This guy seems to come from the same gene pool that produced Anthony Quinn and Louis Prima, no? A gene pool that originated in the part of southern Italy known as the mezzegiorno. I guess he got what he wanted for Christmas because he sure looks happy.I have another possible theory about this snapshot. Having never seen a photo of him, perhaps the fellow with a gal dangling from each paw is the photographer himself, Don Bronstein? Of course that changes the origins of the gene pool to Jewish origins, but Jews and Italians always seem to end up together (see Art Fein's liner notes to Rhino's Louis Prima compilation for more on this theory).
Bronstein, a Chicago native who photographed many Playboy centerfolds (and eventually married a Playboy Bunny), also took the incredible photographs that adorned all the Chess and Checker LP covers including iconic images of Little Walter, Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Dale Hawkins, Sonny Boy Williamson, et al. Bronstein, who died of a heroin overdose in the early 70's is one of photography's great unheralded demi-gods. Has anyone ever seen a picture of Bronstein? Anyone out there ever met him? What did he look like? Bronstein also provided the photos for a book called Chicago, I Will, a photo essay on his beloved hometown, fairly rare today, but since Bronstein is unknown in the art world, it's usually inexpensive when it turns up. Just a possibility and admittedly a far flung one. More than likely, this is just some mook who got some sticky paged back issues of Playboy in his Christmas stocking.
I thought Quinn was half-Mexican and half-Irish.
ReplyDelete"I thought Quinn was half-Mexican and half-Irish."
ReplyDeleteYou're probably right, but he sure looked Italian in La Strada, then again he looked Arab in Lawrence Of Arabia and Eskimo in the Savage Innocents...but the guy in the photo looks a bit like Quinn around the eyes..
I thought he was greek. Those centerfolds are way more sexy than today's average smut.
ReplyDelete"I thought he was greek"
ReplyDeleteProbably because he played Zorba The Greek and Aristotle Onassis in the tv movie of the same name.
Not to mention The Greek Tycoon, another film about Onassis with the names changed.
The Greeks were early settlers in Southern Italy and Sicily, as were Arabs and Carthaginians which explains why they all have similar physical characteristics.
Anthony Quinn shortened his last name from Quintana. Not very Italian
ReplyDeleteFWIW: A little research on the internet determined the centerfolds are Susan Bernard from 12/66 photographed by Mario Casilli on our left and Dolly Read from 05/66 photographed by Pompeo Posar on our right.
ReplyDeleteNo leads on who the guy might be, but I like the photo better if it's just some mook.
"FWIW: A little research on the internet determined the centerfolds are Susan Bernard from 12/66 photographed by Mario Casilli on our left and Dolly Read from 05/66 photographed by Pompeo Posar on our right. "
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks for doin' the research! A mooch it most
certainly is....
That dude looks like Pee Wee Herman to me -- something about the mouth and the haircut and the way his jacket buttons rise waaay above his belt. Maybe it's Paul Reubens' dad.
ReplyDeleteAccording to a short blurb in ChicagoMag.com, Bronstein was born in 1926 and died in 1968. He won a Grammy, not for his great covers for Chess, but for his shot of Barbra Streisand on the cover of her fourth LP, "People."
ReplyDeleteAnd that's about all there is. Somebody ought to write a book about the guy.
" Somebody ought to write a book about the guy."
ReplyDeleteA book of his photography would be a good place to start....
Oh that's odd. They are both Russ Meyer actresses. Susan Benard was in Faster Pussycat, Dolly Read in Beyond The Valley of the Dolls, plus she was married to Dan Rowan, I think.
ReplyDeleteFred you're close--it was Dick Martin.
ReplyDeletethumbs up
ReplyDeleteIf you go to Greece you'll see "Zorba" bars everywhere (along with "Kojak" bars) - no one seems to mind that Quinn wasn't Greek.
ReplyDeleteThat needs to be your xmas card next year.
That's Dolly Reed of 'Beyond the Valley of the Dolls' fame ... er, infamy.
ReplyDelete