Do you have a favorite muscleman from the Golden Age? I have several, but one of my favorites was Mickey Hargitay, Mr. Universe of 1955. I first noticed him when he was pictured with his then girlfriend Jayne Mansfield at the Hollywood Publicists Association’s Ballyhoo Ball, both wearing leopard skin bikinis. Earlier, however, I saw a picture of him with Mae West and Chuck Krauser, flexing their muscles in white briefs. I was hooked on Mickey. I saw him in the movie “Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?” in which he wore leopard skin briefs and had fake chest hair. His role was quite small, and he didn’t appear again after his jungle scene.

He and Jayne had some great publicity photos, but their marriage ended, and so Mickey soon faded from sight. He appeared in some bodybuilding magazines, but he was replaced by newer ones and quit bodybuilding. He made some films and appeared in nightclubs but later left the entertainment industry to concentrate on construction.

He appeared in the documentary film “Beefcake,” which related the gay connection to the gladiator films. He also toured with the films and after the film, appeared in a discussion of the movies. He also appeared twice in Greenwich Village in a theater, once with daughter Mariska, about the gladiator movies. He also made an appearance at the opening of a Mae West section in a Hollywood museum. Although West was furious over Mickey choosing Jayne over her, Mickey wasn’t one to hold a grudge and was grateful to her for choosing her as her leading man in her nightclub act. West said all the men in her act were gay. How did she know?