The Men in My Life
711964Human and Mighty Mom Riff on the Theme, Too!
- Men and what makes the earth move under my feet - 1964Human
Following in the footsteps of Mindfield, my friend and mentor, here are the Men in My Life. When I was 5 or 6, I got my first stereo, complete with 45's... - Sex Appealometer for Male Celebs - Mighty Mom
Inspired by a fabulous hub by MindField, I've decided to air my own secret celebrity crushes. Film stars, TV stars, musicians. Classically handsome or offbeat and quirky -- there is no one...
I like men ... and always have.
From a very early age, I found them cute and funny. In elementary school, I fell for redheads with freckles and wide smiles; brooding artistic types; big bumbling boys with hearts of gold; and weedy bookish kids with glasses. I adored the tall good-looking star of the baseball team and the tousle-headed hand-me-down lad whose family ran the junkyard.
In fifth grade I loved a handsome, sensitive Native American boy named Ken and a softhearted boy named Chuck who reminded me of Charlie Brown. In sixth grade, it was Eddie, blond and tall and silent, and John, dog-loving, chubby, and generous. (I still have and cherish the gold turtle he gave me - forty-five years ago.)
By junior high, I was noticing my teachers and the fathers of my friends.
In high school, I panted over a bad boy with windblown black hair, knowing blue eyes, and dirty fingernails; a Ray Bolger double with a wicked sense of humor; and a Greek god who looked down on me kindly but without interest from his Olympian heights.
It was a big school and what a smorgasbord! Italian boys who knew they were cool and Jewish boys so smart it didn't matter that they weren't. A trumpet player who kissed as if he were perfecting his embouchure, and a stunning science teacher all the girls were gaga over and no doubt, some of the boys, too.
Later, in the Navy, I lost my heart to a pocket Apollo version of Robert Redford in The Way We Were; the morose, alcoholic commander whom I loved as if he were my fragile child; and the Navy chief who was as close as I'll ever get to Sam Elliott, with his moustache, laconic demeanor, and sinewy body.
My Lips on Yours
Until the Navy, I was diffident, naive, eccentric, studious, and plain. I garnered a kiss now and again but publishers aren't beating doors down for the tell-all secrets of my youth. Any excitement of a sensual nature I had in those early days was mostly in my mind and prompted more by the boys and men I saw on television and movie screens than any I knew personally..
Screen lovers ignited my vivid imagination. The best kiss I ever got was from Gary Cooper, on a street in San Francisco, next to a parking meter. It may not have been in Technicolor but it was undeniably in Techni-Touch. I could feel its electricity from my hair ends to the tips of my toes - and I've never forgotten it. That it happened in a dream made no nevermind at all!
Being a participant in an on-screen kiss, though separated from the other person by impossible distances of time and space, is a tantalizing experience. Whether sharing Johnny Crawford's first tender kiss or being pulled tight against John Wayne's massive body, the sensations are real. (More real, judging by an article Maureen O'Hara wrote on kissing Wayne. Too many people, too much posing, an uncomfortable chair, hot lights - all done to get a publicity photo that looked romantic but didn't feel it. She said she was like every woman - she just wanted him to grab her and kiss her!)
A Highly Subjective (and Downright Odd) "IT" List
- Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt, and George Clooney lack IT for me.
- Johnny Depp, on the other hand, reeks of IT, as does Mel Gibson. And I'm tempted to sell my soul for Daniel Craig, who bulges with IT in all the right places.
- David Niven, Hugh Laurie, James Garner, Edward G. Robinson, and Alan Ladd have more than their share.
- Burt Lancaster, Michael Douglas, Tony Curtis, Jimmy Cagney (whom I worship)...not so much.
- Jack Palance has IT in spades as does Steve McQueen (hubba hubba), and Jimmy Stewart (yowzah!).
- Even though I idolize them, Cary Grant, Richard Widmark, Clark Gable (except in GWTW), and Charles Bronson don't make my toes curl.
- Conversely, Red Buttons, Jack Soo, Buster Keaton, and Fred Astaire always do.
- Sean Connery is in a class by himself. He's cornered the market on IT.
- Humphrey Bogart has IT but, for me, Claude Rains has IT in a bigger font.
- John Lennon, one of my greatest heroes, doesn't, but one of my most despised politicians, Donald Rumsfeld, does.
- Gay guys have IT (Rock Hudson, Richard Chamberlain, Clifton Webb, Paul Winfield, David Hyde Pierce) and don't (Montgomery Clift, James Dean, Farley Granger, Rupert Everett, Raymond Burr).
- Elvis, LBJ, FDR, Harvey Keitel, Denzel Washington, and Dick Cavett have tons of IT.
- Richard Gere, Hugh Grant, Gregory Peck (one of my all-time favorites), JFK, and Bill Clinton...nope.
Strange, isn't IT?
So how 'bout you? Who has IT enough to knock your socks off? Who doesn't? Is your list as schizophrenic as mine? And can you figure out why?
The pictures and videos below are of my most favored. Their IT factors are off the charts for me.
Is this why I joined the Navy?
A Very Sexy Big Man - Robbie Coltrane
Huge Sex Appeal in the Perfect-Sized Package
John Wayne - IT was Named for Him
Don Adams - Top of 99's List (and Mine)
Donald James Yarmy - My Ultimate IT Guy
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Comments
I'm not tellin', Mindfield, but I thouroughly enjoyed reading YOUR list!
I absolutely loved all the descriptions of your childhood crushes! I began to really chuckle once you got to junior high. I wrote a hub about my fascination (from an early age) of a man's philtrum. "It's All About the Philtrum" has a few examples of the men I find sexy.
How did I miss that one, KCC? Gotta go read it!
good one
Paul Newman, Robt Redford, Mel Gibson, Johnny Depp. Matthew McCaunaghey and Daniel Craig (hubba hubba!). Kevin Costner in "No Way Out" (might be the uniform...). My #1 choice to be marooned with on a desert island would be Sean Connery, who oddly didn't have have IT for me as Bond, but boy did he improve with age!Â
I totally agree with you, JG, about Sean Connery. Not much happening for me in his Bond films but, as he's aged, Mama Mia (to use a famous Scottish expression). One for-instance: He is so hot in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade he sizzles. Let's hope he lives to be 110!
Well GT you are on my list sweetie...LOL nice job here my friend...wow I will have to think about it...but first ones that come to mind are James Dean and Elvis, but also loved Nat King Cole and several westerners...Lone Ranger and Roy Rogers...boy is this dating me or what???? Great hub my dear..Thanks for sparking me up...G-Ma :O) hugs & Peace
G-Ma, I love Roy Rogers but was saving him and others for a cowboy hub. It may date us, darling, but there were beautiful men in those days and we need to introduce them (even posthumously) to the kids!
GT, are you sure you're not just verklempt?
MF, I'm related to Buster Keaton - on my Father's side. We're 100th cousins, or something like that. Anyway, I used to LOVE "Get Smart." I've seen every episode like, a trillion times. And "Ziggie" was my favorite character.
PS: Was the "cholesterol" piece any help. Hope so.
You're kidding, CW? I just watched three of Buster's brilliant silent films the other day. Those incredible eyes; he just knocks me out. May explain something about your photo. ;-)
Bernie Kopell is great as Siegfried - and in every other role I ever saw him in.
My mother thinks he's where I must have gotten my musical/artistic abilities from, cause it's absolutely nowhere else in the family - except in my 1st cousin, who's an incredible impressionist: Any voice, he can do it flawlessly. Great fun at parties when he's the "Drunken Irish Old Man."
Well, Keaton was certainly a genius, Constant, so you've got some great DNA working in you.
I'd love to know your first cousin. I'm absolutely wild for people who can do accents, impressions, etc. (one of the other reasons I love Don Adams - he was super at impressions). I can't do them to save my soul but would adore having that talent.
Me too. I can do Irish/Scottish a little - because of my heritage, I guess - and British. But my cousin can do ANY accent. I'm jealous.
Great Hub. always interesting to see what rocks the ladies boats so to speak.
Perhaps someone should do a girls who have IT hub. (no I think this one was done already)
Thanks a lot, Orso. I think you should do such a hub. My dad was nuts about Lena Horne and my grandpa, on the other side of the family, was crazy for Lucille Ball when she was in the movies. By the way, it took me all this time to figure out that orso was "or so." I thought it was some interesting food or drink from South Africa! You don't mind me calling you that, do you?
James Dean was gay?!!! And Johnny Depp...rah rah!
Great fun reading this hub! :)
Mindfield I do not mind at all. Perhaps Constant Walker could do a hub on girls with IT
Thanks, FP. Yes to both of your comments!
----
Orso, are you telling me you can't tell when a girl has IT?! Hard to believe. ;-) Besides, *all* girls have what CW likes - bottoms!
So true but I am a boob, leg, face, figure man and personality counts for a whole bunch on top of that! You have loads of that!
Aren't you sweet!
Now this really shows how old I am, but I can remember having a crush on David Cassidy and collecting all his pin-up posters in the Jackie magazine. Whatever happened to him? Did he just fade away!?
This hub is WONDERFUL!!! What a fabulous idea to combine your real-life crushes with celebrity crushes! And your descriptions are just too much -- I'm sweatin' over here, too!
As your list of men with "IT" shows, there is just no accounting for who we're attracted to and who we're not. Men who one would think are very similar to others in their "type" may leave us cold. Go figure.
I am now inspired to write a hub confessing my own quirky taste. With your permission, I will link to yours, ok? MM
Forgive me, cindyvine, but I think it shows how young you are! While you were drooling over David (and, yes, he's a doll), I was thinking how I could sneak into Fred Astaire's house and have my way with him.
Mighty Mom - Thanks and - please do! As soon as 1964human recreates a hub from her comment here, we can link them all and get others to tell us about their IT men. Ooooh - can hardly wait!
Meg I stand humbled before you! If I wasn't already a huge fan, this would do it! Thanks so much, what a great little diversion. I will know where to come for a taste of nostalgia when I'm feeling blue.
Johnny Depp and Rick Springfield..would I be too greedy to want them both?
My first big movie star crush was Superman (Christopher Reeve)..sigh...still remember going to the movies to see him..floated on cloud 9 for weeks. :-)
Thanks for making us think a bit about the romance, and thank you for the lovely post on my hub..glad to meet you!
Sharrie, if you're greedy wanting two, what does that make me! And, just a heads-up, we may have to duke it out for Johnny. ;-)Â
I was trying to remember the first crush I had on a movie star. I was in love with Roy Rogers (still am) from an early age but the one that made me sweat was James Franciscus. He was in a movie called Youngblood Hawke and I wanted to see it sooooo bad. But I was thirteen and too afraid to mention it to my parents because it was considered a risque film in its day (1964). Funny thing is, I still haven't seen it. Wonder if James would have the same effect on me now. (If I can find it through the library, I'll let you know!)
Gary Cooper, Gregory Peck, Burt Lancaster, Anthony Quinn and, of course, Brando, were my favorite actors when I was growing up. Of contemporaries I like Alan Alda, Alan Arkin, Nick Cage, Nicholas Seymour Hoffman and Sean Penn of those who immediately come to mind. Any of them strike a spark for you, MindField? My least favorite: Charlton Heston.
Only the one pictured above: Gary Cooper.
For me, Anthony Quinn (except in A High Wind in Jamaica) and Brando are too much the bully-boys. Your contemporary list is, forgive me, singularly lacking in toe-curling properties - though I admire them greatly for their acting.
In Moonstruck, there was a tremendous masculine sensibity in the cast (and three of those providing it were women) - but Nicholas Cage wasn't among them.
Guess it's lucky we all have different likes and dislikes, Ralph! Makes the world a far more interesting place, wouldn't you say?
I like your photo - Cary Grant-like with debonair hat and beard. Works well!
WOW...Well I must admit, I too had a thing for David Cassidy and Rick Springfield...but having started at an even younger age, Gary Cooper, Gene Kelly and Cary Grant are totally on my IT list. Sadly I am rather picky and the slightest thing can turn me off. I adore Gregory Peck and John Wayne. From the earthy to the debonair. I can't stand Nicholas Cage, Sean Penn and I loathe Charlton Heston for a million reasons. You were right, I loved this Hub, it was very enjoyable. Thanks Mindfield.
I too got an early start and, like you, my entertainment heartthrobs are most often men born before or at the turn of the 20th century. But I can occasionally make room for the younger crowd. At this moment I'm watching Sean Bean as Sharp and having less than high-minded thoughts. ;-)
I honestly have to confess I love men too, when I was 17 I was going out with 5 different Davids all innocently mind you, they would ring up and I would say David who ? It just shows I was not keen on any of them or why would there by 5 lol. I also accidentally cut off one of the David's earlobe, as depicted in one of my blooper Hubs. Wow such fond memories lol.
wow, did this hub hit home. brought back lots of memories and memories i wish i had. a few of my IT men: John Wayne tops my list in just about everything, Errol Flynn, Johnny Depp (after watching him in Don Juan DiMarco, i had to go take a cold shower), Clint Eastwood, Patrick Swayze (in Dirty Dancing) and of course Sean Connery, who I agree, is in a class by himself.
Thanks, love my yorkies! I see we'll be fighting over John, Johnny, and Sean in heaven! I'll leave the others to you if you'll leave my Don (Adams) to me.
I definitely must watch Don Juan DiMarco. Appreciate the tip. Have you seen Dillinger yet? If so, give me a review and I'll pick it up when it gets to the library.
Nope, haven't seen Dillinger yet but sure want too. Thought of another IT man, Antonio Banderas. OMG - that smooth velvety voice.
Banderas is all yours, LMY, but Daniel Craig...Mama Mia! Just saw Quantum of Solace, the sequel to Casino Royale. It might well be the very best Bond film ever and it's impossible (at least for me) to stop staring at Craig, who surely is Steve McQueen come back to life.
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goldentoad says:
9 months ago
I'm all hot and bothered now.