Stories to Tell: Drew by Robert John Guttke

'The stories I could tell....'

Robert John Guttke

Last year, when I heard that artist Robert John Guttke had died, I did a tribute post celebrating his work.  Usually, when a photographer I've featured on the site passes, I like to celebrate their life and work, and spotlight their contributions to FH.  Normally, I'd leave it there, respect their passing, and not post any other work they shared with me.  With Robert, I've made an exception. 

I've made the exception for two reasons.   First and most importantly, Robert once asked me to write the story of his life after he died.   I didn't remember that right away, but recently found his request in an old e-mail.  Robert said he loved the way I wove a story.  He went on coitize my writing style, and my grammar, and my need to do more editing.  His comments were fair, and also not really a surprise.  Those who knew Robert, knew that the sweet, often came with a sting. 

Over the decade plus of communicating with Robert, he also shared, a lot.  Stories of his life, his work and his many struggles.  His connections with Hollywood, and his relationship with other artists, and the models he worked with.  Robert also shared hundreds and hundreds of images.  Some shots, and some stories, he made clear were just for me.  Others, he encouraged me to share.

In the last few years of Robert's life, when he was well enough, he spent his time scanning.  He purchased a film scanner, and was scanning and digitalizing his decades of work behind the camera.  One of his desires, was that his work and his impact on the artistry of shooting the male form, would be appreciated by today's audiences and lovers of the art form.  I helped him set up his own blog, (HERE:) and we discussed several book projects that he wanted my support and help with.  

'When I met Drew he was very quiet... it was much like chatting with a stuffed bunny. A kind gentle bunny, but a bunny nonetheless.'

There are a few stories however, that Robert pushed me to share on FH, one of them being his work with Drew.  Some of you may remember I previously featured Drew a few times on the site.  His work with Robert, and some of the work that followed.   Robert described Drew as a 'lovely young man' when they first met.  He was broke though, recently divorced, and needing a focus.  That focus ended up being lifting weights.  Robert was sure it was because of a passion for fitness, but more the need to refocus his life and create goals after his divorce. 

Drew went on to shoot with several other well  known photographers, and even appeared in an 2004 issues of Playgirl.  One of the projects Drew did, that certainly interested me the most, was his time playing James Blonde in the Sharpshooter video, Muscle: Impossible.

I spotlighted the film back in 2014 in a post HERE:  There was no sex in the film, nor any sexual contact really, just a group of really hot models playing spy, walking and running around naked even silly and naked fights.  It was considered softcore, and the focus was clearly on simply enjoying the nude male bodies of the hot models featured.

Above: The image is not one of Guttke's, but from The Hunger, part of Drew's photo spread shot by Kristian Modeling Inc for the September 2004 issue of Playgirl,

Below: Drew before going blond, James Blonde...

Robert shared that Drew was initially happy with the movie, and his performance.  He had wanted to do a film, but was also trying to avoid porn.  Drew saw the movie as pretty harmless, just a bunch of naked guys running around without anything especially sexual going on.  It was a movie he wouldn't be embarrassed if his mother happened to see.   Robert supported Drew's career decisions, but wasn't really happy that kept that stark blond hair color that he'd initially dyed for the role.

Because the film featured over a half-a-dozen hot models, the producers want them all to look slightly different in appearance.  They also needed a James Blonde.  Given it was sort of 'the lead' Drew was more than happy to dye his brown hair blonde.  Turns out, it got him a lot of attention, not just with photographers, but women.  The blond hair remained.  I added a clip from Drew's solo in Muscle: Impossible above, and can download it HERE:  If you want see more, there is a clip on the old post, and I uploaded a video of the films credits and opening sequence on SendSpace HERE:

The last communication that Robert had with Drew was an e-mail from Drew, several years before Robert's Death.  In the e-mail, Drew thanked Robert for his support, and the images they created together.  Drew shared that he used the images in his work portfolio and felt they helped him land several jobs.  Drew felt modeling had been good to him, taking him around the US, and even to Europe for work.   

Drew story in the modeling world ended when quit the modeling business to work at gyms, and eventually on his own, as a personal trainer.  He shared with Robert, that he was still using the images they created.  Occasionally, to promote his personal training work, but more regularly, to get dates by showing them to hot female clients.  Well, at least they were still being seen....

Guttke's Classic Nudes