After Dark January/February 1982

Yes, you read right. This is one of those rare issues that was published to be on the newsstand for two months. Why? I have no idea. It wasn't like it was a double-sized issue. It didn't have any special features that would warrant a two month stay. I honestly believe that it was one of those times, they probably were having trouble filling up an issue. This was the start of After Dark's last full year. It would end in January 1983.
It looked so promising from the cover. Here we have the Dreamgirls in full feathers and sequins. Of course, one of those girls just happens to be another of my favorite actresses--Sheryl Lee Ralph.
I had already posted the best thing in this issue and it wasn't even a photo that went with an article. It was a photo that went with Kenn Duncan's Red Shoes series that they featured in the December 1978 issue. I had posted it during my week-long tribute to Maxwell Caulfield. Of course, we could always see it again.

The rest of the issue could have been so great. It was an issue that seemed dedicated to the Broadway stage. This should have been filled with theatrical stars, dancers, singers, etc... Sadly, it wasn't. Don't get me wrong, some were featured, but it should have been filled from cover to cover. They could definitely filled up a double-sized issue to warrant that two month stay.
Well, as the cover suggested, Dreamgirls did get a featured article. Louis Miele, the Editor-In-Chief (after William Como), wrote the article with photos by Martha Swope.



I'll have to look back, but I don't know when William Como left and Louis Miele took over, but by the evidence of this issue, it was not a good change. It seemed very bland with nothing exciting. I keep harping on it, but I was so disappointed when I got this issue.The Pirates of Penzance returned to the stage with an all-new cast. Treat Williams and Robby Benson were joined by these wonderful ladies.

Kaye Ballard and Maureen McGovern. Maureen was making her Broadway debut.

Three people featured in their "Faces" section were:

Christopher Welles--a young man who arrived in New York to be an actor and ended up interested in hair styling. His annual Ten Best Tressed list began in 1975 and was still going strong.

Richard Alfieri--he not only starred in the film Echoes with Ruth Roman, Gale Sondergaard and Mercedes McCambridge, but he wrote the screenplay as well.

Monique Van Vooren--the actress known for starring in Andy Warhol's Flesh for Frankenstein started a new career as a novelist. Her first novel Night Sanctuary was published by Summit Books.

A couple of other books hitting the market were Eddie, My Life, My Loves, the autobiography of Eddie Fisher seen above with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.

Another book was Limelight and After. This was the memoirs of actress Claire Bloom, seen here with Jeremy Irons in Brideshead Revisisted.

Larry Graham had a published photo essay entitled The Lovers Are Out Today.


George Haddad-Garcia wrote an article featuring Jane Fonda. It seems she had a new workout gym opening up and two films:
On Golden Pond with her father Henry Fonda;

and Rollover with Kris Kristofferson.

International Stud, Fugue in a Nursery, and Widows and Children First! were billed as The Torch Song Trilogy. It's star was the zany Harvey Fierstein.

A two-photo fashion layout (yes I said two--Count them--One--Two) featured sweaters by Bobbie To. They didn't even bother to name the models. Luckily, I recognized one right off the bat. The guy on the left in this first photo went on to star on As the World Turns and many more people will know him from his Rooms to Go commercials. It is Ed Fry looking young and hot.
The guy on the right looks familiar, too. I have thought about it and thought about it, but I can't place the name. This usually means one of two things: A)-He was in some forgettable movie and I thought he was hot. Or B)-He was in some gay porn I've watched and at that point his name wasn't really that important anyway, and would have probably been fake. I can't say for sure, but it has to be one of the two.
Oh yeah, here was the other photo from that awesome (sarcastic) fashion spread.

That's just about it. Well there were some ads for some shows I found of interest.

Dreamgirls:

Sugar Babies with Ann Miller and Mickey Rooney:

Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music:

Woman of the Year featuring Lauren Bacall:

Key Exchange starring Brooke Adams, Mark Blum and Ben Masters:

One more thing for this post...an ad for the Marlin Beach Hotel. I love they drew a reflection in the sunglasses.

The lack of manflesh this issue was shocking. I knew this issue had that photo of Maxwell Caulfield from my research, so I couldn't wait to see what other beefcake could be found. None. A couple of good looking guys in sweaters. Oh, well, maybe next time. See ya!

After Dark September 1982

In my post about After Dark September 1972, I said my next post would feature the issue released a decade later to compare. When I said that, I didn't realize that it was the issue with gorgeous Maxwell Caulfield on the cover. Wowza. He was so beautiful in '82. Kenn Duncan was able to capture exactly what I found attractive in Max (well, except for the abs). There is another issue that has one of the best photographs I've ever seen of Maxwell Caulfield. When I post it, you'll see what I mean. Something to look forward to. Until then, enjoy the centerfold photo that Kenn Duncan did of Max.

Well on to the comparison. Except for the logo change and color cover, not much change in the 10 years. After Dark still catered to the same demographics. I mean, even when they publish a sports photo, there is something homoerotic about it. This photo courtesy of AP features Antonio Cabrini and Claudio Gentile of Italy as they celebrate defeating the West Germans in the World Cup Soccer final in Madrid.

The '72 issue was photo heavy because it featured photos that had been taken, but not used in previous issues. This issue is also photo heavy, because it was spotlighting Broadway. The first article, by Loren King, featured photographs by Ken Howard and contained an interview with Harvey Fierstein. His Torch Song Trilogy was leaving the Off-Broadway theatres to head to the Great White Way.

Along for the ride with Harvey was future "Golden Girl", Estelle Getty, who played his mother.

"The lure of the grease paint" was the next article by Merrick Bursuk with photographs by Rivka Shipman Katvan. Two featured actors were Angela Lansbury who was getting made up as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeny Todd...

...and her co-star Victor Garber.

Liliane Montevecchi had just won the Tony Award for The Best Featured Actress in a Musical. The musical was Nine and Jill Lynne interviewed her and took this photograph of Liliane with Tommy Tune. Tommy called her his "Divine inspiration".

Russ Tamblyn may have played the youngest brother in the film version of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, but he had nothing in the looks department when compared to Craig Peralta who was in the Broadway stage revival.

Cats hit the Winter Garden. Jill Lynne featured them in an article appropriately titled "Pussies galore".


Alan W. Petrucelli, an Associate Editor for US Magazine, wrote his first piece for After Dark. The article was "Technicolor dreams come true" and featured Tony nominated Laurie Beechman who was performing in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

"Best Feet Forward" was about the resurgence of dance in America. Photographer Lorraine Sylvester captured the Holofernes' warriors in Judith and their costumes(?) by Halston(?).

Another article was "Women of the Years" by Joel Kudler. A pictorial tribute to the dazzling musical ladies of Broadway. I'll post the photos in the next post. (too many for the labels allowed per post)

One thing that was similar to the '72 issue was Warhol superstars Candy Darling and Pat Ast were featured in that issue while Edie Sedgwick was featured in this issue. The reason: Edie: an American Biography by Jean Stein was released in '82.

A few ads that I wanted to spotlight from this issue includes the "Superstars of Magic", Siegfried & Roy...

...this one for the Club Bath Chain (hot guy in a towel)...

...and, finally, this ad for Backstreet. My first gay bar was Backstreet and I spent many hours there...and then, of course, would turn around and spend many hours the next night, too. From 1989 until 1999, you could find me there most weekend nights. That was before Mom Smackley entered my life.


The comparison ends here. A few more color photos and a new generation of readers, but all in all the same. Well, there does seem to be a lack of nudity. Guess we can't have it all. Check the next post for the "Women of Broadway" from this issue.