about his life and work.
XOXO
Great graphic art!
ReplyDelete