Updating of the Bullies story is now complete

 Read the updated version of Bullies

Visit the index page for introduction and background

Artists at Royale Studio and Hussar

 

As well as beefcake physique shots and photo storyettes Royale Studio occasionally featured Artists in their Catalogue. For example, List 7 (April 1959) featured Arthur Downing and List 8 (Oct 1959) had drawings by Ron Wright. This diversification is an indicator of Clavering's ambition to build up the enterprise (as was the inclusion of photographs taken by John Barrington). 

I described in the Royale/Hussar timeline article how, in 1960, the two newly diverging 'brands' (Royale and Hussar) seemed to get in a scrap over the publication rights for Tom of Finland's 'Thieving Cowboy'. 

 

Hussar's advert above in 1963 publicised the work of a new artist, Holzman, with a story about another thief who gets caught. A few years earlier, Royale would probably have described the 'toughie' as a 'Ted'. There's a full article on 'Merchant Navy' at mitchmen which uncovers the true identity of Holzman. 

This ad accidentally coincided with another sad milestone - the final disappearance of the Royale Studio brand from the Physique press. Incidentally, Hussar never described themselves as a Studio, but as Hussar Photography initially and later simply as 'Hussar'.