Lost Boys: Vintage Images of Bill Cable

Lost Boys: 

Vintage Images of Bill Cable

Bill Cable is proof that one can become a gay icon without appearing in a lot of gay films or being photographed having sex with other men. All it takes is the right look and the right photos. Colt Studios has always been rather infamous for creating this kind of mystique - a masculine ideal - through photographic images of lone male figures. Bill Cable is once such man who benefited from this machination. Google 'vintage gay porn' and his image is certain to surface. That is the reason I decided to find out more about Bill Cable; the man behind the photographs. 

Birth Name: William Cumpanas
Nickname: Stoner

Birthdate: May 2, 1946

Birthplace: Gary, IN

Height: 6' 3"

Sign: Taurus
Death: March 7, 1998

 
His grandparents, Thomas Ante and Katherine Pezo, came to this country from Croatia in 1914. They settled in Gary, IN, which is where, on May 2, 1946, their grandson, William Cumpanas, was born. His grandparents passed away in 1950 and the family then made their way to California. 

Growing up, Cumpanas was fascinated with motorcycles and guns, hobbies that would accompany him throughout his life. He attended North Hollywood High School, where he excelled as an offensive tackle on the football team, becoming a varsity captain during his senior year. After graduation, he'd continue to play football for the University of Nevada, where he was enrolled as a student. However, his college football career was cut short due to a traumatic head injury.  

Beginning in 1970, Cumpanas  became 'Bill Cable' once he began modelling for the COLT Studio Group, where he was photographed by Jim French. These photos would help launch his career as an underwear/lounge wear model for the likes of  the Ah Men - Clothing Catalog, the That Look! - Clothing Catalog and the Frederick's of Hollywood - Clothing Catalog. 

In turn, it also led to more nude photography by the likes of Bob Mizer for the Athletic Model Guild, Kenn Duncan (whose work is now part of the collection at The New York Public Library), Tommy Marshall, Ray Allen, Robert Scott Hooper, Dave Sands, Jeff Dunas, Raul Vega, David Meyer and Mr. Blackwell. 

All of this 'exposure' helped Cable land roles in films, including gay and straight erotic films. He also found work as a stuntman and apparitions for TV productions. 

His first cinematic movie, Bijou (1972), was directed by Wakefield Poole, famous for his film sensation Boys in the Sand. In addition, in 1973, he starred in a short erotic gay film titled Cooling It.  These are his sole gay-oriented films. 

An on-going friendship with Cassandra Peterson would lead to roles in two Elvira-related vehicles and an appearance in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. 

However, Cable's most famous role in a mainstream film was as rock star Johnny Boz, who is murdered with an ice pick in the opening scene of the suspense film Basic Instinct.

1972 - Bijou
1973 - Cooling It
1973 - The Last Tango in Acapulco
1978 - Jungle Blue
1984 - Elvira's Movie Macabre
1985 - Flesh and Bullets
1985 - Pee-Wee's Big Adventure
1987 - What’s Love
1988 - La Posta in Gioco
1988 - Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
1992 - Basic Instinct
1996 - The Deadly Cure

Throughout the '70s, stills from his straight porn films appeared in Hollywood Hotline, Star Nudes, and Hollywood Rated X. 

Photo spreads and individual photos of him appeared in Playgirl, Playboy, OUI, , GQ Magazine, After Dark, California Scene, Honcho, The Best of Gallery, Manpower, David, In Touch, Blue Boy, Barfly, Groovy Guy, Vector, Celebrity Sleuth, H.E.L.P. Drummer, Drummer, Body, International, Entertainment West, Hit & Fun, Scream Queens, Olympus (first edition in January 1972) and Mandate (first edition in April 1975).

In 1985, Cable married Shirley Ann Njos in Nevada. However, the marriage did not last long. Shortly after the marriage, she had an affair with Cable's best friend, Christian Brando (son of actor Marlon Brando). This transgression led to their divorce, according to an interview with the ex-Mrs. Cumpanas in Penthouse magazine. Not that it stopped Brando and Cable from remaining friends. In 1987, both were interviewed and talked about the affair on Skip E. Lowe's infamous talk show. 

Cable's life would be cut short due to injuries sustained in an October, 1996 motorcycle accident in Laurel Canyon. A fractured vertebra in his neck left him paralyzed from the chest down. On March 7, 1998, Cable died from these injuries. 

He was 51 years-old.

His funeral, in North Hollywood, was attended by Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee Herman) and Cassandra Peterson.

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Like I said, all I'd ever known of the man were a handful of his photos. Intrigued, I had to learn more. His photos are striking and he certainly had an interesting life. 

As I was doing my research, I kept stumbling on requests for Cassandra Peterson (Elvira) to write her autobiography, as her relationship with Cable was of  great interest. In fact, her autobiography came out this past October, just in time for Halloween. However, not having read it, I don't know if she delivers the dish on Bill Cable or not. It would be an interesting read, either way.

Well, that's all for now.

Until next time...

Thanks for reading.

Wishing (If I Had A Photograph of You) -

Flock of Seagulls

Photograph - Ringo Starr