The two guys standing behind Joe are Bill Smith (left) and Kevin. Both of them did a boatload of work at AMG and Old Reliable. The guys about to get his ass reddened was called "Joe Jr." which seemed to imply he was related to Daddy Joe, but I don't think he was related. I have no other info on him, though.
Joseph Rick La Grasso (bka Joe Leitel) was born 4 August 1937 in San Pedro, California. His first posing was with AMG in 1957 and he became a frequent visitor to that studio over the next thirty-some years.
Joe also posed for Spartan, Lyle Frisby, Pat Milo and Russ Warner. He was a very popular model with both the fans and the photographers. He last posed for AMG in 1989 when he was 52 years old.
Below is a photo of Joe from the early days. I think this is from Bruce of LA.
Note the tattoo on Joe's right wrist. It says "Carol". Joe married Carol in 1958 and they had two children. Joe passed away on 2 September 2001 of heart disease.
Any images of Joe from the 1989 shoot?
ReplyDeleteSorry, I don't have any from that shoot.
ReplyDeleteNice Photo. I didn't know AMG and Man's Hand worked that closely together.
ReplyDeleteJoe Leitel was unrecognizable in the " BEEFCAKE" movie and appeared as himself in a tank top with white semi balding hair at age 60 only 4 years before he passed away. JOE was still talking about film roles he might get even then. He posed for all the major Southern California physique photographers in the 1950s and 1960s and even posed for Chuck Renslow of KRIS of Chicago when he came to Los Angeles to photograph models. Joe Leitel passed away in 2001 at age 64 in Cabazon, California. Joe Leitel was born on August 4, 1937 and passed away on September 2, 2001. Joe Leitel was in 2 episodes of "I Dream of Jeannie" in 1969 playing Air Policeman #1 Joe Grasso. (his real name)The episodes were called "the Case of my Vanishing Master" Part 1 and Part 2. The Mans Hand film he made in 1984 has become impossible to find.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe the mature Joe Leitel!
ReplyDelete