Thursday, June 2, 2011

Virile Brains

Whenever the planet needs to be saved from a mysterious epidemic, atomic radiation, a missing link on the loose, or invasion from outer space, it's important to have a brilliant scientist at the helm - especially one who happens to be a virile hunk. While mad scientists who unleash disaster are almost always ugly, good scientists who save the day are always beautiful. They also tend to be completely oblivious to their own sex appeal as they labor tirelessly to develop that serum, perfect that anti-gravity shield, or blow up that hurtling asteroid about to crash into earth.

Below are my nominations for the classic screen's most virile brains. Who do you nominate?

Leonard Nimoy. Before he was Mr. Spock on Star Trek, Leonard Nimoy revealed exactly how virile he is in a 1960 episode of the TV show Sea Hunt (below). In the second still he is with Sea Hunt star Lloyd Bridges.




Lloyd Bridges. Not strictly a scientist in Sea Hunt, but an expert in skin diving and marine ecology, Mike Nelson (Lloyd Bridges) gets on my list of virile brains because he is...well...a virile brain. Below, Lloyd shows his stuff in Sea Hunt.




Buster Crabbe. Below, as Dr. Robert Hammond in Jungle Man (1941), Buster pauses in the hot work of digging for medicinal roots.



Below, Dr. Hammond (Buster Crabbe) assumes an interesting position for checking a patient's heart beat.


Richard Denning and Richard Carlson (below) play rival scientists on the trail of the Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954). Which Richard has the bigger brain, do you suppose?


Hairy Jeff Morrow (below), needing a break from saving the world, strips for a late night dip in Kronos (1957).


Paul Mantee.  Below: Astronaut beefcake - Paul Mantee as an astronaut stranded on the Red Planet in Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964).


Russell Johnson. While making the screen test for Gilligan's Island (1964-67), "The Professor" was asked to take his shirt off so producers could gauge his sex appeal. He refused. (Too bad!). Below, here is Russell as the Professor, and a dozen years earlier in It Came From Outer Space.


Additional appreciative words go to Russell Johnson for his longtime dedication to AIDS fundraising, following the diagnosis and untimely passing of his son David in 1994.

12 comments:

  1. All very hot choices. I must admit to having a crush on Bridges in Sea Hunt and Creature from the Black Lagoon has been one of my all-time favorite B&W horror films since I was a kid (my mom thought the creature was cute and called him "Gilly"). Buster Crabbe is one of my vintage cinema loves. And Nimoy gets the Trekkie in me going. So hard to choose!

    -Ace

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  2. Ace, I love that we have such similar taste.

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  3. Wow, some good looking dudes in there. Love Lloyd bridges, very hot man and the others too but my favorite in there was Paul Mantee, saw that film a i had a crush on that guy. I always was checking if the movie was showing again the weeks after. I don't know if it is out on DVD but would love to have it. Thank you again my friend.

    Yves

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  4. I think the best part of our similar tastes is that we're in different generations. It makes it so interesting to me.

    -Ace

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  5. Hi Yves, Yes "Robinson Crusoe on Mars" is out on DVD - a really terrific movie with excellent visuals (Paul Mantee is excellent to look at of course, but also beautiful, surreal landscapes). I'm glad to know you like the film too!

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  6. Hi Ace, Yes I agree. Sometimes I've worried that these men and films that mean so much to me don't resonate anymore with younger viewers. So your interest really makes me very happy. Thanks for carrying the torch.

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  7. Just to say thank you for letting me know that the DVD is out. I'm going to look for it over here, hoping to find it too. Don't stop your good work and keep bringing us those hot looking men my friend.

    Yves

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  8. Russell Johnson in his early years is a head turner for sure as he was in Gilligans..It sure is a pity he refused to take his shirt off for us all to see his muscularity as a wonderful sexy man..we are all so lucky to see such sexy men presented to us from past to present...lots to dream about!

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  9. Wally, At least Russell Johnson would often have his shirt unbuttoned by several buttons. Gives us something pleasant to imagine...

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  10. Russell Johnson has peeled his shirt off in three Gilligan's Island episodes. St Gilligan and the Dragon the professor has an erotic dream of the girls ripping his clothes off and he awakes ruffling his shirt right open and you get nice view of Russell Johnson's chest.Little Island big gun with Larry Storch all except Mary Ann are forced to dress as natives with the professor right in front shirtless dressed as headhunter.Both in black and white, and even a color episode The Secret of Gilligan's Island in the dream sequence as cavemen the professor wears a Tunic revealing half his chest, he was a great looking smoothy.Considering he was shy to peel off his shirt the producers of Gilligan's Island got him to do a few shirtless scenes and be used as Gingers boy toy constantly kissing the professor, the only handsome man on the island.And those incredibly tight white tea shirts with open buttons half way.

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  11. Hi Anonymous, Thanks so much for these great tips. We should now all go check out those episodes - anyway, I know I'm definitely going to.

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