The Memoirs of Fred Bisonnes

Two must-own books: Bare Essentials 1 (narrative, 360 pages) and Bare Essentials 2 (gallery, 368 pages). Both available on Amazon. “Even if you’re not familiar with his work”, writes Mark Harvey in the introduction, “you’ve seen his work -a lot of it (…) He created the definitive style of homoerotic photography in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s (…) He has been tangential to much work recognizable from the world of later 20th century gay culture -from The Advocate and Advocate Men to Falcon Studios…” Essential for us pornographers, all indebted to Fred and his legacy: we’re all dwarves standing on the shoulders of trailblazers and visionaires like Fred. Essential and well documented for the history buff (priceless are Bisonnes’ memories of Jim French, John Summers, Chuck Holmes and the early The Advocate days). Last but not least… photo-rich for the fans, who’ll happily walk down memory lane along with Sky Dawson, Casey Donovan,Todd Baron, Leo Ford, Tim Kramer, Dick Fisk, Kurt Marshall, Jim Bentley, Bill Henson, Tony Bravo and so many more. Thank you, Maestro.

Playgirl+

At long last, a digital archive of the magazine established in 1973: celebrities, centerfolds, newcomers… And the new “Man of the Month”. Here’s AARON, Playgirl‘s Man of the Month/February 2022, JOE, Man of the Month/May and the press release

PLAYGIRL, which pioneered erotic entertainment for women in 1973, has launched a new site showcasing the history of the iconic magazine. PLAYGIRL+ (Playgirlplus.com) features exclusive celebrity interviews, centerfolds, erotic fiction, and original titillating articles. In addition, PLAYGIRL is producing a new “Man of the Month” series that includes photosets and video interviews featuring some of today’s hottest up-and-coming male models. The new membership site is $12.95 per month or $99.95 per year for access to both the archival and new material.

A PLAYGIRL Rep says of the launch: “We’re excited that PLAYGIRL finally has a place online that documents the rich and diverse history of the brand. The Hollywood elite which have graced our covers range from Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Redford, Jack Nicholson, Antonio Banderas, Rob Lowe, Richard Gere, Mark Wahlberg, Tom Selleck and Sylvester Stallone to Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, Liza Minnelli and Jamie Lee Curtis.”

Over the years, PLAYGIRL has scored notable high-profile interviews from the likes of Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, Bette Midler, Yoko Ono, Larry Flynt, Dustin Hoffman, John Travolta, Paul McCartney, Cher, Michael Douglas and Kathy Griffin to timeless icons such as Burt Reynolds, River Phoenix, Robin Williams, Joan Rivers and many more.

In addition, the magazine has featured original writing from prestigious literary figures such as Gloria Steinem, Joyce Carol Oates, Anais Nin, Truman Capote, Maya Angelou, Raymond Carver and Tennessee Williams, as well as the world-renowned photography of Annie Leibovitz, Greg Gorman, Herb Ritts, Norbert Jobst and Robert Mapplethorpe.

Recently, PLAYGIRL has begun its entry back into the pop culture landscape. In Fall of 2020, Playgirl unveiled its first relaunched print edition with Oscar-nominated actress, Chloë Sevigny and her baby bump on the cover, shot nude by famed fashion photographer Mario Sorrenti. This year HBO Max released a popular series, Minx, inspired by Playgirl, as the first magazine empowering women to explore their sexuality.

PLAYGIRL’s 50th anniversary will be marked in 2023 by exciting retrospective exhibitions, merchandise, and limited print editions.