Role Play:

'I'm a whore, all actors are whores. We sell our bodies to the highest bidder.'

William Holden

I'm not sure I totally agree with actor William Holden's assessment on actors, but I certainly get his point.  Given that as well as their talent, an actor's face and actor's body are the tools of their trade, it's important audiences want to buy what they're selling. 

Some of the shirtless hotties pictured here, I'm sure you know.  William Holden is one of them.  I'm sure some of you have already guessed, but for those who haven't, do you know what they all have in common?  Holden, Brolin, Chandler, Harrison, Stan the others have all occupied the same role.  Some played him on film and on television, some have embodied him on stage.

Casting Call:

Must be good looking, masculine, sexy, well-built vagabond. The character has led a rough life as a drifter. Can be a braggart, but is lonely and wants desperately to fit in somewhere, with someone.

Many of the pieces I do on FH are inspired by actors, but for today's theme, the inspiration was a character.  I've previously enjoyed taking deep dives into specific fictional characters. I've featured many over the years, maybe most notably the male characters from West Side Story, (HERE:) and Sloan from Entertaining Mr. Sloan. (HERE:)

For those who haven't guessed yet, the role is Hal Carter, the lead male character in writer William Inge's Pulitzer Prize winning play Picnic.  Picnic opened at The Music Box Theater on Broadway in 1953 and has continued to be regularly produced by theatres since.  Picnic was also a hit 1955 film, and been adapted several times for television productions.  It was even sent up on The Golden Girls, when actor Llyod Bochner played a Hal Carter type character in a local play the girls were all in.

This post is the entry way to the next three pages featuring heaps of hot, and always shirtless Hals.  Some you'll recognize, some might surprise you.  Many, are actors appearing in local and University productions.  One originated the role on Broadway, one on film.  Two others appeared in as Hal on television.  Two were from Broadway revivals, two off-Broadway, and others, on stages all over the US.  Check them all out on the next 3 pages, HERE: / HERE:/ and HERE: