Go west young man and in early TV a bunch of handsome young men did

[+ purplekow]

I have been unemployed or semiretired or too old to be hired or in some manner and form, home during the day. The cold weather has led to my wanting to be in the house and I have taken to watching old westerns on Me TV. I find the simple story lines and bad black and white scenery fun. It is quite a jolt when Bonanza comes on and is in color. It seems to be the sub rosa gay themes or the blantant homosexual overtures of the shows is something that either escaped the censors or was not felt to be picked up by the general tv viewing public at the time. Several recent story lines have involved troubled and hunky young men being befriended and taken in to live with an older and still quite hunky lonely rancher living in a surprisingly spacious and well appointed cabin with one bedroom and one bed.

Today the Rifleman took in an educated young man who thinks of himself as a coward after he fails to stand up to some bullies dressed in very tight pants and leather vests. The bullies come out and torture the poor soul at the Rifleman's cabin and the Rifleman comes to his aid chasing off the bullies. The bullies return the next day with several more tightly muscled ranch hands in very tight pants who as a group pummel the Rifleman and then the leader of the bullies beats the Rifleman and leaves him sprawled out gasping for air. The self proclaimed coward grabs a gun and runs off the gang only after humiliating the head of the bullies by sexily grunting out at him that if he did not stop he was going to shoot. This leads the rest of the group to leave and the leader leaves humiliated. After the group has left, the Rifleman tells the coward how proud he is of him as the coward wraps his arms around the Rifleman and ushers him into the house. The last shot is of the door closing behind them.

Basically, I am left wondering how prevalent homosexuality was in the Wild Wild West. Not the TV show, rather the actual western US. It seems that the number of men far outnumbered the number of women. Even if they went out west with a wife, the rate of childbirth deaths and other causes of youthful demise must have left plenty of men without partners.

Anyone here have any knowledge of the gay life in the developing west in the mid 1800's?

[+ Avalon]

https://hornet.com/stories/wild-west-gay-history/

 

https://truewestmagazine.com/old-west-homosexuality-homos-on-the-range/

 

http://closetprofessor.blogspot.com/2011/08/gays-and-old-west.html

[Rudynate]

I dont know about the old west, but when I was in graduate school, I was helping catalog a collection in the Gay and Lesbian Center at San Francisco Public library. I came across a report about homosexual activity in the CCC camps during the depression. The report was mostly based on interviews, and the conclusion was that it was fairly common.

[Nvr2Thick]

Consider the last stanza from the original lyrics to "Big Rock Candy Mountain"

 

The punk rolled up his big blue eyes

And said to the jocker, "Sandy,

I've hiked and hiked and wandered too,

But I ain't seen any candy.

I've hiked and hiked till my feet are sore

And I'll be damned if I hike any more

To be buggered sore like a hobo's whore

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains.

"

[+ Topseed]

Don’t forget Robert Conrad’s skintight pants in “ The Wild, Wild West”.

 

Mmmmmmm.

[+ Travis69]

Don’t forget Robert Conrad’s skintight pants in “ The Wild, Wild West”.

 

Mmmmmmm.

And he always ended up shirtless. Sometimes in bondage!!! Great eye candy!!!!!:p:p

[+ E.T.Bass]

Ben Cartwright had no woman folk on the ranch. A man has needs.

[+ Avalon]

Ben Cartwright had no woman folk on the ranch. A man has needs.

 

Ben and Hop Sing ;-)))

[BabyBoomer]

Don’t forget Robert Conrad’s skintight pants in “ The Wild, Wild West”.

 

Mmmmmmm.

And he always ended up shirtless. Sometimes in bondage!!! Great eye candy!!!!!:p:p

 

And his hairy chest.

 

~Boomer~

[Boink]

I find myself watching a lot of old programs on ME-TV, COZI-TV, ANTENNA-TV and others. I always knew I was in lust with Doug McClure on THE VIRGINIAN and Hugh O'Brien on WYATT EARP. (Also Pernell Roberts on BONANZA, speaking of hairy chests.) But I've just recently become aware of the endless parade of hunky up-and-coming guest stars and supporting actors all these shows spotlighted. I find myself IMDB-ing them constantly. One recent discovery for me is a little hottie named Don Quine on THE VIRGINIAN.

A lot of these same hunky young starlets pass thru the PERRY MASON show. I sometimes wonder how many of them Raymond Burr chased around the table and what they had to do to get the part!

[+ purplekow]

I find myself watching a lot of old programs on ME-TV, COZI-TV, ANTENNA-TV and others. I always knew I was in lust with Doug McClure on THE VIRGINIAN and Hugh O'Brien on WYATT EARP. (Also Pernell Roberts on BONANZA, speaking of hairy chests.) But I've just recently become aware of the endless parade of hunky up-and-coming guest stars and supporting actors all these shows spotlighted. I find myself IMDB-ing them constantly. One recent discovery for me is a little hottie named Don Quine on THE VIRGINIAN.

A lot of these same hunky young starlets pass thru the PERRY MASON show. I sometimes wonder how many of them Raymond Burr chased around the table and what they had to do to get the part!

Even the very beginning of the Rifleman has a rather long close up of his crotch, though there is no discernible bulge shown. Chuck Connors was 6 foot 6 inches so I would hope he would have had at least 6 inches elsewhere but they probably made him tuck for that shot. Not so Robert Conrad on the Wild Wild West his pants were so tight you could just about make out if he was circumcised or not.

[+ purplekow]

I had posted this in the lounge as I was hoping to get some insight into the history of homosexuality in the western movement. TV was only the trigger to the question. I guess it was moved as the TV portion seemed to be the lead and the responses follow that.

Still, if anyone has insight into homosexuality in the emerging western US, I would be interested in learning about it. A cursory Google of same revealed very little information.

[+ E.T.Bass]

Stripped of all his rank,

Stripped of all his pride,

Still he held his head up high!

 

Branded!

 

 

[BabyBoomer]

A lot of these same hunky young starlets pass thru the PERRY MASON show. I sometimes wonder how many of them Raymond Burr chased around the table and what they had to do to get the part!

 

Including a very young Robert Redford in 1960.

 

~Boomer~

[Whitman]

Young cowboys had a great fear

Of old studs filled up with beer

Who'd give 'em a paddle

Bent over a saddle

Then ride 'em rough in the rear.

[+ sync]

I find myself watching a lot of old programs on ME-TV, COZI-TV, ANTENNA-TV and others. I always knew I was in lust with Doug McClure on THE VIRGINIAN and Hugh O'Brien on WYATT EARP. (Also Pernell Roberts on BONANZA, speaking of hairy chests.) But I've just recently become aware of the endless parade of hunky up-and-coming guest stars and supporting actors all these shows spotlighted. I find myself IMDB-ing them constantly. One recent discovery for me is a little hottie named Don Quine on THE VIRGINIAN.

A lot of these same hunky young starlets pass thru the PERRY MASON show. I sometimes wonder how many of them Raymond Burr chased around the table and what they had to do to get the part!

 

I must have been asleep at the switch. I watched The Virginian fairly regularly but totally missed Don Quine:

 

Tim Matheson was eye-catching, as well:

[+ Charlie]

I find myself watching a lot of old programs on ME-TV, COZI-TV, ANTENNA-TV and others. I always knew I was in lust with Doug McClure on THE VIRGINIAN and Hugh O'Brien on WYATT EARP. (Also Pernell Roberts on BONANZA, speaking of hairy chests.) But I've just recently become aware of the endless parade of hunky up-and-coming guest stars and supporting actors all these shows spotlighted. I find myself IMDB-ing them constantly. One recent discovery for me is a little hottie named Don Quine on THE VIRGINIAN.

A lot of these same hunky young starlets pass thru the PERRY MASON show. I sometimes wonder how many of them Raymond Burr chased around the table and what they had to do to get the part!

Another handsome young actor who appeared in Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Wagon Train and The Virginian was James MacArthur, who later became a regular on Hawaii-5-0. Years later, a friend of mine became his last wife. His first wife recently wrote a book about her four husbands, which I bought yesterday and am looking forward to reading.

Edited January 5, 2019 by Charlie

[Whitman]

Another handsome young actor who appeared in Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Wagon Train and The Virginian was James MacArthur, who later became a regular on Hawaii-5-0. Years late, a friend of mine became his last wife. His first wife recently wrote a book about her four husbands, which I bought yesterday and am looking forward to reading.

Is it only about real life husbands, or does she write about being married to Murray on The Mary Tyler Moore Show?

[+ WilliamM]

There was not a lot of housing available for men and women returning from the second world war.

 

My parents had a bedroom, as did my grandmother. I slept in either the living room or kitchen also my cousins in their houses or apartments.

 

Just a guess as to why the sleeping arrangements were not noticed in the early days of television.

[+ Avalon]

When I was a young boy (single digit) I thought that Will Hutchins of "Sugarfoot" was so pretty!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarfoot

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Hutchins

[+ Charlie]

Is it only about real life husbands, or does she write about being married to Murray on The Mary Tyler Moore Show?

It is about her real life husbands, not about "darling Murray."

[+ ProGay]

Clint Walker shirtless in "Cheyenne" (ABC television series, 1955-63):

 

[+ purplekow]

Stripped of all his rank,

Stripped of all his pride,

Still he held his head up high!

 

Branded!

 

 

He was innocent

Not a charge was true

But they say he ran away

Branded

Scorned as the one who ran

What do you do when your branded and you know your a man

[+ g56whiz]

Clint Walker shirtless in "Cheyenne" (ABC television series, 1955-63):

 

My father’s favorite Oater.

[BSR]

I had posted this in the lounge as I was hoping to get some insight into the history of homosexuality in the western movement. TV was only the trigger to the question. I guess it was moved as the TV portion seemed to be the lead and the responses follow that.

Still, if anyone has insight into homosexuality in the emerging western US, I would be interested in learning about it. A cursory Google of same revealed very little information.

When I visited the Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum (in OKC), I was surprised that they devoted a few exhibits to the role of prostitutes in the Wild West. Apparently, even small, remote towns had their fair share of working girls. I'm sure the ladies took care of the boys in town, but cowboys lived lives of penury & would have had difficulty scraping together even a modest fee. Plus they spent most of their time out on the range without a woman in sight. What happened out there we'll never know.