Acquired Tastes XLIII: Gay Pulp Fiction, Part 141 - Just Us Guys: Part 1 of 3

Acquired Tastes XLIII

Gay Pulp Fiction, Part 141

Just Us Guys: Part 1 of 3

When researching the publishers of vintage gay pulp fiction, you never know what you're going to find or not find.

In the case of American Arts Enterprises, Inc., the publishers of the Just Us Guys series, sadly, cover art remains quite elusive.

But I did manage to find the filings of a court case which helps illuminate what it might have been like running this type of publishing house during the height of the golden age of porn. 

Based on the information I could piece together, American Arts Enterprises, Inc., owned and operated by Milton and Beatrice Luros and under the guidance of Robert Reitman, president of AAE (until July 1971) published books between the years 1965-1993. While they did publish a line of legitimate, mainstream romance novels under the umbrella Carousel, they chiefly dealt in heterosexual smut. 

And talk about smut. Here is a list of the heterosexual 'series' I was able to find: 

Adult Player, Adulterous Wives, Swap Meat Library, deLUXX Edition, Jaded Journals, Celebrity Library, Straying Wives, Anal Erotic, Sexplicit Library, Nite Lite Library, Oral Erotic, Stratford Library, Dover Library, Bentley Library, The Infidelity File, Swap & Swing Library, Young & Willing Library, Les Parisiennes, Bedtime Books, Body Talk Library, Explicit Family Books, Half Moon Library, Raunchy Readers, Wanton Wife Journals, Lusty Library, Explicit Library, Back Door Books, Eager Wife Books, Anal Library, Fireside Reader, Secret Lust, Gourmet Silver Edition, Gourmet Gold Edition, and Gourmet Edition.

Near the end of their publishing days, they did away with titling the series and simply referred to the books in terms of three initials: WIF (stories about wives), GRL (story about younger girls), GSK, WKG (stories about sex in the workplace), XXE Edition , NUR (stories about nurses), STG, SNM, and SWP (stories about swapping).

The covers of all these books featured pencil/ink drawings or lurid pornographic photos taken from the publishers magazines. 

Just Us Guys appears to be their only foray into the gay pulp fiction market. As such, the covers are remarkably different than their heterosexual counterparts, featuring uniform, colored illustrations and pastel borders. The illustrations bring to mind traditional romance novels or high school Scholastica books, rather than hardcore pornography. 

Of the 48 books published between 1985-1990, as the Just Us Boys imprint, I have only been able to find 27 (plus) covers. I've divided the ones found in groups of nine, so there will be three posts regarding this imprint.

Throughout American Arts Enterprises, Inc.'s history of operation, they claimed residency in a number of locations, including:  Chatsworth, CA, New York, NY, San Diego, CA, South Laguna, CA, and North Hollywood, CA. They may have also operated under the moniker Publisher's Consultants, Inc., while republishing titles from Surrey House and Greenleaf Classics. 

Although Chatsworth, CA is most frequently associated with Publisher's Consultants, Inc. - it is in that city that a lawsuit was brought against American Art Enterprises, Inc. in 1977, due to certain illicit activities allegedly taking place in a building they were renting. I am referring to: People ex rel. Van de Kamp v. American Art Enterprises, Inc. (1977).

The details included in this court record give us an intriguing glimpse into the sordid world of smut publishing. 

Some key points:

It seems American Arts Enterprises, Inc was renting a building on Lassen Street in Chatsworth, CA, which was being "used as the headquarters of various entities constituting a corporate empire engaged in the publication and distribution of pornographic materials."

The editorial, publication, administration, art, and photographic development activities of the entities were housed in 20,000 square feet of the 120,000-square foot building, while the remainder of the space was devoted to the storage of books, magazines, and photographs. 

At least 100 people were employed on the premises. Of those 100, some were staff photographers.

One-third of the stored material consisted of photographs of explicit sexual activity, one-third photographs of simulated sex, and one-third printed material without photographs. 

Working out of the Lassen Street headquarters AAE's photographers would hire men and women via various model agencies. These models were to perform sexual intercourse in every conceivable variant for the purposes of being photographed.

The photographed activity did not occur in the Lassen Street building. 

Male models were paid an average of $35 for their services, and female models $50. 

The photographs were taken for use in publications of AAE and its associated companies. 

The document refers more than once to the premises as "a nerve center" for prostitution.

The District Attorney of Los Angeles County filed the complaint seeking closure of the Lassen Street building.

The purpose of this appeal was to determine "the applicability of California's Red Light Abatement Law (Pen. Code, §§ 11225-11235) to the premises occupied by a publisher and used for the storage and distribution of printed matter conceded to be not obscene." 

The sticking point seems to be, if I'm reading things correctly, that the District Attorney considers the hiring of the models to engage in sexual activities for the purpose of being photographed prostitution - which may not actually fit the definition as defined by law. 

In the previous ruling, the court concluded that the premises are not "used for the purpose of prostitution," as that term is employed in Penal Code section 11225, and that a building used for publication and distribution of books and magazines is not subject to the Red Light Abatement Law.

That said...

The witnesses who testified at trial make it clear that some pretty dicey stuff was taking place in or near that building. 

Three photographers: Robert Melford Vose, Benson Phillips, and Robert C. Kanters, and the photo librarian, Geraldine Price, testified. 

Price's job was to stamp dates on the back of the various photographs. Some days, she said, there would be only 30 or 40, but most days it was more like a thousand.

Photographer Kanters testified hat he was hired as a photographer by photo editor Fred Fixler, on January 8, 1968, and Milton Luros, owner of the company, played a role in hiring him. This was back when the company was located on Fulton Avenue, before the move to the Lassen Street premises. Kanter would leave the company in 1972.

 

A good deal of the testimony came from models and bookers. It seems underage models were not uncommon - one girl was only fourteen and another fifteen when they were first photographed for AAE. The other chief complaint? Venereal disease. As in, lots of it.

The other thing divined from from the proceedings was that Fred Fixler, AAE's photo editor, was in hot water. Kanters testified that in the fall of 1971 as part of his work for AAE, he photographed a 14 year-old “model, referred to as 'Patricia F'. in explicit sexual poses which culminated in criminal proceedings in the case of People v. Fixler, supra, 56 Cal.App.3d 321, 128 Cal.Rptr. 363. Kanter stated that after he had surrendered himself in the Fixler case on a felony pandering charge, he continued to shoot sexually explicit hard core activities for AAE to meet the requirements for approximately 22 AAE magazines per month!

By the way, this proceeding was a lengthy and expensive one. For three years the case was in the superior court (between August 22, 1972, to the time of the filing of notice of appeal on July 14, 1975) - during which there were 384 exhibits entered and about 225 entries made of legal documents filed, motions and court appearances including about 20 days of an actual court trial - and that was before the appeal cited in this case.

So that gives you a rare peek into the workings of a porn empire. 

And now? Onto the covers. 

This first post takes us from #101 - 116 (and there are a lot of covers missing.)

Hot Fire Fighters 

Author: Michael Scott

JUG-101

Michael Scott wrote a number of titles for the Adam's Gay Readers series.

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Straight Boys Go Wrong

Author: ACE 

JUG-102

This cover looks like something found in an Encyclopedia Brown book. The colors are so pretty. There's a kind of innocence about it. If, as a youngster, I saw this at my local library, I would never know it was about gay men... well, except that title. That title might have me taking it to the librarian so they could explain what constitutes a 'straight' boy.

Quite frankly, in today's sexually fluid world, I find myself wondering the same thing.  

Available as a PDF or e-book download at Hommi Publishing.

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Is Shawn Gay?

Author: Chris Carver

JUG-103

Chris Carver is responsible for Taming Shawn, published as part of the HIS69 Series.

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One Hole Town

Author: J.W. Shooter

 JUG-104

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Home Town Boys

Author: A. Carl Mathews

JUG-105

A. Carl Mathews wrote Eighteen Is Legal, published as part of the HIS69 Series.

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Cruising Troopers

Author: Roland Graeme

JUG-106

Again... very pretty. I do wonder what was the thinking behind the pastel borders and soft, pretty colored illustrations. Who were they trying to appeal to? And... who is the illustrator? If anyone has the answer, I would love to know.

The cover and title don't jive. I don't see anything even vaguely police/cop-like in the illustration - and, generally, the cover would feature some muscled beefcake in a tight uniform with a giant bulge. I dunno... maybe it's an 80's thing?

Available as a PDF or e-book download at Hommi Publishing.

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Skin Flute Combo

Author: 

JUG-107

If the names of the authors seem familiar, they are... many of them published titles under different imprints, including ones previously covered as part of this series of posts. 

Now, this cover... it's a bit more suggestive. I mean, at least there's a little college-aged flesh on display. Still, given the title, it's not the hard sell we've come to expect. 

Available as a PDF or e-book download at Hommi Publishing.

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Off Campus Lessons

Author: John Hartley

JUG-108

John Hartley wrote books for the HIS69 series, such as Pleasure Boy.

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Making My Buddy

Author: Tony Moore

JUG-109

Tony Moore is responsible for a number of titles published as part of the HIS69 series, as well as the Adam's Gay Readers series.

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Short People

Author: ACE

JUG-110

Innocent title, somewhat innocent illustration, though the nips through that see-thru wifebeater and the crotch of those denim jeans definitely tip it's hat. Still, nothing that would make one think this is gay porn.

Available as a PDF or e-book download at Hommi Publishing.

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Stud Swingtime

Author: J.W. Shooter

JUG-111

Well, now we're talking. Tighty whities and a bare butt in a locker room... sign me up, coach. Obviously this is a discussion about which jockstrap brands retain stains the best. I'm liking this one just fine. 

Available as a PDF or e-book download at Hommi Publishing.

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Take Ten

Author: John Hartley

JUG-112

Again, more flesh and some bulging crotches. I guess the publisher must have finally convinced the illustrator that it was okay to push the envelope. Me? I'd be pushing the buttons on that remote so hard I'd drop it... right between the legs of the blondie in the red t-shirt. 

Manspread, indeed!

Available as a PDF or e-book download at Hommi Publishing.

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All American Cream 

Author: Bjorn Peters

JUG-113

Bjorn Peters wrote Heavy Erection Crew and Tender Loins, both published as part of the HIS69 series.

This cover makes me think of the film, Let The Right One In. No, this doesn't appear to even vaguely be about vampires (though I do believe there will be some sucking involved.)

This just happened to come up for sale on ebay the other day. That's the only way I found the cover. 

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Swing Hitting Uncle

Author: Lee Ryder

JUG-114

This cover is awful sweet. Who wouldn't like a hunky coach walking his prize player off the field. 

This one, by the way, is by porn superstar Lee Ryder. Within a few years of this publication, Ryder would pretty much retire from doing movies and magazines. Instead, he would be pursuing the true love of his life - flower arranging. Not only did the superstud eventually have his own shop, he would also design all the floral arrangements for the popular nighttime soap, Dynasty!

Lee Ryder

Available as a PDF or e-book download at Hommi Publishing.

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Yuppies in Heat

Author: Michael Scott

JUG-115

I don't believe I've used the word 'yuppies' in years and years, but since I started working on this post, I keep applying it to privileged white people who whine about things like waiting in line at Starbucks or running out of wine at a child's birthday party.

This cover's fun. I would love me a hunky roommate who walked around commando in baggy sweats, shirtless while doing dumbbell curls. Me? I would be the little mouse in the corner, all eyes... just taking it all in. Sigh.

Available as a PDF or e-book download at Hommi Publishing.

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Ball Busting Boss

Author: Lowell Tessy Kells

JUG-116

Lowell Tessy Kells is also responsible for the novel, Boss Sucker, published as part of the HIS69 series.

This just happened to come up for sale on ebay the other day. That's the only way I found the cover. 

 

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And that's all for now.

Next week: JUG #118 - #126

Until then... 

Thanks for reading!

Short People - Randy Newman