After Dark May 1978 (The Final Part, finally)

Yes, this is the final post for this issue. I never thought I'd get here. I'm sure that each post began to look like the previous with the same photo of Bette Midler over and over and over and over and etc... it was getting a little annoying. This part won't be that long, but it does have some 70's beefcake for those who want it. But first, I have to share this one photo. This photo conjures up so many laughs in my head. After the premiere of Sextette at Hollywood's Cinerama Dome, Mae West, accompanied by Paul Novak, went back to the Beverly Hilton for supper and everybody converged on the table to talk to Miss West. The conversation between Madame and Mae West is the one I would have wanted to hear. Wayland Flowers and Madame must have had a ball talking to the legendary Miss West, but the look on Mae West's face, makes me wonder what was going on in her head.

In previous posts on this issue of After Dark, I had photos from new stage productions of Timbuktu and On the Twentieth Century, but since this was an anniversary issue, they had a couple of photos of previous stage hits. One was The Boys in the Band, but the other featured one of the best looking guys I've ever seen. Hiram Keller had starred in Hair with Paul Jabara and Suzanne Nostrand, here behind Robert Indiana's "LOVE" poster. If you don't know (shame on you), Hiram is the one on the right.

In the "Highlights" section of the issue, they usually feature jewelry, electronics, and fashions that you need to be on the lookout for and buy. Catalina had a royal blue and white open mesh tank-style shirt of flame terry knit worn with flame terry boxer-style shorts. At $11 each, that wasn't bad. But who was the model? Luckily, I knew. It wouldn't be until the following year after this issue that he would start making a name for himself on TV. He played the southern "Sweat Hog" on the last season of Welcome Back, Kotter, but it was his role in a backdoor pilot on Charlie's Angels, that I remember him most. His name was Stephen Shortridge and though he hasn't acted in film and television for a while, there wasn't too much you couldn't catch him on throughout the 80's.

Another guy that I will always remember starred in the beautifully filmed Querelle and the harrowing Midnight Express. His name was Brad Davis and his smoldering looks and understated acting will be missed.

Former After Dark cover boy Perry King was going to be playing an unusual part in A Different Story.

There is something about a guy in denim cutoffs that I love and Robby Benson is no exception. He would be starring in Ice Castles following his role in Burt Reynolds' The End.

Fashion designer and soccer coach John Stavros became known for his athletic wear. His fashions were seen in another issue I featured in a previous post. In this issue he modeled his own designs. This Greek-born designer looks as hot in his clothes and out of them.






That's it! It's finished. The Tenth Anniversary issue of After Dark had a lot to feature with some great photos to share. If you get the chance to check out eBay for past issues, I would definitely make sure this one is on your list. The articles like Bette's interview were fun to read and many more ads that bring nostalgic memories of a bygone era.

After Dark January 1978 (part 2)

On to part two. I know, I know, one more part until the photos of guys in speedos. It's worth waiting for. In the meantime, I do want to mention that there are some photos that will have to wait until my Monday's Man post. You see, Matt Collins is featured in this issue. He was making his screen debut in Gene Wilder's The World's Greatest Lover. I wish this former model was in the Key West photo shoot. Anyway, here is a shot of Matt as Rudolph Valentino.


Bette Midler had an ad for her new album Broken Blossom. I remember this album because of the Cinderella song "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes".


Soap star Katherine Helmond, pictured here with her husband David Christian, spoke about the show's success. "Soap is simply a takeoff on the unrealistic American attitudes about sex. The only thing that shocked me about it was the terrific brouhaha it caused." Well, as we know, regardless of the groups who protested the show, Soap went on for a total of four seasons (all of which I have on DVD). Katherine's character Jessica Tate almost made my list of favorite TV characters. She's definitely in the top ten.

She and her husband were vegetarians who practiced yoga and T'ai Chi Ch'uan. It definitely shows how healthy they were.

In the People section, Marisa Berenson was mentioned as playing Vivien Leigh in a film based on her life. It was in preparation for the Allan Carr/James Randall production team, but I have never heard of this film ever being made.


Well the Harkness Ballet may have been disbanded, but dancer Zane Wilson became the principal dancer with the Ballet Internacional de Caracas in Venezuela.

Robert Raimondo was a soloist with the Houston Ballet and was performing in James Clouser's Carmina Burana.


Sylvia Kristel, in this scene from Goodbye Emmanuelle, said this would be her last Emmanuelle film. Well, we know how that turned out. I think it was eight more films she did as that character after this one.


Well, Peter Firth got a spotlight this issue with his film Joseph Andrews. The film is a bawdy romp directed by Tony Richardson with Ann-Margret as the aptly named Lady Booby.




Another film featured in this issue was the cop comedy mixed with drama film The Choirboys. What a cast of characters (as always, you can click the photos to see them larger):

Barbara Rhoades appears in the film, here with Chuck Sacci getting a peek which leads to her tearing up the place and having to be restrained by the choirboys.


Wow, doesn't Perry King look good in cut-offs? Yeah, you guessed it, Perry King will appear in a future Monday's Man post. Until then:

Also, don't forget to look at his photos from the After Dark January 1977 issue.

Well, that brings us to the end of Part 2. The next post will be dedicated to the features on Key West. One more photo until then--Cover boy Patrick Branch!

After Dark January 1977

As I stated before, I bought three issues of After Dark because there were articles in them on people Mom Smackley and I liked. The first was because of Carrie Nye, but this issue was because of Susan Tyrrell. Mom Smackley became pen pals with Susan Tyrrell many years ago and that relationship grew to be friendship. We even named one of our cats Susu after Ms. Tyrrell's nickname. After Dark writer Viola Hegyl Swisher wrote an article titled "The Taming of Susu" where she talks about her career and acting style.






This issue was a cornucopia of treasures. I like to call it the Bad issue because it features the three stars of Andy Warhol's Bad.


In addition to Susu, cover boy Perry King is featured in an article by Norma McLain Stoop. He was coming off the success of Mandingo and The Wild Party.









"Baby Doll Grows Up" was an article by Foster Hirsch featuring Carroll Baker, the third star from Bad. A famous star of the 50's and early 60's, she received a revival of sorts by starring in Bad.





Marita Phillips revealed the inner thoughts of Terence Stamp in her article "I Would Starve If I Couldn't Cook".


Patrick Pacheco reviewed A Star is Born starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson.




After Dark editor William Como had an editorial column called "Speaking Out" where he spoke of visiting movie houses in the 30's to see Mr. Skeffington, Watch on the Rhine and The Women. There was even a nice little tribute to Rosalind Russell who had passed away recently.
He also publicized a new book called "The Hurrell Style: 50 Years of Photographing Hollywood" which featured photographer George Hurrell's glamour shots of stars like Bette Davis.


Norma McLain Stoop featured A Little Night Music starring Elizabeth Taylor and Diana Rigg which I will probably review myself at a later date.




The rest of this issue will have to reviewed later today.