Acquired Tastes XLIII: Gay Pulp Fiction, Part 218 - Selbee Associates

 

Acquired Tastes XLIII:

Gay Pulp Fiction, Part 218

Selbee Associates

Today we take a look at a series of four books, (possibly) the complete gay male output by Selbee Associates. We will also take a brief look into the history of the imprint's founder, one of the pioneers of fetish media, publisher and photographer Leonard Burtman.

Selbee Associates is the brainchild of one Leonard Burtman and his story is worthy of a movie, or at least the lengthy article Richard Pérez Seves wrote about him which can be found at the byNWR website. Pérez Seves really did his homework. He examined the facts, culled from existing government documentation as well as a massive FBI file petitioned through FOIA (The Freedom of Information Act).

Me? I'm going to give the lowdown in a few paragraphs, borrowing from Richard Pérez Seves' article and Wikipedia.

Although photographer Isadore 'Irving' Klaw was first in entering the fetish art business in 1948, it was Leondard Burtman who envisioned going beyond mail order and creating the first fetish-inspired publishing enterprise with nationally distributed magazines and books.

In the case of Burtman, this innovation was the mother of necessity. You see, he'd held a government job for many years, but had a habit of getting arrested, which put an end to that and other similar opportunities.

Ah, let's start at the beginning.

Born in Nebraska in August of 1920, Burtman was raised in NYC. His father was a one-time newspaper owner and editor. An initial fascination with electronics bloomed into a promising career. Burtman was educated at a number of technical schools, including the California Institute of Technology, the Philco School, and Bell Laboratories School for War Training. He held positions at the Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation, ITT, and RCA. He returned to the California Institute of Technology where he worked “as a member of the research staff in the development of telemetering devices for the atom bomb.”

Burtman eventually landed a civilian job as a radio technician at a military base. And that's when life soured for Burtman. His first arrest was for stealing government property. He was then arrested for failing to appear before the draftboard - though he got out of that by claiming "he was employed by the Office of Scientific Research and Development; the Unit had the code name (Camel), and was concerned with Atom Bomb Research." However, his luck ran out with his next arrest; for transporting stolen goods and check fraud. He pleaded guilty to six counts and served a year in federal prison.

Upon release, he returned to the east coast. Disgraced and unemployable, he turned his attention to one of his other passions - photography, namely that of nude females. Under various alias' he built a reputation and was a frequent contributor to the publications of 'Pin-Up King'  Irving Klaw.

Around 1952, Burtman met his future business partner, Benedict 'Ben' Himmel, a loud, brash former union organizer and one-time burlesque club owner with rumored ties to the underworld. Himmel had already been arrested for selling obscene literature in 1951, so it was decided that he would remain in the background, securing funding and distribution, while Burtman would handle the creative end. The two built an empire which eventually included numerous fetish fashion magazines: Diabolique, Exotica, Paris Taboo, Pepper, Satana, and Striparama, Exotica, Connoisseur, Leg Show, High Heels, Masque, Female Mimics, Forty Plus, Bizarre Life, and Orbit.

Burtman's social network included such fetsh notables as Charles 'The G-String King' Guyette, illustrator, writer, publisher John Alexander Scott Coutts AKA: John Willie, publisher Robert Harrison, and illustrators Eric Stanton and Gene Bilbrew. He'd work with all of them, eventually developing an innovative style, conveying "a novella-length story, hinging on some aspect of 'bizarre' fashion, told entirely in sequential photographs and no words." Not that he treated them well. He frequently pilfered material them or treated them poorly. Stanton, one of his chief illustrators would one day say... “I hate that son-of-a-bitch more than anyone I ever met. I did a lot of work for him. I was up there one Christmas Day and I saw him writing checks and putting money in envelopes for the doorman, etc. At the time I was broke. I heard he said to someone once ‘You got to keep these artists starving or they never draw.’”

Operating under 17 alias' and starting in 1954, Burtman built his publishing empire, which eventually included film (Satan In High Heels and Cinderella's Love Lesson featuring cabaret/burlesque legend Lily St. Cyr). He worked with the best models in the business including Bettie Page, Roz Greenwood, Baby Lake, Brandy K. and Burtman's future wife, Tana Louise (they divorced in 1960 and Burtman would marry three more times).

Burtman was also a huge fan of transgender, transvestites, and female mimics. He was the first to create full-sized magazines dedicated to them. Yes, according to one intimate, Kim Christy: "He loved the lady boys."

Problems with the law surfaced between 1957-1959. In May of 1959, on the basis of evidence obtained during a 1957 warehouse raid, Burtman and Himmel were found guilty of “possession of obscene booklets with intent to sell.” And so Burmel Publishing Co. would become Kaysey Sales Co. Inc. which then became Selbee Associates.

Selbee Associates would collapse in 1963 under the weight of  a 66 count indictment and the bankruptcy of their major distributor, All-State News Co. (who owed them $180 K). Burtman and Himmel would continue publishing under various names, using secondary distributors, but never achieve the height reached in 1963. Oh, and that 66 count indictment? It never went to trial, but did manage to tie up Burtman and HImmel's time, money, and energy.

No, the end came when a shipment of Danish porn marked “earthenware cups and saucers” was accidentally dropped and broken open on the docks. The duo made the mistake of offering a bribe to a customs official to cover it up - and that was their final undoing. 

The unfolding legal case revealed Burtman's shady affiliations one particular individual indicted with Burtman and Himmel; Charles 'The Blade' Tourine, a man described in the New York Times as a "high lieutenant in the Genovese Mafia family." Burtman and Himmel were found guilty, fined $5 K each, and sent to the big house for one year. And that was the end of their partnership.

Burtman would soldier on alone and the 1970's proved much more accommodating to his brand of fashion fetish. Unfortunately, the competition eventually did it better, bringing a final end to his fever dreams. He died at his desk in 1989, unable to reinvent himself one more time. 

Here are the four titles published by Selbee Associates, along with two titles published by other Burtman-associated imprints. All artwork is either done by Eric Stanton or Gene Bilbrew.

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Queens In Drag

"Female Impersonators... on parade!"
Author: Anonymous
Publisher: S-K Books
1964

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Mr. Muscle Boy

 Selbee Associates 

Author: Donald Evans

 1965

--- --- 

 The Gay Jungle

 Selbee Associates 

Author: Donald Evans

 1965 

According to Hommi Publishing's Big Ass List, this one is about a "hustler on Times Square".

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 Beach Boy

 Selbee Associates 

Author: Donald Evans

 1966 

According to Hommi Publishing's Big Ass List, this one is about "gay tourists in Miami Beach".

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Male Madam

 Selbee Associates 

Author: Donald Evans

 1966 

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 Female Impersonator's Handbook

Author: 'Pudgy' Roberts

Publisher: Capri Publishers

1967

--- ---

And that's all for now.

Next time: more tantalizing titles from another vintage gay pulp fiction imprint.

Until then...

Thanks for reading!

Satan In High Heels - Movie Trailer

(1962) 

More Deadly Than The Man

from the 1962 motion picture

Satan In High Heels

Wonderland Burlesque's Down The Rabbit Hole: The Pussyboys

Wonderland Burlesque's

Down The Rabbit Hole:

The Pussyboys

Down The Rabbit Hole merely places a spotlight on something slightly unusual that's caught my interest. With the help of Wikipedia, YouTube, and other sites, I gather information and learn something new.

Today, we take a look at The Pussyboys!

--- ---

I am gobsmacked!'

This is the most amazing story. And it could only happen in these times. Falling down this particular rabbit hole, I was continually in awe of the fortitude of these three individuals.

There isn't a Wikipedia page on them, yet. And there should be, for they are truly unique. That fate or happenstance, or whatever brought them together, well, it's a story that only could have happened in the age of social media. 

The Pussyboys are three trans boys ("he /hims across the board") who formed a punk band in L.A. Their song of note (which came out in June of 2024) is Dumb Boy Energy and they are the supreme rulers when it comes to fun merch!

The band is composed of Ezra Michel (vocals, Wes Spaulding, and Shawn 'Scorch' Corchado (although Scorch may have left the group). Michel and Spaulding met when Spaulding went to have his hair cut at Michel's barbershop (which is in a tool shed in the back of a house.) Scorch found the pair on Youtube and volunteered to help them out. He initially wanted to play guitar, but that slot was covered, so Scorch was assigned drums. 

There was a wonderful 'all about us' YouTube video with the three of them, but over the weekend that I wrote this post... it disappeared! And that means I have a lot less info to work with. It also appears that Ezra Michel was once a solo artist - I've included a  couple videos of his, as well. 

For Dumb Boy Energy, the group adopts a perfect 1990s California vibe and delivers what will surely be a future 'undiscovered gem' for music lovers. When Ezra goes solo in the heartfelt, big-budget Girl Baby (2022), the 'punk' is put aside for a moment of reflective realness, perfectly capturing what so-called gender identity should always be about. 

Google them to find their merch site. I can't link to it because Blogger will flag this post. You can also catch Ezra Michel on Facebook. 

This is definitely an artist in development. It will be very interesting to see what becomes of Ezra and the band name. So stay tuned!

--- --- 

Dumb Boy Energy - The Pussyboys

Pussyboy - Ezra Michel

Girl Baby - Ezra Michel

The Ballad Of Youth - Ezra Michel

Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip: Kim Petras

Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip:

Kim Petras

In my big gay church there is a wing dedicated to The Divas Who Represent. They're not all flashy or cocks of the walk - in fact, some never officially came out of the closet during their lifetime - but they are all extraordinarily gifted, sharing their songs, music, and insights, allowing the world at large to learn, in the most subtle of ways, what it's like 'being green'. Thanks to their gifts and their bravery, they help make the world a little more gay every time their voices are heard. And that's been their true super power all along... their voice; they were heard. They mattered. And, whether they liked it or not, they represented!

One such talented renegade soul?

Kim Petras!

Hailing from Germany, this diva has captured the hearts and minds of numerous nations.

Seems her pop won't stop... for she keeps writing - for herself and others. In the process, she's become one of the most sought after musical collaborators. Established acts looking for something fresh and tasty? They turn to her.

Now a household name, with a Grammy award and an iHeart Radio Music Award, two MTV music awards and a Queerty Award, this gay icon is here to stay.

And she's done it all on her own terms.

So expect to hear a lot more from this talented beauty, for she's just getting started.

The gospel according to her?

Well, here are three from the hip, dropping from her lips.

The topic? Unapologetic Pop.

"Pop music means everything to me. I've been listening to pop since I was kid, running home from school to watch Britney Spears and Spice Girls and Christina Aguilera music videos, and it felt like it was a world to escape to for me personally."

"...I hated school and ran home to watch Britney Spears videos. I just felt like I could forget about the stuff I didn't like about my life and listen to pop music and escape."

"I'm just trying to make the kind of music that I'd listen to as a teenager and forget about all my problems. I definitely always took my problems and turned them into music, and the more I can make myself feel happy, the better. But yeah, I definitely feel like music was always a place for me to, like, escape to. I just love songs that are fantasy."

"People started noticing my singing on YouTube, and then I came to L.A., and I lived on a studio couch. I wrote songs every single day with whoever I could write songs with."

"I'm always working with other collaborators."

"A lot of writing depends on being comfortable around the people you work with. I want it to feel like I'm working with friends."

"I thought I was just going to be a songwriter for other people! And now I get to put out my own music, which is amazing."

"I want to become one of the songwriting greats. That's my number one goal."

"I write my own lyrics; I can incorporate my own ideas. And yes, apparently, people think it's cool. That's pretty awesome."

"There's something about making a song that everybody can sing and remember, and when you listen to it the first time, you already know the words by the second chorus, like you've always known the song. I'm obsessed with that idea."

"People started recording my songs. Later, I was offered songwriter contracts. And then, finally, I could take the time to work on my own project. I worked hard for this all by myself."

I Don't Want It At All - Kim Petras

The Future Starts Now - Kim Petras

When We Were Young (The Logical Song) - Kim Petras

w/ David Guetta

And one last parting shot...

"I don't know - a lot of people think it's a really negative thing to do bubble gum pop, but I love it. I, like, want to own it."

"I sing pop music that I like and that is completely unapologetic - which is actually the term: it's called 'unapologetic pop."

Weekend Onesie: Back When This Was Shocking...

Weekend Onesie:

Back When This Was Shocking...

From inset:

Beaux Arts Balls and similar Bohemian revels are considered a part of the Paris picture and are seldom bothered by gendarmes. But when a group of fashion designers and chorus boys requested police permission to hold a 'wedding' in a public place, authorities uttered a horrified "No!" Nevertheless, the nuptials went off on schedule. They were held secretly in a Montparnasse apartment. A CONFIDENTIAL photographer took these photos of the world's 'queerest' wedding. 

Strange how times change... or not.

I don't know about you, but I'm waiting for the day that the conservative right gets their act together and takes on gay marriage again.  

Once they stacked SCOTUS in their favor, they wasted no time tackling a few of their favorite punching bags. Yes, it seems, while they don't want anyone telling them what to do (mask mandates, vaccinations) they definitely want to be able to tell YOU what to do (abortion, prayer in school.)  

Oh, don't kid yourselves, they're coming for us.

Yes, it seems conservatives keep spinning in place like a child with one shoe nailed to the floor: looking over there, eyeing that, focusing on those people, throwing all their energy behind this or that or the other thing - but by doing so, they will eventually... 

Wait. 

Wait a minute...

While were at it. 

Why do we allow them to wear the banner 'conservatives' - why don't we call them what they really are: bigots, homophobes, racists, hatemongers? Bullies. In a way, it's a good thing there are so many flavors of hate under that umbrella. See, I actually think its a rather long list of fragmented fringe groups - each with a different set of criteria and goals, which is why, perhaps, they can't seem to get their poop in a group long enough to actually accomplish any of their evil goals. 

So many targets, so little... what? Money? Manpower? Logic?

Is this really the kind of people the GOP want under their tent? 

Yes. Yes, it is. 

That's how the GOP insures that they will vote for whatever unqualified convicted liar / con man / thief / charlatan they put up for office. You see, like intelligence, integrity is in short supply at the GOP, so it's no longer considered essential - which sort of undermines that whole 'conservatives' banner, huh?

Anyway, I am just waiting for them to spin back around and focus their Village of The Damned eyes on the LGBTQ+ community. I mean, currently they do have the Transgender Community in their sights (and have for a while - remember when public bathrooms were scary?) - because gender identity is a hot topic - but eventually they will swivel back to the war they lost... 

And I don't mean that 'Civil' one. 

Thing is... thanks to people like Pete and Chasten, they can't make us all out to be the monsters they tried to convince everybody we were back in the day. As gay folk go, we've come a long way, baby. Far enough, that we're not going back without a fight. And since our focus is clearly defined and we've already proven that we're better organized and more articulate by beating them once... we can do it again. 

Which brings to mind another issue... have we, the gay community, become a bit too politically complacent? A bit too comfortable? Shouldn't we be out there, fighting fights that are not necessarily ours, but continue the erosion of individual rights that we've somehow, against the odds, managed to secure for ourselves?

If it's happening, I'm not seeing it. I'm not hearing about it. 

I know we're all concerned about the apathetic law enforcement response to the on-going epidemic of transgender homicides. But shouldn't we be doing more? Shouldn't there be a national movement bringing visibility to this issue - the same that we created in the early days of the AIDS pandemic and the drive to secure gay marriage?

I don't have the answer. I don't know how such a movement builds momentum to the point that one day you're seeing posters at your bus stop. 

I guess my point is... we don't have the luxury of being complacent. When it comes to gay marriage, we've sat on the beach in our lounge chairs enjoying our pina coladas, savoring our victory long enough. 

Because we're a targeted group, we need to ALWAYS be politically active. We need to shine that spotlight. We need to have that discussion. We need to push for action. 

It's a new year: 2022, and conservatives think they've figured out ways to seize control, destroy our democracy and turn back the clock to 1952. 

Don't let them.

We've got skin in this game... 

So let's get back in the game.

Stay strong, stay safe, stay healthy...

-uptonking from Wonderland Burlesque

Please leave any suggestions for what we can do, as individuals, to fight the good fight in the comments section.

Thank you.

Thank You - Alanis Morissette

Lost Boys: Vintage Images of Rick Donovan

Lost Boys: 

Vintage Images of Rick Donovan

It's a fact of life that some people toil in jobs they dislike for a good portion of their lives. The reasons vary, but most do it for the money and because it is something they can do in order to make a living. 

But can you imagine a gay porn star living with that kind of disconnect? 

Well, I could be all wrong here, but the subject of today's Lost Boys, Rick Donovan would seem to fit that bill. Ask yourself... Where's the smile? I mean, it's not like he was working to achieve a practiced, grizzled growl of a face - he's not acting, he's not an actor. Every photo, every performance... it looks like he just wants to get through it and go home.

Fact is, he's a rather average looking man with some interesting facial features, with a lovely, but not exceptional body and a huge penis. That last attribute alone is enough to gain a bit of attention in the industry. But keep in mind, there was never any attempt to create a persona - Rick Donovan is exactly as is; a somewhat dispirited-looking young man with a huge dick. And yet, despite his demeanor, that large member of his was enough to cement his place in The Gay Porn Hall of Fame. 

But... did he enjoy his work?

Well... eventually, I think he did. After a change in focus (more on that later). But at first? 

No. And why? Tell me...

Who is the man with the golden gun who looks so glum?

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Rick Donovan
Aka: Roy Michael Artley
Nickname: Humungous
Birthdate: 1963

Birthplace: San Diego, CA
Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 170
Cock Size: 10.5 Cut
Position: Top
Years Active: 1983-1998

33 Films
48 Compilations

Born in 1963, Roy Michael Artley would be rechristened Rick Donovan when, at the age of 20, he entered the world of gay porn. 

According to photographer Kirk Deitrick, before Donovan appeared in a single film, he had the opportunity to take the first photos of a then (according to Deitrick) "22 year-old" Donovan, who lived in San Diego and was "fresh out of the service". 

Once those pictures were published, the film offers flooded in. One such film, William Higgin's 1983 film, Sailor In The Wild was well-received and a huge financial success. It would help set the stage for Donovan's dominance in the gay porn industry for the next few years. 

In 1984 and 1985, he would appear in seven pictures each of those years. Yes, the man was in high demand.

1983 
Giants
Sailor In The Wild

1984 
Arousers
Bigger the Better
Biggest One I Ever Saw
Boys of Company F
Heroes
King Size
Pleasure Mountain

1985 
Getting It
Hard To Come By
Ivy League
Life Guard
Men And Steel
Sgt. Swann's Private Files
Dynastud

1986 

Stick Shift

1987 
Bi and Beyond 1

1988 
Think Big

1989 
On Top
Private Collection Screen Test

1990 
More Of A Man
She's A Boy
She's A He

1991 
Big Ones

1992 
Latin Tongues

1994 
Bigger the Better 2
Captain Stud And His Seamen
Club Sex-A-Holics
Dynastud 2: Powerhouse

1995 
Think Big 2

1997 
Hard To Swallow

1998 
Latino Sex Toy

One scene in particular helped continue this momentum. 

In 1984's The Bigger, the Better, Donovan was partnered with Matt Ramsey (now, better known as straight porn star Peter North). North shot his load three times during the scene, fueling audience speculation that Donovan had to be the top to end all tops. Later in North's career, when questioned about this scene, he would refuse to talk about it. Apparently, Mr. North does not like dishing about his years in gay porn. In fact, before he will grant an interview, it is agreed on in advance that those years and films will not be discussed. (I think that reluctance guarantees that Mr. Matt Ramsey/Peter North is destined to be featured in a future Lost Boys post!)

With great success comes great pressure... and, from all appearances, Donovan frequently struggled to live up to expectations. You see, he sometimes seemed to have problems achieving an erection on film. In fact, it would be fair to say he rarely became fully erect and can often be seen grasping the base of his dick with a hand in order to force blood into it. Now, keep in mind... these are the days before Viagra and Cialis, which is why he had to literally take matters into his own hands.

Turns out, there is a reason Donovan isn't smiling or looking at the dude he's topping: Rick Donovan is bisexual and primarily attracted to pre-op, transgender women. Although, when partnered with another actor, he would top in all of his films, it has been said that in his private life he was a bottom and  preferred being topped by pre-op transgender women.

This would help explain the number of solo film appearances Donovan makes throughout his porn career. Producers and directors needed his name and dick in their films to sell them, but that didn't necessarily mean that Donovan had to have sex with other men in order to be involved. So, this apparent challenge actually became the key to spurring creativity, culminating in some fairly inventive scenes.

According to Dave Kinnick, in his book, Sorry I Asked: Intimate Interviews with Gay Porn's Rank and File, on set, Donovan would use pictures of transgender women get himself hard. And, indeed, in several of his films, if you watch his eyes, Donovan is looking over or beyond the man he's topping. It has been said, by more than one eye-witness, that Donovan was looking at pictures of transgender women in order to remain semi-hard and achieve orgasm.

And it turns out Donovan's love of pre-op transgender women was not limited to the fantasy world of porn. 

Producer/Director Dirk Yates said in a 1989 Manshots interview that a drag queen friend of his introduced him to Donovan, who was known to prefer this "type". Yates said his friend, the drag queen and Donovan lived together for a number of years.

In fact, as the '90s approached, one can see his true life desires coming to life on screen. with a shift in focus in film choices. He began to appear in a number of bisexual films featuring transgender women. For example, he appeared in several films with Leilani, a Polynesian pre-op transgender woman. The two met in 1990, while filming She's A Boy and She's A He.

Leilani in She-Male Nurses

While researching this post, I happened on a scene with the two of them. Guess what? Had a headline appeared touting the film, it would have simply read: "Donovan Smiles". The two became lovers off-screen and she is one of the reasons Donovan would take time away from the adult film industry.

In 1991 and 1992, Donovan would appear in only one film each year.  And in 1993...

...he was nowhere to be found. 

But the man was busy - taking care of Leilani as she lay dying.

Haron Masters writes, "I was friends with Rick Donovan, who was her lover, and was directly involved during the last six months of her life. For historical accuracy she did indeed die of AIDS. She was cremated and her ashes were spread up at the Russian River."

Rick would return to the industry in 1994 for four films. After that? One a year until 1998 and then... adios. 

After '94, Rick moved on. In the early '90s, he lived and worked  in San Diego as a part-time bartender at a popular gay bar called The Brass Rail. He still did occasional escort work (it is rumored that at one point, actor Charlie Sheen hired Donovan to have sex with a pre-op transgender woman so he could watch) and made public appearances... such as those he did during Dallas/Houston's 1994 Gay Pride celebration week. 

People who knew him said "he was sweet and very, very smart" and that "he was a bit paranoid, and regretted not being able to go out much without people staring at him; the flip side of fame."

But his life was not without love...

Alexandra Billings

Actress Alexandra Billings (Transparent, The Conners) has talked about her relationship with Rick in her cabaret act. On her website, she says that they were in a serious relationship and, at one point, talked about getting married.

Another persistent rumor is that he became a paramedic.

As of March 2008, Rick Donovan was still alive and living in San Diego.

--- ---

Rick was always a bit of a puzzle to me. I liked his look. He reminded me a lot of the dumb jocks I went to high school with. And his dick? Whoah! But once you looked beyond that, you saw the sad child in him - and that sort of ruined it for me. 

I'm glad I did my research on this one. He turned out to be much more interesting than I expected.

Now I know a little more about what was going on behind that face. 

I think the world of those who choose to be caretakers. And I am glad he found love in this lifetime. 

By the way, there are a couple of pictures of him smiling in the galley below. They are  the most recent pics I could find of him: taken with friends at a bar. He looks good. Healthy. Happy. 

Well, let's hope so. 

He deserves it.

Until next time...

Thanks for reading.

Sweet Leilani - Chris Isaak

One Love in My Lifetime - Diana Ross