Not the animated Pilgrim of
Pocahontas, the beefcake actor fondly remembered by the first generation of Baby Boomers as the star of
Laramie (1959-63).
1. He was a shy, sensitive, artistic child. He appeared in the choir in
Going My Way (1944) and
The Bells of St. Mary's (1945).
2. He signed on with casting agent Henry Willson, who single-handedly started the beefcake fad of the 1950s. Willson filled studios with gay, bi, and gay-for-pay hunks: Ty Hardin, Rock Hudson, John Saxon, Dack Rambo, Farley Granger. His all-male Sunday afternoon parties were legendary.
Wilson also named him "John Smith." Rather a serious lack of creativity.
3.
Laramie aired on Tuesday nights amid a profusion of Westerns, it is distinctive for the strong gay subtext between the two cowboys, Slim (John Smith) and Jess (Robert Fuller).
4. It also starred Spring Byington, a lesbian actress who is best known for the sitcom
December Bride. Not a romantic interest for either of the male characters.
More after the break
5. John Smith and Robert Fuller became close friends off-camera.
6. Actually, Smith had a lot of male friends, including Jeff Richards, Randolph Mantooth, James Drury, and gay actor Anthony Perkins, who accompanied him on the rounds of Hollywood parties, nightclubs, premieres, and so on. He also invited them out for days of camping in the woods.
7. Days
and nights of camping in the woods.
8. Where he took off his shirt a lot.
9. In 1964, when he was working with John Wayne on
Circus World (about a circus in the Old West), Smith had a falling-out with director Henry Hathaway, who tried to get him black-balled in Hollywood (but he continued to work through the 1970s). Hathaway was irascible and, by all accounts, rather homophobic.
10. Smith also had lady friends. He was even married for four years.
Here Smith, Robert Fuller, and Lance Fuller (no relation) get hamburgers in 1955 with two lady friends:
Natalie Wood, who had relationships with many gay men.
And Jayne Mansfield, who was married to Paul Mansfield at the time.
11. Lance Fuller was gay, too, but that's a subject for another post.
Whoops, I had to change it to "Eleven reasons." Turns out that the third guy in that photo was Lance Fuller, a gay beefcake actor.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is he's bi, but what about Robert Fuller?
ReplyDeleteHandsome men that enjoyed life
ReplyDeleteLance Fuller married drop-dead gorgeous blonde bombshell Joi Lansing in 1951, but they separated a year later, divorcing in 1953, with Joi claiming he gambled, drank too much, and stayed out all night. Although those were the reasons she told the press, it seems Lance had no interest in gorgeous Joi, plus, he lived another 50 years unmarried. Out of work from 1962-1970, he was arrested in L.A. in late October 1968, after being caught hitting parked cars with a 3' iron pipe. He attacked the officer, breaking his right hand and shouting that he was both Jesus Christ and God. However, the officer shot Fuller in the chest. He recovered and after a stint in a mental hospital, he actually worked again, playing - in his first film role after the incident - a policeman! After a few uncredited minor roles, the last in 1975, he died in 2001 after an undisclosed "lengthy illness."
ReplyDeleteI can't tell the difference between attractive and non-attractive women, although I was asked to rate girls constantly growing up. I knew that thin & blonde was automatically attractive, but for other configurations, I was lost.
DeleteI can. It's a straight guy thing, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteI wish I was alive when John smith and Robbert fuller co starred in laramie I personally would to have them be my husband's. And let's not forget. Uncle Clint. Clint Walker ,all so very handsome.sad they are gone but not forgotten, thankfully Robert Fuller is still with us.
ReplyDeleteJohn Smith was soooo good looking he could give Eastwood the jealousies
DeleteROBERT FULLER IS DEAD 2016 U
DeleteRobert Fuller is still alive he is 87 years old and still active in Laramie related fan gatherings.
DeleteClint was the whole package. Smith and Fuller were hunks too. Finding out Clint also sang was an extra plus. I read something about Smith being "very sad" and drinking too much after his brief marriage. I suspect he was conflicted because his lovely wife complained he "disappeared" for days/weeks at a time under the premise of "going camping." Sad we live in a society where people can't be themselves without putting themselves at great risk.
ReplyDeleteThis was in the 1950s and 1960s. You can be relatively open today in most parts of the U.S. I won't hold hands with my partner in public, for fear of being beat up, but I'm out at the office.
DeleteHe's gorgeous! Incredibly handsome piece of beef cake & under-rated actors of his time! I'm a middle age swf who still loves Laramie & beefy~kins eye 🍬
ReplyDelete