The Natural:

2015 Chaplin Award: Robert Redford

'It’s easy to underrate Robert Redford. A generous performer whose technique too often flies below the radar and whose name is synonymous with classic good looks, he could have sustained a fruitful career without taking risks. But instead, he used his box-office clout to finance era-defining dramas and thrillers, and his parallel directing career evinces a sure command of storytelling and a feeling for characterization.'

Barbra Streisand will present the 42nd Chaplin Award to fellow Oscar winner Robert Redford, the Film Society of Lincoln Center said today. In addition, Jane Fonda, the recipient of the 28th Chaplin Award, will be joined by filmmaker J.C. Chandor and John Turturro at the Gala event taking place Monday, April 27 at Lincoln Center

The Way We Were: Robert Redford on FH:

Above: Love this iconic shot of Redford with Ordinary People's Mary Tyler Moore, Timothy Hutton, Donald Sutherland along with Sally Field and Michael Jackson at the 1980 Academy Awards.

The Way We Were

When I was a kid, Robert Redford was the hunk my mother and her friends yakked about as they smoked and drank coffee before Another World began. As I got older, I became a fan of Redford but mainly because he directed one of my favorite films of all time, 1980's Ordinary People. There was something about the film and Timothy Hutton's performance that hit a cord in me. (Kudos to Ordinary People, FH 2010) It has only been the last couple of years however that I have begun to appreciate Redford as an actor and an icon of male hunkdom.

Below: With Natalie Wood in This Property Is Condemned(1966)

With the increase in cable movie channels, there is an opportunity to see Redford in his prime and I have been able to watch many of his movies, especially those from the 70's. The Way We Were probably gets the most play, and after several viewings, the latest this week, I finally see why. I am not sure the movie is one you can truly relate to until your older. The pleasure and pain of a lost love, one so important in forming you have become is something most of us don't really understand until we are older and have been through it. I think my deepest love (except the one yet to come) occurred in my twenties and now that a decade has past since it ended, and only now with distance, can I look back on the time without pain taking over my memories.

The Way We Were (1973)

Both Barbra Streisand and director Sydney Pollack have talked about how hard it was to convince Redford to take on the role of Hubbell. Initially Redford saw the role as simply eye candy and resisted roles that played to his heartthrob image. Eventually he saw what we did. Hubbell is one of my favorite Redford roles and not only a more difficult role than Streisand played, but also more complex. Hubbell was certainly man candy, Redford always was, no matter how hard he fought. The actor also created a rather unlikable, yet totally irresistible character, that drew you in even though you knew he would never be able to totally commit.

Redford is an interesting actor to research. Like Hubbell, there are complexities to his relating to his image of a romantic hunk. Redford fought it, but maybe not really that hard. He focused on the work, yet there always seemed a part of him that knew his looks were what set him apart. It would almost be impossible to do anything else really, but embrace it.

Ads for Baz Luhrmann's new version of The Great Gatsby play pretty constantly on television these days. I loath most remakes, and wish instead, that older versions of classic movies would just be released in theatres instead. Will be interesting to see, although Leonardo DiCaprio is a good actor, I am not sure anyone could capture the magic that Redford had on screen, and am not sure why anyone would try.

The Great Gatsby (1974)

The Movie Star

Many of you know I've mostly stopped doing regular posts when a celebrity dies.  There have been so many celebrity deaths the last few years, if I noted them all, the site would be mostly obituaries.  Instead, I note them at the end of the year.  I had to make an exception however for Robert Redford.

When I was a kid, I knew his name, I knew his face, but didn't really know his work.  One of Hollywood's last real movie stars, he was was one of the world's most well known male sex symbols for decades. I saw a few of his film son VHS when I was teenager, but mostly his more forgettable films from the 80's and 90's.  It wasn't until TCM that I really got know Redford's skill as an actor and his face and blond hair that lit up the screen.

I have a few favorite Redford films including The Candidate, The Last Days of Conor and The Way We Were.  My favorite project of Redford's though was Ordinary People, his directorial debut.  I remember seeing the film on VHS, and again on DVD, and being blown away by the performances and the power of the story.  The scene in the backyard with Mary Tyler Moore and Timothy Hutton, (where they discuss the barking dog) haunted me for some reason.  That was Redford's skill at pulling the power from even very small moments.  

I knew about Redford's philanthropy and his championing of independent films and environmental issues.  I wasn't really aware however, until reading some of his obits, he was also a huge supporter of the LBGTQ community,.  Redford played a gay role early in his career, (Inside Daisy Clover) and also championed same sex marriage and equality saying it is un-American to discriminate against gay people.  R.I.P Mr. Movie Star.

Ordinary People Reunion, Vanity Fair, 2011

A Vintage Vantage: Dennis Cole

'I'm a guy from Detroit who never dreamed that my life would be filled with such incredible excitement, adventure and good fortune. I'm truly thankful to God and the many angels in my life.'

Dennis Cole

When I first began FH, I really did't know who actor Dennis Cole was. Although I think I saw his picture in some old movie magazines when I was a kid, usually with ex-wife Jacyln Smith, I wasn't familiar with any of his work. I did think he was incredibly good looking, he was sometimes dubbed, the TV version of Robert Redford. Although I didn't know his work, I did like his look and posted some early physique modeling shots, and images form his 1977 issue of Ultra Magazine, in the first few years of the site.

A few weeks ago, as usual, looking for something on TV to put me to sleep, I came upon Dennis' smiling face on an old episode of Fantasy Island. A quick IMDB search the next morning led me to find it was from a 1979 episode entitled The Chain Gang/The Boss. The search also let me know the episode was one of nine appearances Dennis made on the ABC show. Although today, I guess the equivalent would be appearing on a reality show, in the 70's and 80's, appearances on shows like Fantasy Island and The Love Boat, often meant your career was heading toward's it's end.

Although I didn't watch more than five minutes of the episode, and forgot to DVR it, it have me wanting to find out more about the beautiful blonde God who appeared on the screen. I knew the actor had died a few years ago, (in 2009) but except for his marriage to Jacyln Smith, really knew little about his, his life and the circumstance surrounding his death at just 69.

Boys In The Band

'A virile, beefcake blond of the late 1960s and 1970s small screen, Dennis Cole certainly had it all going for him, but tragic circumstances prevented an all-out successful career. A rugged TV version of Robert Redford, his tan, chiseled, surfer-fit looks were ideally suited for crime action and adventure stories and he gained ground by appearing everywhere -- daytime soaps, prime-time series, mini-movies -- you name it.'

IMDB

Most of what I learned was not surprising, Cole began his career a musician in Detroit in the 1940's and his great looks, even at an early age led to some modeling gigs, including wearing a g-string and pouch for some nude physique modeling shots. It was through his modeling, and appearing in magazines for the Athletic Models Guild that Dennis was first noticed. TV guest roles and bit parts in movies followed before landing the lead in the short lived daytime soap Paradise Bay in 1965.

What most surprised me about Dennis was what appeared to be an early embrace of his gay following. Although I found nothing specific, thanks to some info on the wonderful (and sadly not updated) Hilly Blue site, I not only found more 'beefcake' photos and more of his later nude shots for Ultra Magazine, but also his cover of After Dark and some shots of stage work, including appearing on stage with Roger Herren in production of The Boys in the Band.

Cole's acting career however, never really took off. Many TV pilots, short lived westerns, and a short stint on The Young And The Restless never led stardom or longevity for Cole. By the late 70's it was most guest shots on episode television on shows like Fantasy Island, and Charlie's Angels, where he met Smith.

In between, Cole did appear on the stage, including returning to his musical roots with his own musical review in LA and Las Vegas. By the late 80's, Cole's TV appearance were dwindling, and although he did appear on Baywatch Nights and Murder She Wrote in the 90's, except for a few short films, his last appearance on TV was in an 1998 episode of Pacific Blue.

Cole's parents were both alcoholics, and sadly, Dennis inherited their addiction. Although Dennis appears to have put up a good fight, after the death of his only child, son Joey, the fight became harder and Cole began down the road toward's a downward spiral.

Joey was murdered in a 1991 robbery attempt in California and although Cole went to perform on stage, including taking on the the lead role in a national tour of Victor/Victoria, injuries he suffered while on stage led to surgeries, a move to Florida, and a change of career into real estate. Sadly, Cole died in November 2009 in Fort Lauderdale of liver failure.

Despite the tragic ending, I'm glad I flicked briefly over to Cole's Fantasy Island episode, and glad it inspired me to learn more about the man behind the beautiful face.  Cole really had it all looks and talent wise, but like many, had personal struggles which made it a struggle to pull it all together into success and happiness.  On the surface, just by looking at his early images, you'd think this guy had it all, but images as I've learned, are just the beginning of the story.

Ultra Magazine (1977)

Favorite Magazine Photo of the Day.

Above: THE GRIEVERS by Mark Seliger
Timothy Hutton, Elizabeth McGovern, Mary Tyler Moore, Donald Sutherland, Judd-Hirsch and Robert Redford.

I did a previous post about my love Robert Redford's Ordinary People. (read that post HERE:). The movie made a big impact on me and I think Hutton's Conrad remains one of the film worlds best performances.

Recently Vanity Fair released their annual Hollywood Issue. Although there were some great articles in the issue, I found the Hollywood photo essay quite weak this year. Making up for this though the shot of the Ordinary People cast today.

Favorite Birthday Boy #2 for August 18th Robert Redford

Hollywood Legend Robert Redford has to be a favorite! That face, I could watch some of his movies over and over (and do). Actor, producer, director not to mention his film festival and environmental work. This amazing man turns 72 today.

Retro-Optic: Nick Floyd by SedatedPhotosLAX

'Although Nick is young, he definitely loves a vintage feel to his photographs and that is something that truly sets him apart.'

SedatedPhotosLAX

The fascination with 'retro' and 'vintage' elements, items and things is something I've only recently began to appreciate.  I've written before about my previous aversion to old movies and television shows, especially anything filmed in black and white. I avoided them like the plague!  After some subtle nudging from some friends, I'm now a convert with TCM one of my favorite channels. 

I think in part it's because I grew up surrounded by vintage and retro colors, home décor, furniture and clothing.  Although I grew up in the 80's, my family home was definitely a few decades behind.  My parents were thrifty, they had to be, and believed nothing should be thrown out.  Everything we had, now called vintage, I just thought of as old.   I was embarrassed to have friends over given the artwork in our house consisted of cheap copies of the blue boy and pink lady paintings.

As I grew older however, I grew to appreciate so many of the things that I once was embarrassed about.  Some of my favorite posts on the site are focused on classic horror and softcore erotica from the 70's and 80's and I find myself drawn to those mustache wearing studs who graced the pages of Playgirl back in the day.  Within the visual arts however, creating a vintage look is more than just shooting with a 70's style couch, or an avocado green refrigerator.  Creating a retro feel is about color, it's about attitude and it's about creating a vintage vibe beautifully conveyed to the viewer through the visuals. 

I certainly felt that vibe, and strongly, when I saw my first images of model Nick Floyd from Tony Xavier from SedatedPhotosLA.  This past summer, while working on a piece featuring model Gymn0s, (HERE:) I spent quite a bit of time exploring his Instagram.  While pursuing his portfolio, I was especially taken with GymnOs work with Tony.  This had me quickly heading over to spend time on Tony's Instagram as well.

When checking out some of Tony's recent updates, I was visually drawn to one of his images of Nick Floyd. The shot, of Nick leaning on a ladder, is the image that I used as today's pic of the day.  I loved how Tony captured Nick, especially the pose with Nick leaning against the wooden ladder.  The shot captured the incredible curves and lines of Nick's tight torso and long legs contrasted with the fixed object, the ladder, beside him.

I also really loved the vibrant pop of red and black from Nick's jacket.  As I continued to scroll through Tony's imagery, I saw more images of Nick with the fringe sleeved jacket and the retro vibe was both beautifully palatable and dramatic.  For Tony, creating that retro 80's vibe came naturally.  In addition having Nick fully immersed in the theme, he too was influenced by visuals of the male form from the 70's and 80's. 

'I came of age during the height of Burt Reynolds posing for Cosmo Magazine and Playgirl Magazine being hugely popular. So for me, I definitely tend to favor pictorials that are more editorial and have a retro vibe to them. I am especially drawn to bright colors and vivid lighting.'

I began FH as a way of channeling my creative impulses, something my job and Psychology degree doesn't often permit or allow.  For Tony, photography is a passionate hobby, one that not only allows him to be creative, but also one that remarkably incorporates some of the skills he utilizes within his full-time carer.  As a practicing physician, Tony's knowledge of anatomy has also helped his understanding of the concept of angles, bodily asymmetry and how to accentuate strengths or camouflage weaknesses.

'Almost everyone has a "good" side, and most people are not natural born models in the sense that they do not usually move easily. So I really like to give direction and make very subtle adjustments in angles, etc to capture a good photograph.'

Tony isn't the first physician whose work behind the camera I've had the privilege to feature on the site.  Many of the artists that I feature have, or have had, stressful day jobs, jobs that require a much needed creative outlet.  Tony is however, one of just a few artists that I've featured that have followed in the foot-steps of a photographer parent.  In so many fields, you find people who have followed in their parent's path.  Art is such a unique form or expression that even within families it's usually uniquely conveyed. 

'My father was a freelance photo-journalist and always picked up a lot of side gigs. He especially liked celebrity events or US Congressional events. When I was about 10, I vividly remember attending a red carpet premiere for a Robert Redford movie. I was wearing two cameras with very large lenses and they looked huge on me; when Robert Redford walked down the paparazzi red carpet section, he noticed me, came over and shook my hand -- I think he must have thought it amusing to see a little kid as a "paparazzi." 

Despite his early experiences with imagery of the nude male form, for Tony, shooting only started shooting men fully nude this past year.  For Tony, nude photography definitely requires a different skill set to balance the artistic elements and the fact that there is no clothing to direct your gaze to other places. Tony also describes himself as extremely respectful of boundaries, not to mention the motivations of those who pose for him.

It's important to Tony to have the trust of those he works with. Some models are looking for wide-spread exposure, others, desire the photos just for themselves or a partner. With whoever he shoots however, the goal is to capture their inner 'sex appeal' and to empower them through the images they create together.  This is especially to the men Tony shoots who are not professional models and are so often amazed they can be captured in a way they never envisioned themselves. 

Nick Floyd however, isn't a stranger when it comes to being in front of a camera's lens.  It was actually Nick's work with one Johnmar, a colleague of Tony's, that had initially inspired him to reach out to Nick about collaborating together.  After a shoot was arranged, they both agreed that the concept would be a retro/vintage vibe. Both then went to work, putting together everything, down to the smallest details, they need to create their vintage vision. 

As a design student, Nick was able to bring a lot clothing that he had designed and made himself.  Nick sewed his own outfits from thrifted clothing to ensure the vintage feel looked as real as possible.  With Nick on top of the fashion, Tony focused on Nick's style, pulling in soft colors to enhance the atmosphere of the photos.  Tony especially loved the unique creative collaboration, with he and Nick both bringing so many different elements together into the studio.

'I LOVED the vintage shoot I did with Tony, it was definitely one of my favorites  Working with Tony was very fun and he worked a lot with me to build a vision together rather than separate,  It was a night shoot to beat the heat wave we were in. Tony was really fun to work with and open to any idea I had. It was all around a really great experience.'

Nick Floyd

SedatedPhotosLAX

SedatedPhotosLAX on Instagram

Nick Floyd on OnlyFans

Nick Floyd Linktree