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Monday, August 5, 2024

Bodybuilders - Part 7

Dan Lurie

Dan Lurie (1923-2013) won second place in the Mr. America contest in 1942, 1943, and 1944, and in each of those contests he also won the award for "most muscular."  Above, a girl feeling Dan's muscles before the 1943 Mr. America contest.

Born on April Fool's Day, 1923, Dan was diagnosed with a heart defect as an infant, and his parents were told not to expect him to live to age five.  Well, he lived to age 90, determined never to let anything hold him back.  As a teenager, he got into boxing and competitive bodybuilding.

Above, a photo by Al Urban shows Dan (left) and his older brother Morris Lurie in a boxing pose.  Morris was in the Army in World War II and was killed in 1944 in the invasion of Anzio, Italy.  Dan tried to enlist in 1943, but the Army rejected him because of his heart murmur.

The heart murmur didn't stop him from bodybuilding and from being photographed by top physique photographers at age 18.  Above, a photo by Earle Forbes that I got from the blog Men From Back Then.  Thanks, James!

Lurie was not gay, but he had no problem being photographed nude by Earle Forbes, who was gay, or other gay photographers.  Lurie said "Yes, quite a few of us posed nude for Earle.  We knew he was pitching those to gays on the side, but we didn't really mind because he did great work and got guys into the best magazines."

Above,  another photo of Dan Lurie by Earle Forbes.  I got this and all the following photos from the blog Vintage Muscle Men.  Thanks, Jerry!

Dan Lurie by Earle Forbes.

Dan Lurie by Earle Forbes.

Dan also posed for gay physique photographer Al Urban.  Above, a boxing pose.

Dan Lurie by Al Urban.

I've saved the best (in my opinion) for last.  Above, Dan Lurie, photographed by Al Urban.  Click on the photo for a larger version.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Buried was a stunner! Nicely hung, built like a brick shithouse..and it's cool that he and his brother posed naked together. BigDude

Anonymous said...

That should read "Lurie," NOT "buried." Damned spellchecker. BibDude

Anonymous said...

Lurie was indeed a stunning specimen. So thankful he was "unashamed" and removed every stitch of clothing so we could see....everything!

Anonymous said...

It is so interesting that the men are never (rarely?) shown aroused in these vintage photos.

SickoRicko said...

Very attractive man.

Vintage Muscle Men said...

You're quite welcome, Larry, and I'm very pleased to see the photos in such an excellent series over here.

Ike said...

#4 Anonymous

It was a different time. That would have gotten them and the photographer arrested. Artistic nudity was sometimes tolerated because-art or because-athletic, but porn just about never.

Anonymous said...

On the picture of the brothers, I increased contrast to the max for the older brother's penis and he appears to be uncut. Curious if Dan had to be cut due to phimosis, or just born just after they started to recommend it to parents. Cool that the 2 brothers had no problem being naked together despite and wiould have accepted that difference,

Anonymous said...

Bel homme Dan Lurie.
Très disposé, chanceux de poser pour Forbes et Urban.
Une vie contre toute attente bien vécue.:)

Free Turtle said...

Morris Lurie wasn't uncut. He and Dan were Jewish. There is a solo photo of Morris that shows that he is definitely circumcised.

Free Turtle said...

Both brothers were Jewish and circumcised. There is another picture of Morris and his circumcision is very apparent.

Anonymous said...

Thanks to Free Turtle. I guess the wrong shadow and small image led me to see a foreskin pn the older brother.

Anonymous said...

Dan Lurie was tapped by the Weider Brothers to promote their business after Lurie won most muscular at the Mr America contest. After the war they offered their US weight making business to Lurie, which Laurie took over. Unbeknownst to Lurie, the Weider’s had not paid the taxes on the business and owed 10,000 dollars to the IRS, Lurie was left holding the bag. Lurie became one of the first bodybuilders burned by the Weider Brothers and their unethical business practices.