Performers - Part 63

John Weidemann

John Weidemann was another bodybuilder/actor who had a bit part as one of the Olympic athletes in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, 1953, starring Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe.  Above, Jane Russell stares at Weidemann's muscles at the beginning of her song Ain't There Anyone Here for Love.

Here's the entire song Ain't There Anyone Here for Love.  It's over 3 minutes long, but I love it and it's definitely worth watching.  The plot is that Jane and Marilyn are on a cruise ship crossing the Atlantic, and so is the U.S. Olympic team.  Marilyn is pursuing a rich man for his money, and later she sings Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend.  Jane is looking for a more physical relationship, but the coaches keep the Olympic team members busy exercising, so they have no time for Jane.

This routine was choreographed by Jack Cole, who was gay, and several commentators have remarked on how gay the result is.  Jane Russell was Hollywood's leading sex symbol at the time.  Earlier, Jane's film The Outlaw had been banned because she showed so much cleavage.  Her measurements were 38-24-36, and Bob Hope once introduced her as "the two and only Jane Russell."

Anyway, in this song, all these young, virile-looking athletes, who would normally be all over sexy Jane, totally ignore her and keep exercising, as if they're all gay.  "Don't anyone know about birds and bees?" she sings.

The athletes' costumes are pretty gay, too.  Above, a screen grab from the film.  He's not naked; the athletes are wearing flesh-colored shorts that are so tight their their ass cracks are visible, though the shorts do conceal their fronts.

By the way, when Jane falls into the pool at the end of the song, it was actually an accident, not in the script, but director Howard Hawkes loved it and left it in the movie.

John Weidemann's acting career was not stellar.  In addition to his uncredited bit part in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, he played a palace guard in the Broadway musical Kismet in 1953-1954.  His friend Steve Reeves, above, who won the Mr. America contest in 1947, also played a palace guard in Kismet.

Although we only get to see John Weidemann's biceps in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, he modeled nude for physique photographer Bruce of L.A. who took all of the remaining photos of John, including the one above.

John had a motorcycle.  While he and Steve Reeves were working in Kismet, John said he would teach Steve how to drive it.

They set out on the bike driving down a country road with John sitting behind Steve.

Spotting a country store, John shouted "Turn here" in Steve's ear.  Steve turned too fast and the bike skidded on gravel.  John jumped off, but the bike tipped on its side, and Steve and the bike slid into a tree.

Steve dislocated his shoulder and fractured some ribs.  And that's how one muscleman/actor/nude model put another one in the hospital.  Steve was not permanently injured, but he had to take some time off from Kismet.

Meanwhile, John survived with no serious injury.  We end with this color photo of him by Bruce of L.A.