Larry Casey in The Gay Deceivers

'Lovers should never go to bed angry...'

Elliott

In addition to playing Elliot, one half of the pair of friends, pretending to be gay, Lawrence P. Casey had another role to play.  Larry Casey was the himbo, the hot hunk who spends most of 1969's The Gay Deceivers with his shirt off.  Casey's chiseled face and hot shirtless body were used in the poster and other promotional materials for the film.

Casey, who turned 83 last November, began his career in the late 1950's.  Casey started working in construction and as a professional boxer before taking a role, and making his stage debut The Visit. Casey's talent and good looks soon led him to Hollywood and roles on episodic TV including parts on Dr. Kildare and Gunsmoke.

Casey's most famous role was in 1966 when he took on the role of driver Mark Hitchcock on the ABC drama Rat Patrol.  The series lasted only two seasons, but made Casey a household name.  When the show was cancelled in 1968, Casey went on to appear on a number of other television shows in guest roles before his turn in The Gay Deceivers in 1969.

Taking on the role of Elliot was a bit of risk for Casey, who was early in his career as a leading man.  The fact that Casey was married with children, may have lessoned any negative reactions to the role and the film.  Before retiring from the business in 1992, Casey continued to get steady guest starring work including roles on; The Love Boat, Ironside, Knots Landing, Falcon Crest and L.A. Law.

I thought Casey was perfect for the role of Elliot, a hot, not terribly likable character.  The role was meant to be a bit of contrast to his friend, the more earnest Danny Devlin. (Kevin Coughlin).  Not everyone however, agreed. Actor Christopher Riordan, who played Duane in the film was less than complementary in an interview with Cinema Retro.

'I'll never understand why Larry took the part. He was truly spooked the entire time. , I thought his part was very dull and I don't think he had the charisma, or the understanding, to pull it off. Throughout the entire shoot he seemed to be drowning. I felt that nothing he did actually connected.'

Now, I'm not sure if there's a connection, but it's important to not that Riordan was at one point, also up for the part of Elliot.  Riordan claims he turned it down as it was a boring part, and he was more of a character actor.  That may be true, but it's hard to imagine any actor turning down a lead in a film for a role that wasn't really more than a glorified extra.  

I'm sure it was quite possible that Casey was nervous about taking on the role.  Even today, there is such 'odd' press around actors in mainstream gay films.  I just have to think back to the crazy questions asked of Jake and Heath during the press tour for Brokeback Mountain.  Given it was 1969, I'm sure he had a lot of people, agents included, in his ear about the role.  That being said, I thought he was fine, and perfect for the role.  I only wish he'd had more nudity in the film, and in his career, those tanned lines around that white ass were incredibly hot.  You Can Download the scene above on SendSpace HERE: