Introducing Richard Roscoe

Bruce Ellison by Richard Roscoe.  Roscoe is a new name to the list of photographers covered on this blog and now would be a good time to introduce him. 

I quote directly from the Winter 1957 issue of AMG's Physique Pictorial. 

"Some years back physique photographer Jim Hills under the name Richard Roscoe offered for sale aesthetic nude prints which were in perfect taste, following the tradition of all great artists. Nonetheless, Physique Pictorial's editor, who was a personal friend to Mr. Hills, warned him of the strong possibility of government prosecution under the misused Obscenity Statute. Mr. Hills accepted the advice, discontinuing all nudes and forthwith selling only non-nude photos. Over a year later, the U.S. Government's postal department brought an indictment against Mr. Hills and three other San Francisco photographers (not connected with him) for having mailed out nude photos several years before.[...] The judge indicated in statements to the press that he had prejudged the case and in other ways he proved his incompetence to preside. A professor of art was not allowed to testify - the court claiming his testimony would be 'irrelevant.' Government attorneys were seen talking to the jurors. A study of the transcript of the case clearly indicated that in an appellate court the conviction would have been overturned, but such appeals cost a great deal of money and Mr. Hills was not in a financial position to seek such a remedy. Hills was given a crippling fine even though the government knew he had a year before voluntarily given up the financially lush nude photo business, and because of declining sales had intended to quit the physique photography altogether just before the indictment was sprung."

A reminder that some paid a heavy price for "obscenity" 

Roscoe did eventually pay off the heavy fine -- ironically, by continuing to sell his  "obscene" photos.  Once the fine was paid off, he left the business.