A collection of classic male physique photos from the 20th century with an emphasis on the thousands of men who posed for Athletic Model Guild (AMG).
Saturday, December 30, 2023
Tuck?
Henry sent me this photo and asked if I could identify the model and/or the photographer. I think this is actually a drawing, but I immediately thought of Champion model Tuck Powell. Just one problem though, Tuck was circumcised.
Big Dude has it right. It is a fantasy drawing. The year was 1966, Champ was traveling through the south and had stopped in Jacksonville, NC. Downtown on a Friday night he passed a bar and saw looking out of the window an incredibly beautiful young man. He went in and the young man with the great smile said hello. His name was TUCK POWELL. He was an 18 year old Marine from nearby Camp LeJune in town on a 3 day pass. Tuck was an Iowa farm boy with blond hair & sparking light blue eyes that could melt steel. Tuck stood 5'5" and weighed 130 lbs, all muscle. They talked about how he missed home and his girl back there. He was about to be sent over to the nightmare of Vietnam and wanted distraction on this last taste of freedom before he faced the possibility of death. Champ spent an entire weekend taking photos of Tuck and they both stayed in a motel room together. When the weekend was up they exchanged addresses.Less than a year later Champ got a letter from Tuck's fiance. Shortly after his 19th birthday Tuck Powell had been fatally wounded in Vietnam. Champ's photos of Tuck would be the only nude professional photos Tuck ever posed for.
Champ was the nickname of Walter Kundzicz. He used that name for when he wrote his tales about how he met some of his Models like TUCK POWELL. He spent a 3 day weekend together with TUCK for a photoshoot in a motel on the Beach in Topsail Island North Carolina. It is implied but never stated that he and TUCK fooled around during that 3 day stay. How the fiance of Tuck would know to write to Walter after TUCK died is hard to explain or believe. Because I am sure TUCK would not have told his fiance about posing Nude for the kind of magazine Walter published. My guess is that Walter sent a letter to TUCK asking how he was doing and the fiance wrote back. I esited the story that Walter wrote and I will send it to you James. Happy New Year in advance.!
I'm familiar with Tuck Powell, and while the face resembles him, Im not yet convinced. I was impressed how drawing-like the photo is - I'm not convinced it is a drawing - this digital image is a cell phone shot of the print - so I can see why it leans toward drawing here... If I get this one on my scanner, I'll send a higher resolution version. Either way - its one of my favorite unknowns.
Zweifellos ein digitaler fotoladen. Powell, so ein begehrenswerter und gutaussehender junger mann. Eine wunderbare zufällige begegnung für Kundzicz und Powell, eine intimität zwischen fotograf und model. Kundzicz muss durch die Powell tragödie am boden zerstört gewesen sein. (vvs)
Die Beziehung zwischen Walter und TUCK endete mit einer BrokeBack-Mountain-Atmosphäre. Höchstwahrscheinlich war TUCK POWELL ein Künstlername. Die drei Tage, die sie in einem Motel am Strand verbrachten, müssen für beide Männer eine wundervolle Erinnerung gewesen sein.
So 'n gewenste en pragtige jeug het Tuck Powell ongetwyfeld vreugde gebring aan Walter Kundzicz as 'n fisiek-model en as 'n persoon. Dalk meer as 'n vriendskap met die aangename ontmoeting by die motel en strand, sal ons nooit weet nie. Powell was 'n pragtige jeug wie se lewe, soos baie ander, koertgeknip is deur die tragedie van die Viët-Nam oorlog. - Praetorius
Can't identify the male, but it DOES look like a drawing. Maybe the artist imagined Tuck as a skindicker.
ReplyDeleteBig Dude has it right. It is a fantasy drawing. The year was 1966, Champ was traveling through the south and had stopped in Jacksonville, NC. Downtown on a Friday night he passed a bar and saw looking out of the window an incredibly beautiful young man. He went in and the young man with the great smile said hello.
ReplyDeleteHis name was TUCK POWELL. He was an 18 year old Marine from nearby Camp LeJune in town on a 3 day pass. Tuck was an Iowa farm boy with blond hair & sparking light blue eyes that could melt steel. Tuck stood 5'5" and weighed 130 lbs, all muscle. They talked about how he missed home and his girl back there. He was about to be sent over to the nightmare of Vietnam and wanted distraction on this last taste of freedom before he faced the possibility of death.
Champ spent an entire weekend taking photos of Tuck and they both stayed in a motel room together. When the weekend was up they exchanged addresses.Less than a year later Champ got a letter from Tuck's fiance. Shortly after his 19th birthday Tuck Powell had been fatally wounded in Vietnam. Champ's photos of Tuck would be the only nude professional photos Tuck ever posed for.
Great background! Forgive my ignorance, but who was Champ?
DeleteChamp was the nickname of Walter Kundzicz. He used that name for when he wrote his tales about how he met some of his Models like TUCK POWELL. He spent a 3 day weekend together with TUCK for a photoshoot in a motel on the Beach in Topsail Island North Carolina. It is implied but never stated that he and TUCK fooled around during that 3 day stay. How the fiance of Tuck would know to write to Walter after TUCK died is hard to explain or believe. Because I am sure TUCK would not have told his fiance about posing Nude for the kind of magazine Walter published. My guess is that Walter sent a letter to TUCK asking how he was doing and the fiance wrote back. I esited the story that Walter wrote and I will send it to you James. Happy New Year in advance.!
DeleteI'm familiar with Tuck Powell, and while the face resembles him, Im not yet convinced. I was impressed how drawing-like the photo is - I'm not convinced it is a drawing - this digital image is a cell phone shot of the print - so I can see why it leans toward drawing here... If I get this one on my scanner, I'll send a higher resolution version. Either way - its one of my favorite unknowns.
ReplyDeleteZweifellos ein digitaler fotoladen.
ReplyDeletePowell, so ein begehrenswerter und gutaussehender junger mann.
Eine wunderbare zufällige begegnung für Kundzicz und Powell, eine intimität zwischen fotograf und model.
Kundzicz muss durch die Powell tragödie am boden zerstört gewesen sein.
(vvs)
Die Beziehung zwischen Walter und TUCK endete mit einer BrokeBack-Mountain-Atmosphäre. Höchstwahrscheinlich war TUCK POWELL ein Künstlername. Die drei Tage, die sie in einem Motel am Strand verbrachten, müssen für beide Männer eine wundervolle Erinnerung gewesen sein.
ReplyDeleteSo 'n gewenste en pragtige jeug het Tuck Powell ongetwyfeld vreugde gebring aan Walter Kundzicz as 'n fisiek-model en as 'n persoon.
ReplyDeleteDalk meer as 'n vriendskap met die aangename ontmoeting by die motel en strand, sal ons nooit weet nie.
Powell was 'n pragtige jeug wie se lewe, soos baie ander, koertgeknip is deur die tragedie van die Viët-Nam oorlog.
- Praetorius