Lost Boys: Vintage Images of Mike Morris

Lost Boys: Vintage Images of Mike Morris

Well, considering that I've not so much as a birthdate to work with, there's still a bit of a story to tell, here. 

Mike Morris.

Whatta man, whatta man, whatta man... indeed!

Woof. 

This COLT model did not appear in many films, nor was he part of the industry long. A definite outsider, he truly played by his own rules... and won... I hope. 

For just as I know nothing of his beginnings, I also don't know anything about his story's end, but something tells me he survived, escaping the scourge that felled many of his fellow performers. 

He was careful. And smart. Unique and beautiful.

And in love. With a man who would be his co-star in a number of his photo shoots and in life: Paul Storr. As photo stories go, this one is a beauty... and I think some of these photos actually capture the affection between  the two men, preserving their romance for all time.

Let's learn what we can about this handsome, virile man!

Mike Morris

AKA: n/a

Hair: Brown/Balding

Eyes: Brown
Height: 5'11"

Weight: 187 

Years Active: 1976 – 1980

Films: 3
Compilations: 5

Studios: HIS, COLT, COSCO

It's been reported that his actual name is Mike Bronski. His impact on the world of gay porn cannot be underestimated, for he helped make room for hot, older-looking men with thinning hair. He and fellow COLT model, Nick Rogers were both pioneers of sorts, bucking the trends of the times.  

Mike Morris was initially an exclusive model for Jim French's COLT Studio. He appeared in a number of photo shoots, mostly solo work or with his lover/partner, Paul Storr. It should be noted that having actual sexual contact with someone other than Paul Storr was something of a rarity in Morris' career. 

An exception to this was a threesome featuring Paul Storr and Toby. But if you look closely, you'll see that while Storr has sexual contact with Toby, Morris is more of a guide and on-looker. In addition, there was the layout he did with Mike Davis; a great "example of porn in print actually being hotter, than porn on film." Shot by COLT's owner and chief photographer, Jim French, who always seemed to have a knack, of pairing dynamic duos, Morris' photo sets proved among the most popular in COLT's inventory. He was also featured as a centerfold model in a number of the top mens magazines of the day. 

MANDATE August 1977

MANDATE February 1978
HONCHO September 1978

HONCHO March 1979

MANDATE March 1980

NUMBERS April 1980

MANDATE April 1980 

MANDATE December 1981

DRUMMER 019
IN TOUCH #33
PLAYGUY v01 n12 

PLAYGUY v02 n1

STALLION: STALLION’S 50 BEST SPECIAL #4
COSCO: 10 CINEMA STARSCOSCO: DESERT FOX
MEN MAGAZINE PRESENTS: COLT STUDIO

COLT MEN 2
COLT MEN 6
GALLERY SERIES #11
MANPOWER #8
COLT STUDIO PRESENTS 1
COLT STUDIO PRESENTS 10: MEN AT WORK
COLT LEATHER CALENDAR 1981

COLT B&W PRINTS: J-34, R-34, R-38
CLASSIC COLOR PRINTS: CPJ-34-C

As far as the big screen goes, Morris would actually only appear in three films. His first film was a 1976 COLT film called Summit Meeting co-staring his lover, Paul Storr. Stills from the film later appeared in the COLT magazine, MANPOWER #8. 

His next film was the second film in Joe Gage's infamous Working Man's trilogy, El Paso Wrecking Corp. which  opened the day after Christmas in 1977, and starred Richard Locke and Fred Halsted. Another huge hit, it was a classic road movie - part buddy picture, and all gay porn. A little fun fact: you can catch Georgina Spelvin of The Devil In Miss Jones fame playing a bit part as a bartender. Morris plays the owner of the titular wrecking company which hires both Locke and Halsted, who wastes no time seducing the owner's son - while the owner (Morris) watches and masturbates. 

Sadly, when the film was released on VHS and, later, DVD,  the scene featuring Halsted, Morris and Jared Benson, the actor portraying the son, was, for some strange reason, omitted. However, I did manage to locate a description of the scene: "Gene and Hank arrive at the wrecking yard looking for work from Harris (Mike Morris). Immediately, to everybody's amusement, a worker picks a losing fight with Gene (Halsted).  Harris' blond son, Seth (Jared Benson), makes eyes at Gene who follows him into a dark shed despite Hank's (Locke's) warning. Gene coaxes the young fellow to perform oral sex only to stop when his father walks in. Dad says nothing, but watches and masturbates, as Fred and the young man continue with their business." (Note the lack of actual sexual contact on Morris' part.)

There were also three photo shoots of Morris with Dave Daniels done for COSCO. These would serve as the basis for Morris' third film. Of the three different locations photographed, one was filmed and released as a movie. 

Originally released in 1978 as an 8mm film and a glossy magazine, Desert Fox was directed by Halsted, who was by then co-owner of COSCO. This came about after he and Morris had worked together on Joe Gage’s El Paso Wrecking Corp. in 1977. 

And once video sales and rentals came into being, this same scene found new life and was included in two different films: 1979's California Fox and 1980's Pieces Of Eight.

1976

Summit Meeting (loop)

1977 

El Paso Wrecking Co. 

(Scene:  Masturbation Only)

Desert Fox (loop)

1979 

California Fox

(scene: Desert Fox loop)  

1980 

Pieces Of Eight

(scene: Desert Fox loop) 

Away from the camera, in order to supplement his income, starting in 1978, Morris  worked as a bartender at a bar called Spike in Los Angeles. There are two group photos taken of all the front and back of house staff, as well as a shirtless solo shot taken of his back in the bar in the galley below.

After leaving the gay porn industry in 1980, Morris also sought a change of scene. By 1981, he'd left Spike and could be found at another Los Angeles bar, The Detour. A fellow bartender has said of Morris, "I don’t think he was happy there. Nice guy but he always seemed moody or angry. He didn’t last long. He said his good-bye by driving his pick-up truck into the sunset side of the building. Not sure what happened to him after that."

As far as his personality went, Morris had a reputation for being a bit gruff and "difficult." However, that did not seem to affect his relationship with fellow model/actor Paul Storr, who was his partner both on and off the screen. The two were still a couple when they left the industry in 1980.

A final appearance before the camera found Morris appearing as a how-to model in an exercise book put out by Arnold Schwarzenegger called Arnold's Bodybuilding for Men, published in 1981. A set of photos from the book can be found below.

And that's where the trail goes cold. 

Since Paul Storr quit the industry at the same time Morris did, I would like to believe that they simply rode off into the sunset together. 

The truth is... we'll never know for sure. 

Me? 

I vote for the happy ending. 

--- ---

I had no idea who Mike Morris was and after spending a few days looking for clues, I must say, I still don't. But maybe his photos (I found over 170 of them) are all we really need in order to appreciate him.

His body is awesome and I adore all that fur. His porn-stasche and balding pate really get my heart a pumping. I think some of those photos that he took with Paul Storr are among the most romantic gay images I have ever seen. The camera really picks up the very real bond between the two men.

Well, that's all for this week. I know it wasn't much... but, back in those days, when someone wanted to put their past in the rearview mirror and start over? It was fairly easy to do.

Until next time...

Thanks for reading. 

Oh, Yeah! - Yello

Waba Duba - Yello