The Old Reliable Fund

BUTT >> The David Hurles Interview

2010-03-30T12:47:00.000-07:00

From BUTT Magazine
By Christopher Trout

Twenty years ago, David Hurles was rolling in cash. He had spent the better half of his life photographing and filming the surliest, dirtiest rough trade motherfuckers the West Coast had to offer and selling these photos and videos under the name Old Reliable Tape and Picture Company. His fans ranged from patron of filth John Waters to cerebral playboy Gore Vidal. He lived the sweet life in a gigantic home in the Hollywood Hills. When I met David two years ago, things had soured a bit. He shared an apartment with his longhaired 30-something boyfriend, Mykey, much closer to Hollywood Blvd. than the Hollywood Hills. They survived off of David’s Social Security checks and occasional government-issued cans of food, generically printed with the names of their contents – FISH, CHICKEN, BEEF.

Today, David is the most popular resident of a state funded nursing home in East Hollywood. Having suffered a stroke over a year ago, he spends his days in bed, listening to the constant noise of his roommates’ TVs, sleeping and gossiping with his close friend, and de facto caregiver, Dian Hanson[i]. The place is a dump, really, mere miles from the palace that porn built, but David isn’t altogether bitter. Sure, he’s pissed – understandably so – but if you catch him at the right time, you’ll find him transported to another place in his memory, a place where the rough trade runs free. With a retrospective of David’s outsider porn photos (curated by John Waters) set to open at Marianne Boesky gallery in New York in June, and a Joe Gage-directed documentary about him in the works, I sat down with David to find out just what got him to where he is today.

Check out the full interview @ the BUTT Blog

David Hurles Curated by John Waters @ Marianne Boesky NYC

2010-03-25T12:42:00.000-07:00

Raging hard-ons, sketchy prison tattoos, and junkies, junkies, junkies – they have all been represented in contemporary art, but never like this. Starting June 4, and continuing through June 26, David's work will be on display at one of New York's most respected galleries, Marianne Boesky (509 West 24th St.). The show, Outsider Porn: The Photos of David Hurles, is the brain child of King of Filth, John Waters. Waters worked closely with David's friend Dian Hanson, to come up with a truly compelling collection of photographs from his vast portfolio of American street trade. David's aggressively pornographic images, will now occupy the same space once taken up by the works of such art stars as Takashi Murakami, Liz Craft, and Mr. Waters himself.

Say Goodbye to the Old Reliable Store

2010-01-09T15:40:00.000-08:00

Starting immediately the Old Reliable Store is closed!

No need to panic–David's movin' on up, supplying his work with much fancier accommodations. It's been a good year, and a lot of people have reached out to help, but we're happy to pass the torch. Where, then, will you be able to find Old Reliable? We're not at liberty to say, but you'll be the first to know when we are.

As far as David's health is concerned, he's doing OK–not great, just OK. He's still crazy about sweets–a peek in his bedside table revealed a stash of assorted candies and cookies, ranging from strawberry Hostess Cakes to Reese's Peanut Butter Cups–and his spirits are as high as they can be.

The last time I saw him, which was early December, I believe, I read to him from James Leo Herlihy's Midnight Cowboy, which, having been written about one of David's roughest old models, Barry Hoffman (pictured above sometime in his 50s), really struck a cord with him. A very creepy, and all too well described trailer park rape scene brought our man to tears. Afterward David took me on a trip down memory lane–more like Hollywood Blvd–where he imparted a real pearl, which was handed down to him from a wise old drag queen–something about fucking marines and praying to Jesus.

I don't do it justice, but it's in those moments with David that you realize just how superficial his handicap really is–he's still witty, charming and sharp, but his body just hasn't caught up with his mind. We know he is still a capable human being, now it's up to his body to prove it.

We salute David in his new ventures and we'd like to thank you for giving your support when David needed it most. We'll continue to update this blog with details about upcoming OR products and events, but, for now into the foreseeable future, you'll have to go somewhere else to buy Old Reliable.

Thank you, and goodnight.

Sneak Peek: David Hurles' Outcast

2010-01-01T15:21:00.000-08:00

We've received a number of requests for information about David's new book, but for the most part you know as much as we do–well, almost. If you've kept up with the progress of Outcast, then you know that it was set for release in November. Well, word on the street is...nothing. We tried to get a solid date from the publishing house, which proved fruitless, and for all of our digging on the Internet, we've come up with dick. The publisher's website, GreenCandyPress.com, still shows no trace of the full-color volume, and Amazon has changed it's release date to March 1, 2010. So what does that mean for the fate of Outcast? We don't know. What we do know is the book was ready for press a few months ago–we received an advanced PDF, roughly laid out, but not yet polished for printing, in September. Basically, it should be ready to go, but there's clearly somehting gumming up the works.

Well, we'll let you know if we hear anything. Until then, enjoy the above spread of early Old Reliable color stills.

David Hurles' Outcast - Nov. 2009 in Bookstore's Near You

2009-11-02T22:50:00.000-08:00

With the recent release of David's new book, Outcast, and John Waters' upcoming reflections on his greatest influences, Role Models, due out early next year, Old Reliable continues to expand its reach over the world of dirty books. In Outcast, David gathers his favorite photographs along with an autobiographical intro, and short bios of the Hollywood hustlers he loved most. From what we've seen of John Waters' new book, it's a witty and enlightening homage to a group of filthy, depraved and thoroughly interesting human beings – one of them being David, or at least we hope. Barring some major oversight in editing, a 2006 interview between these two purveyors of 20th Century trash, should be the basis for a chapter on David. Role Models is still a ways off, but you can enjoy David in his own words now,

Trash Can 0013 - OJ's Third Leg

2009-10-08T00:31:00.000-07:00

Trash Can 0012 - Meat

2009-10-06T19:02:00.000-07:00

Know Thy Enemy - Charles Keating

2009-10-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

Charles Keating
Born December 4, 1923 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Adelle and Charles Humphrey Keating, Charles was a bit of a jock, winning awards for his breaststroke in college, and whoring himself out to just about every team he could in high school. He dropped out of school in 1941, and enlisted in the Navy. As it turns out, Chuck wasn’t the brightest bulb in the bunch. He narrowly averted being enlisted in WWII, but managed to crash a Hellcat, nonetheless. In line with his white bread upbringing, he married a white lady from Cincinnati, and they had five kids.

His foray into assholery began in 1956, when he joined a group of uptight Catholic men to fight the dangers of pornography. In 1958 he testified in front of the House Judiciary committee on mail-order pornography, further solidifying his position as a stick in the mud. It was here that he first blamed pornography on the pinkos. Also in 1958, Chuck established the Citizens for Decent Literature (aka Citizens for Decency through Law).

In the mid-60s Mr. Clean, as he was dubbed, produced a racy film that used alliteration to rail against the ills of smut. The film was called Perversion for Profit. At the height of the sexual revolution, Chuck proved just how uncool he could be, when he accepted a position on Tricky Dick’s Commission on Obscenity and Pornography. His was the sole dissenting vote, when the commission decided that pornography did not degrade the morals of adults or cause crime. He further proved just how lame he was when he wrote his dissenting report with help from fellow DC douche bag, Pat Buchanan.

After his time on the commission, Chuck denounced Playboy, Oui, Russ Meyer, Larry Flynt, and a series of local adult theatres. In the late-80s he was the center of a banking scandal that would land future GOP presidential candidate, John McCain in the unfortunate “Keating Five.” Poor Chuck ended up serving time in federal prison for this and other indiscretions. He’s still alive, but no one, accept maybe his family, could give a shit.

All of this information was gleaned from the Interweb, and has not been fact checked, either by the subject or the author. In other words, don’t take our word for it. This post originally appeared on blog.AthleticModelGuild.com

Black Stallion

2009-09-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

I debated writing some long winded diatribe about spirit animals here, but I think this video sort of speaks for itself. Watch it with the sound--it really adds something.

Dian Hanson Remembers George Mavety, Straight King of Gay Porn

2009-09-22T19:46:00.000-07:00

When Old Reliable was at the top of its game, the World of gay publishing was dominated by one man – a straight man, named George Mavety. Responsible for such titles as Honcho, Mandate, and Inches, Mavety Media Group set the standard for fag rags to come. The company also published straight magazines like Juggs and Leg Show, edited by David's good friend, Dian Hanson. In this video from Unzipped, Dian talks about the man who defined an era of gay pornography.

Happy 65th David!

2009-09-17T00:50:00.000-07:00

David celebrated his 65th birthday over the weekend. Sexy Book Editor, Dian Hanson, fetish photographer extraordinaire, Dave Naz, and his girlfriend, artist and pron star, Ashley Blue, were all on hand to feed David cake, and no doubt talking dirty to the King of talking dirty. David was decked out in his usual nursing home attire, but with some certain flair - an eye patch to help him see straight and a birthday hat that mysteriously appeared in his room before the party. From what we've seen, David did not lack for cake. Happy birthday, David. Here's to a new year!

To celebrate, here's a shot of Spider Mann, flipping you off.

Treasures from the OR Storage Unit

2009-08-25T21:45:00.000-07:00

By Dian Hanson

In mid-July, not the nicest time of year to spend in a sweltering storage facility, I moved David’s archive from two very cluttered storage units into one larger, cheaper one. Christopher Trout’s loyal, young and most important, strong, friends Heather and Hamish came long to help and between us we humped about three hundred boxes of files (David is a great scholar on virtually everything), books, catalogs, magazines, model releases, videotapes, audiotapes, negatives, slides and prints from the two old dusty spaces into the new slightly less dusty space. It took us about three hours of hard labor, but when we were done we had created something slightly like order for the archive. This means I can actually find photos of specific models now, which many of you have asked for, and also have access to, and a way to duplicate audiotapes for sale.

OR Cassettes
David always felt his audiotapes were his finest achievement, and having driven around LA for a few weeks in my big Lincoln Town Car with the abuse of smoldering hustlers blaring from my sound system, I think I agree. These tapes, made by leaving a model, hustler or criminal alone in a room with a tape recorder and a one-hour cassette, can be chilling. Some used their time as primal scream therapy, others followed surprisingly imaginative scripts of their own invention, telling of tricks they’d fucked and fucked over. Some just describe in rich detail their plans to rape/rob/murder David. He values these tape above all. If you still have a means of listening to audiotapes, write for details. Tapes are $15 for 60 minutes, with 30 minutes of two different models.

One of a Kind Wrestling Prints
More exciting for most of you will be a find I made in the wrestling files. David had always told me he didn’t make larger format prints, as he had no outlet for selling them. However, I have found a limited number of gorgeous, vintage, 8 x 10 black and white wrestling prints, dating from around 1985. These glossy prints are in perfect condition and were personally printed by David in his own darkroom (when I showed them to him he finally remembered making them for a proposed gallery exhibit in the ’80s). David will sign these prints. The Leslie/Lohman Gallery in New York has shown interest in mounting an exhibition and sale of these prints, so if you’re a wrestling fan you’d better get them now.

Rare 5x7s
For those with stricter budgets, I also found a stash of 5 x 7 hand printed black and white wrestling prints as well. These feature popular models, including Springer, Brian Diaz, Dakota Bradford and Kermit. These all feature the Old Reliable studio stamp.

Last of the OR Catalogues
I also found a single box of Old Reliable catalogs. Again, these are in pristine shape and uncirculated, but they are the only catalogs left. David says he even destroyed the film used to print the catalogs, so there can be no more. We’re starting low on the price, considering that these are really like magazines with hundreds of photos of Old Reliable models, but as the box empties the price will go up. Again, act quickly, as begging later will do no good.

The Man Himself
As for David, he’s finally starting to get some physical therapy to help him regain use of his hands, largely because he’s about to turn 65, the magical age when Medicare kicks in. It’s 10 and a half months since his stroke, so we’re not sure how much he’ll benefit from therapy, but seeing his slow improvement with no therapy, I have hopes. As for his dirty little mind, it remains sharp, and his humor is intact through it all. The best times are when we sit and talk about his models, every one of whom he remembers in graphic detail, from first glimpse, to the pick up, the posing, the sex, to the crimes, imprisonment, release and return, when they would show up even more magnificent, he will tell you, with new muscle, new tattoos, and new tricks for his camera or recorder.

Intermission for Agrtessive Tops

2009-08-24T20:17:00.000-07:00

Pop You In The Pooper - Jeff Stryker

We've got a ton of new products coming to the Old Reliable store, and a note from everyone's favorite naughty editor, Dian Hanson. In the meantime enjoy this tasty morsel from 80s porn star Jeff Stryker. Jeff Stryker, Pop You in the Popper via Jake Taylor

Donate Today and Receive the "Basic Black" Brochure

2009-08-18T20:55:00.000-07:00

Do you like your black dick basic? Are you sick of complicated cock? Do you consider yourself a kind and caring person? Do you love Old Reliable? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it's your lucky day. Now, when you donate to the Old Reliable Fund, you'll receive more than just a little good Karma.

That's right folks, just for being a good person (and contributing $5 or more to the Old Reliable Fund) we'll send you the "Basic Black" brochure, pictured above. Featuring such beauties as Gary Matthews, T-Bone, and 'X', the "Basic Black" brochure is not only free but also collectible. So you win twice. It's like getting a blow job on your birthday! Now, doesn't that sound nice?

Just click on the donate button to the left and contribute to David's recovery and the preservation of the Old Reliable archives. When we receive your donation we'll email you for your mailing address. (Don't worry, it's all secure and you can use your Paypal account).

Seeking Joe Buck Pt. 1

2009-08-07T01:23:00.000-07:00

This post was excerpted from a larger post written for AMG Online

“Back in New York, Barry [Hoffman] had lived with the guy who did Midnight Cowboy, see? This is who the character was modeled after.” David Hurles in the Appendicks to Dian Hanson’s The Big Penis Book

A couple of months ago we came across a picture of Barry Hoffman as an old man, taken by David Hurles when Barry was about 50 years old. In it, Barry kneels on both knees, stringy blonde hair creeps down his shoulders, long grey fur covers his chest, faded tattoos adorn his leathery skin, and his face – oh, his face. Sad and stoic, the expression is one only a man who’d literally seen it all could muster.

That single photograph spoke volumes about one of gay pornography’s longest working models. Like so many of his contemporaries, Barry’s pictures were nearly all we knew of him. He was strong, masculine and just the right amount of rough. As we contemplated the life this man must have lived, we remembered a passage from the Appendicks of The Big Penis Book. In it, Hurles talks about Barry’s work for Colt Studios, his eventual work for AMG and Old Reliable, and finally (excerpted above) his serving as inspiration for Midnight Cowboy.

Having reread this passage, we became obsessed. What if we could prove some sort of link? We went online and bought the novel that would become the blue print for the iconic film of the same name. Written by James Leo Herlihy, Midnight Cowboy follows a simple-minded boy from Albuquerque, NM to New York City as he seeks one thing: human affection. In his quest for emotional fulfillment, Joe Buck, a strapping blonde veteran, encounters the very darkest corners of human sexuality.

Read the rest at blog.AthleticModelGuild.com

From Russia, with Love

2009-08-06T16:29:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you've all seen this one a million times, but I just can't get over Putin's pecs.

Trash Can 0011

2009-08-06T00:35:00.000-07:00

The Old Reliable Knitted Condom, via The Anti Craft

Outcast, A Sneak Peek

2009-08-02T22:44:00.001-07:00

It's finally here. The second volume of Old Reliable photos from Green Candy Press, appropriately titled Outcast, is now on sale at Amazon.com. There's still not much information, but from what we gather this full-color publication is set to drop in early November. So if you're wondering what to get for that special OR fan in your life (for whatever winter holiday you might celebrate) look no further. Here's what Green Candy has to say about the book:

As a visual record of youthful male ambitions, the photographs of David Hurles vibrate with self-assurance and dangerous sexuality. Hurles, whose own history, recounted in this book, resonates with this same kind of gutter intensity as the images he created, began documenting drifters, grifters, and hustlers — men from America's hard underbelly — in the 1970s, through his legendary company Old Reliable. Hurles' style was unmistakable, downplaying technical polish in favor of the unvarnished emotional truth of his muscular, tattooed subjects. His ability to communicate with his models helped him elicit erotic presentations that no other photographer of his era could capture consistently. Outcast tells two fascinating stories — that of a determined gay artist who pioneered the dark mirror image of the "tasteful," artistic male nude; and a mosaic portrait of backstreet America via a group of anonymous young men who drifted into his life and before his camera, to briefly entertain and excite gay men before vanishing.

Okay, so the reference to "In Living Color" on the cover is, to say the least, a little weird, but how can you go wrong with 156 pages of those hard knock beauties that David so adored?

Old Reliable Interviews

2009-07-13T15:15:00.000-07:00

This photo of David was taken over chicken fried steak at the Sizzler on Hollywood Blvd. in June 2007.

When I met David, two years ago, I was in the process of compiling interviews for a history of the infamous Athletic Model Guild. Dian Hanson, who was working on the Big Penis Book at the time, put us in touch and David agreed to meet me at the Sizzler on Hollywood Blvd. We talked for a little over two hours that day, and sat down for another interview, one month later. What follows is an excerpt from our first interview in June 2006.

How did you end up doing physique photography?

Well after being a model for Hal [Roth of Filmco] a little while, and working for Conrad and Dwight – after that ended, I had very little money. I moved back to San Francisco. It was the end of ’68, and this is one of those rags to riches stories.

I had a couple of credit cards, no money, and I couldn’t find a place to live. I had shot a couple of models in Hollywood when I was working for Conrad and Dwight and I decided I would be one [a photographer]. I took my credit cards – all the money I had in the world – and a bought a plane ticket to N.Y., Philadelphia and Washington D.C., because there are publishers in those cities.

It was a very, very cold January – very cold. But I went to NY and met the mafia. It’s true, a couple of guys in publishing, one of the guys who was later on the masthead of Blueboy, the other one who was shot or something. But they were very nice to me and they bought a few things for a deck of cards and some paperback covers. Now it’s on to Philadelphia where I met Clark Polak who was rude, and ruined Philadelphia

Who was Clark?

Clark Polak was his name, he ran a magazine called Drum. So, I left Philadelphia unhappy, went back to NY, then I flew to Washington. It was very cold. Here I am with Dr. Womack [of the Grecian Guild] and all his reputation. It was a very cold night and a man I’d never met says he wants to go to bed with me.

Wow.

You go, you know. It’s like, it’s not the end of the world – you go. Only time that this had happened, and that was okay. We cemented a deal, a relationship, became friends. He’s one of the people I most highly regard in my experience. Him and Mizer and my mother are the three people that I respect the most. So with Womack, we made a deal. He would buy everything I could ship to him for one hundred dollars a shoot. After I had paid the models, expenses and so forth, it was quite a good deal in 1969.

Trash Can 0010

2009-07-08T19:45:00.001-07:00

Trash Can 0009

2009-07-08T19:35:00.000-07:00

"I honestly believe if I do anything to advance the freedom of the press, I’ll consider myself lucky. I’m not a martyr. But if homosexuals want a literature, they have a right to it. They pay taxes and die. A hell of a lot of them have died in Vietnam.”

One of David's mentors, Dr. Herman Lynn Womack, to the Washington Daily News, April 30, 1970. Via RainbowHistory.org

Trash Can 0008

2009-07-01T19:33:00.000-07:00

Marcel Duchamps' Fountain, 1917

Trash Can 0007

2009-06-25T18:50:00.000-07:00

Devils Island

2009-06-22T18:36:00.000-07:00

Doug liked to break the law. He might have stolen David's heart. Photos by David Hurles

By David Hurles

As I was remembering some of these men, my mind wandered and I found myself wondering just which one of the thousands I might hope to accompany me if I were banished to Devils Island, but permitted a single companion. (I didn’t question whether the companion would have had any input in the matter.) The usual suspects, the stars of 40 years, all crossed my mind, but roaring up from nowhere was this man from the beautiful spring of 1983, Doug Stevens. He seemed an unremarkable man at first, but when he was gone, the memory lingered. He was just about 5’7”, and 150 Indian brown hot blooded pounds. He was born in 1953, so he would now be over 50, although he was just a lad of about 30 back then. His rap sheet ran from San Jose to Long Beach, from attempted murder (dismissed), vehicle thefts, various shades of disorderly conduct, to presenting false identification.

Details aside, I remember the solid feel of his body, how his more than adequate throbbing member got as hard as a rock, as needed, and even though he only did what he was led to do, he followed where I led, did as he was asked and did it with enthusiasm. A man of few words, those few were all that were required. Doug was quietly self-confident. He understood that we’re all made up of parts, and he knew the value of those parts, his parts, my parts. He had remarkable stamina, endurance. This man planted a little seed, and then was gone. The seed has grown. Although many could make the eternity of the island bearable, this man would make it agreeable.

Excerpt from "Old Reliable's Prince Charming Might be on Death Row". Box Magazine, Issue 6.2

Trash Can 0006

2009-06-22T18:29:00.000-07:00

Government Smut, via the The College of St. Benedict and St. John's University's flckr

Early Springer

2009-06-16T21:26:00.000-07:00

The last time I saw David he told me absolutely everything he remembered about Springer, which, by the way, was plenty. In fact, his recollection of Springer is so extensive that I can't say I remember half of what he told me. Springer was a regular Old Reliable model, one of those guys who just kept coming back. He was tough, but sweet, and he had a really nice ass. He was one of those guys who just had to fuck. The day wasn't complete if he didn't bust a nut. Springer was also a family man – insanely loyal to his wife and kids, who he lived with in David's garage. Sure it sounds a little strange, but just think off all the wacky family sitcom-style high jinks that must have ensued. "Who's the Boss?" aint got nothin' on Old Reliable.

Trash Can 0004

2009-06-12T02:03:00.000-07:00

Andy Warhol's Trash, ft. Little Joe Dallesandro

America's Most Eligible Inmate No. 0003

2009-06-11T20:56:00.000-07:00

Bachelor No. 0003
Crime: Assault, Attempted Escape
Age: 23
HIV Status: Negative

Interests: Writing and recording music, parties, clubbing, talking all night on the phone and giving full body massages

Seeking: I am a young, caramel flavor and romantic type of boy. I am versatile and interested in someone that can make me blush. I am looking for a unique relationship of someone that will let me tend to your every need and let me be who I know how to be. I am interested in traveling to be where ever you are because with a heart like mine can be compatible to a heart like your's. Falling in love is my goal and wanting to be loved is a mission I hope you can accomplish. In prosperity your friends know who you are. In adversity you know who your friends are a fort that is all too real in my life. I am looking for someone to share my life with, but I can accept and respect a friendship with true meaning. I am due to get out next year and I looking forward to stating my life over and experiencing things that I often dream about while in here. I am easy to get along with and open to exploration. If you give me a chance you will not be disappointed. If you want to know details, write me and I'll be more than happy to explain.

Brought to you by GayPrisoners.net

David on Louis

2009-06-09T18:29:00.000-07:00

Murderers
By David Hurles

I spotted Louis walking on the street in Hollywood one day, and cruised around for a better look at him. He was dressed in a long sleeve thermal, revealing nothing, but I was certain he was someone of interest.

Louis was 5’11”, 180 pounds, and a former US Marine. The first time I photographed Louis I was captivated by the way the afternoon light reflected off of his silken pale skin and his light psycho blue eyes sparkled. Louis was open to everything, sexually and otherwise. He liked young men, old men, queens, and certainly liked women. He was fantastic sex, however brief (he usually got off too soon, although that never dampened his enthusiasm, and he could keep right on pressing on).

About 2001 he got into some trouble here in LA; shots were fired, the victim was also armed. Louis is doing more years than I can count in the California prison system. There have been a lot of murderers among my models, certainly higher than their representation in the population as a whole. But speaking for myself, I would rather hang out in a room full of murderers than a room full of politicians any day.

Trash Can 0003

2009-06-08T19:17:00.000-07:00

Jan Svankmajer - Meat Love (1989)

Trash Can 0002

2009-06-02T20:31:00.001-07:00

Trash Can 0001

2009-06-01T18:16:00.000-07:00

“To understand bad taste one must have very good taste” - John Waters, from Shock Value.

Little Phil, Now in the Old Reliable Store

2009-05-26T19:27:00.000-07:00

During one of our many trips to the Old Reliable archives, we came across what can only be described as a real treasure. This shot of Little Phil, now available in the Old Reliable Store, is only one of many rare gems we discovered in David's dark den of a storage unit. Over the years, David parceled out most of his originals to make ends meet. These images are the very last of the first run, so if you're a real collector, this is your last chance. Of course, there are always more diamonds in the rough to come, but perhaps none as precious as Little Phil.

America's Most Eligible Inmate, No. 0002

2009-05-25T16:26:00.000-07:00

"Cancer, And my name is Larry, And I like a woman that loves everything...and everybody." -Larry of the Floaters from Float On, recorded 1977

Bachelor No. 0002
Crime: Two Counts Armed Robbery
Punishment: 40 years
Age: 39
HIV Status: Negative
Interests: I love all types of music, but what I listen to really depends upon the mood I am in at the time or the mood my lover puts me in.
Seeking: Unlike most men, I am a man who most definitely knows exactly what he likes. And to me there is nothing in the world that is more sexier or as attractive as a very loving, understanding and truly passionate bottom only feminine or masculine gay man, transsexual, transvestite, hermaphrodite, she-male, bisexual, transgendered person of any age or race. One who has a beautiful mind and is a very warm and has a radiant personality. So I have placed this listing in hopes of finding someone who is truly sincere about becoming a part of my life. And I am sincerely hoping you will decide to do so. Because I truly missing the feeling of intimacy that comes from being extremely close to someone special. And that is what I want from you. I would truly like for us to be able to share the kind of closeness that is spoken in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. And I am sincerely hoping you will allow me to experience this very special kind of intimacy with you. Because right now -- more than anything else -- I truly need someone who is as special as you are in my life.

Brought to you by GayPrisoners.net

America's Most Eligible Inmate, No. 0001

2009-05-19T00:08:00.000-07:00

"There have been a lot of murderers among my models, certainly higher than their representation in the population as a whole. But speaking for myself, I would rather hang out in a room full of murderers than a room full of politicians any day." - David Hurles, 2007

Murders, kidnappers, petty thieves, not so petty thieves, drunks, drug addicts, and, sure, a few upstanding citizens too; these were the men who fueled the Old Reliable fire. These unwitting hustlers were the inspiration for an entirely new, and sensational, representation of male sexuality.

Unlike the beefcake photography of his predecessors, David's work has the power to both entice and insight, owing in large part to his subjects. In a salute to the man who brought you such dangerous beauties as Lone Wolf Bronson and supposed serial killer, Cherokee, we're bringing you our picks for the most eligible inmates currently incarcerated in the good old US of A.

Bachelor No. 0001

Crime: Evading arrest in motor vehicle, assault on public servant
Punishment: 30 years
Age: 38
HIV Status: Negative
Interests: Art, Tattoos, Riding Harleys, Philosophy, Real Estate, Sports
Seeking: Attention all you dirty little tramps out there in search of a handsome, brown-eyes deviant top; look no further because you have found your man. If you are tired of all the routines of everyday life and are exhausted from that never ending quest for the stud who has the ability to control your every thought, feeling and emotion; then grab my hand. We will step into the sunset of what was, what is and what will be. I will give you one warning! I am aggressive and domineering and expect northing short of absolute adoration, respect and devotion. Anything less will not be tolerated in any shape or fashion.

Brought to you by GayPrisoners.net

Sweet Andy Had Bad Thoughts

2009-05-14T20:21:00.000-07:00

Say hi to Andy, one of David's ex-boyfriends and sometimes model. From what David tells me, Andy hung out with a lot of drag queens. He also loved speed, the drug of choice for a lot of Old Reliable models. Like so many of David's best subjects, sweet little Andy turned out to be a cold blooded killer. That's right folks, Andy committed homicide, and his hair still looks silky smooth. To get your hands on your very own homicidal hotty, make your way over to the Old Reliable Store, and spend some of your cold hard cash for a good cause - your libido will thank you.

May 5, 2009 Hollywood, CA

2009-05-11T12:21:00.000-07:00

Made our way down to LA last night. Encountered smoke from brush fires and strange glances at the rest stop urinal, outside the Grape Vine. Looking forward to seeing David tonight, and uncovering the archives tomorrow. Can't wait to see the hustlers on Hollywood Blvd! More soon.

Now in Stock at the Old Reliable Store

2009-05-06T22:48:00.001-07:00

Now all these miscreants can be yours. Check out Tico, Joe, Bob, and Lone Wolf in the Old Reliable Store.

David Update from Dian Hanson

2009-05-02T16:35:00.000-07:00

David Hurles is in a nursing home in Hollywood now, which allows me to visit him four times a week instead of once. I bring him stuff he likes to eat, which means a lot of pudding, ice cream and cheesecake, which he’s relearning to eat with an ez-grip baby spoon. Attached are a couple photos showing him engaged in the MediCal therapy program—basically exercises to increase strength and dexterity using simple, cheap household items that I buy and bring him. Here he’s mastering the art of separating cotton balls and piling them into a plastic cup. Though he keeps asking if we can’t hire someone to do this (he means his part, not mine), he’s made immediate progress. Still hoping to be able to get some help so I can get him on his feet a bit, but I know all of you who saw him at his worst will be happy to see him come this far.- Dian

The Influential Old Reliable 0001

2009-05-02T14:54:00.001-07:00

"Rush" from John Waters' Rear Projection now on display at Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills through May 23.

Take It Off

2009-04-28T19:06:00.000-07:00

Photo by David Hurles for the Old Reliable Tape and Picture Company

David on Lonewolf Bronson

2009-04-22T15:18:00.000-07:00

North Dakota Breakdown
By David Hurles

In the spring of 1984, Lone Wolf Bronson (as he styled himself) was discharged from the Army for drinking or insubordination. Soon he was spreading cheer in Los Angeles, and some fine cheer it was, too. He modeled, he wrestled, and he kept people company. We drove to San Francisco for a week. He was strong, self-assured, had a carefree easygoing nature and I never tired of his company; when I got bored, well, it was a good kind of bored. Lone Wolf was never greedy, never complained. Just 22 in 1984, he was 6’3” and 165 pounds, his physique was tight and hard, with almost no body fat, and boy did he have a cock worth remembering. As for sex, he loved experimenting, and he loved being top man, and being in control just came naturally to him, as nature clearly intended. He also loved a challenge, since that gave him something to do. After about six months, Lone Wolf just sort of disappeared. Twenty years passed. I never stopped thinking about him, and he had other fans, too. I stalked around on the internet in search of some clue. When a fan, who also had an obviously sincere appreciation for this man, asked me if I knew where he’d gone, I gave him what little info I knew about his origin in Alabama. It was only a short time later that I heard from the fan again. He had contacted Lone Wolf’s mother. And with a mother’s broken heart she explained that Lone Wolf was now serving a life sentence for murder, in North Dakota, far from home. I’m sure there are details I’ll never know anything about. I certainly felt safe with him many nights, totally vulnerable, even far from home. Life can be a long time, done day by day. I hope he’s making someone happy in North Dakota. He’s just 45 now.

Excerpt from "Old Reliable's Prince Charming Might be on Death Row". Box Magazine, Issue 6.2

Joe Gage Tackles Old Reliable

2009-04-19T14:33:00.000-07:00

Warning: This post is not about the ultimate gay porn wrestling match, though I have filed that idea away under, 'Things to see before I die'.

If you're a die-hard Old Reliable fan, you probably already know that Joe Gage (aka Tim Kincaid) is working on a documentary about David Hurles' empire of rough trade. He actually finished interviewing David just weeks before he had the stroke. It may be one of the last interviews that David gives, and I can't wait to see the final product. I'm a big fan of the El Paso Wrecking Corp and Bad Girls Dormitory, one of a slew of low-budget exploitation ventures Gage (as Kincaid) directed in the 1980s, and having met Joe just a few weeks ago on trip to see David, I'm sure this as-of-yet untitled documentary will be as thought provoking as a conversation with David can be.

I have a feeling the documentary is still a ways off, but until then, Joe is working to digitize and release a portion of the Old Reliable video catalog. D/G Mutual Media just dropped the first Old Reliable DVD compilation, and it's got all the elements that made David famous. The Best of Old Reliable Vol. I features some of David's favorite models, like Springer, Scott, and Gentleman Dan, jerking off, flexing, and listening to classic rock. Really, as much as I love David's videos, and his men – Gentleman Dan really melts my heart – it's the casual atmosphere, and that killer soundtrack that's really got me hooked right now. You can see outtakes from The Best of Old Reliable Vol. I, and more of David's videos at the Joe Gage/Ray Dragon super site. Oh yes, and make sure to check back at Joe's blog for more about the upcoming documentary.

Old Reliable's Prince Charming Might be on Death Row

2009-04-14T21:20:00.000-07:00

By David Hurles

I’ve been a very lucky guy. I’ve always liked sex, sex with men, gay men of course, but I’ve had a particular liking for sex with straight men. Something about them has always excited me. Many straight men having sex with a gay man likely define the experience as something other than sex, if they overly concern themselves with thinking too much about it at all. Labels don’t really much matter. If there are orgasms involved, then it’s sex.

The sixties were great. San Francisco was unbelievable. I was young (and assumed I always would be), and I found my calling laboring in the vineyards of erotica. I started shooting pictures of naked men, mostly straight, and have kept on doing it for forty years.

From time to time someone has said to me that I probably shoot the type of men that populate my work because they are “what’s available.” Uh, not exactly. In fact, I’ve spent most of my career avoiding the standard issue gay porn-star, actor, model, and escort. It’s nothing personal, since I would gladly sleep with most of them. But as for working with them, it’s just too much like work for me. I like to approach a subject as a blank slate, and listen to him, and learn. And this very frequently leads to sex–exciting sex.

The artist Rex, writing about Old Reliable men [the moniker Hurles used with his photographs] in the book Speeding, said “His models were the detritus of the American dream: dropouts, drug addicts, ex-cons, and schemers. Homeless and just passing through…Year after year Hurles…documented their courage and bravado….Their dangerous personas held a hypnotic allure.”

Actually, my most recent sex was a homeless man, living on the hillside near the Hollywood Bowl. I don’t chase after grungy encounters. This man was someone you could eat without washing first. He was lean and sleek and muscular, blatantly tattooed, an amazing specimen for a 47-year-old man. Straight, but had been around. Soon we identified several people and places in common from years gone by. He brought a joint and we did fantastic things until the sun came up.

A review on the Bijouworld.com site out of Chicago of one of my videos, possibly overstates the matter when the reviewer refers to my models as “….the lowest of the lowlife hustlers….the kind of men not normally seen in porn. Hurles likes them rough, doped-up, criminally insane, and straight.”

Same reviewer, different video, allows that ”this is pretty amazing stuff, unlike almost anything else–not so much pornography as a peek inside a dark universe where the presented pleasures are not what most people would imagine….it’s also terrifically hot…bound to blow a few minds.”

There have been several thousand models. When they are not in prison, or very married, it has been my practice to stay in touch with many of them, often over decades. They are my friends. People change, but relationships usually become more familiar, more intimate. I maintain that if sex is good the first time, it can only get better. In fact, perfect can replace ordinary every time once a person accepts that pleasure and gratification require something from each participant.

I could tell tales about practically every man I’ve worked with. They would not all be equal. Some tales would be very dark, others bright and exciting and hot, none of them dull. But there could never be enough time. Here are tales about a couple men, and a few of life’s lessons.

Excerpt from "Old Reliable's Prince Charming Might be on Death Row". Box Magazine, Issue 6.2

Buy Old Reliable

2009-04-13T18:32:00.000-07:00

They just don't make 'em like they used to. The hardened criminals, who hawked their bodies on the streets of San Francisco and LA, might be relics of the past, but you can still get your sweaty palms on their hard bodies. No, we didn't create a social networking site for vintage gay-for-pay models and the men who love to be abused by them – for that, check here – but starting today, you can get your hands on David Hurles' unique photographs of the best in rough trade from the last 40 years. At the Old Reliable Store, you'll find vintage fiber prints of your favorite Old Reliable models, including Tico Patterson, Powerful Pierre, Little Phil and big Mike Adams, all complete with studio stamp. So if you're looking for a throwback to the days when you could still find your tricks on the street, stop in and get off for a good cause.

All proceeds go to David's recovery and the protection of his collection.

Whatever Happened to David Hurles?

2009-03-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

On October 6, 2008 I had my haircut. It wasn't anything special, just a favor to a friend who needed a "head" for beauty school, but it's a haircut that I'll never forget. While my head was under scrutiny from a heard of hair people I missed a call. It was a call I shouldn't have missed. Dian Hanson was on the other end.

Her voice conveyed a combination of impatience and panic. She said our friend, David Hurles, was in the hospital. He'd suffered a massive stroke earlier that morning. I called back immediately, but Dian was now in the hospital and my calls weren't going through.

I had plans to meet a friend for a drink in fifteen minutes. We were going to see John Waters' one-man show at the Castro Theatre that night, and planned to be properly sauced for the occasion. At that moment, completely uncertain of David's current state, and with no one else to call, I needed that drink.

So I went on. My friend and I had a couple of Greyhounds at a throwback cocktail bar in the Mission and I told her about David and what had happened. I told her about his photography, and his love for rough trade, and how he'd once told me about the time John Waters interviewed him for a book about his biggest influences. It all seemed so unreal.

Fifteen minutes into This Filthy World I was bawling like a baby. It should go with out saying that John Waters' one-man show isn't a particularly tear jerking affair, but I couldn't hold it together. I just kept thinking about David and how excited he'd been about his interview with Mr. Waters. That's when Dian called. I rushed out of the theatre and into the street. Standing in front of the Castro Theatre, surrounded by the sounds of the city that David loved, I listened as Dian told me that he had suffered a near fatal stroke, and the outcome was grim. She said that if I wanted to see him, I'd need to come down soon. When I got home that night, I booked a flight to LA.

I arrived the next day to find David in a coma. His movements were mere reflexes. He wasn't breathing on his own, and he was hooked up to so many machines that he looked like something out of a science fiction movie – half man, half machine. For the next few days, Dian and I took shifts, reading to him, massaging his legs, and just hoping that something would happen. We all expected him to die.

On my last day in town, I was reading to David from Bonk, a book about sex and science that I'd promised to him just a month before. As I recited a passage about the corkscrew penises of pigs, a male nurse – most certainly batting for our team – came in to check on David. The orderly shook David's shoulder and loudly repeated his name in his ear, in attempt to wake him up. That's when he opened his eyes – like Dr. Frankenstein's creation, he was alive! Over the next few weeks, he regained his basic faculties: breathing, speaking, and rudimentary movement, but he wasn't the David that we once knew.

From the hospital, David was moved to a nursing home in Orange County, and with Dian's help, he eventually made his way back to Hollywood, still in a nursing home, where he remains today. He's speaking now, and eating, but mainly just sweets. He remembers his models and his life before the stroke, and he can even relate the details of October 6 in gruesome detail. It's likely that David's visitors (among them, Hollywood celebrities, old school pornographers, and the self-proclaimed queen of extreme anal) are quite a bit more entertaining than those of his roommates, but when your surrounded by death, even the most fantastic company is little consolation.

On his good days, David is lively, funny and full of the wit that drew me to him in the first place. On his bad days, which seem to out weigh the good, he is sad and fatalistic. From what we've been told, David's recovery could go one of two ways. If left to his own devices (i.e. without the proper rehabilitation), David could stagnate. However, with the proper help, there's a possibility that he can come out of this thing, if not brand new, than at least better than he is today. David always said that if something like this happened to him we should pull the plug. His greatest fear was living like he is. Since there's no turning back to those early days in the hospital, when pulling the plug was still an option, we have no choice – we have to get the man the fuck out of that holding place between life and death.