The following exclusive interview with Scotty Cunningham comes from
OUTCOME Magazine #9 © 1991 Man-Age Press. All rights reserved.
All photos ©Bruce of L.A. All rights reserved.
Nothing may be used in any way, shape or form in any manner or media without written permission.
 

OUTCOME: Absolutely!

SCOTTY: Well, you fire at me, I don't want to overwhelm you:

OUTCOME: Please tell me anything you can!  This period is all a great big blank to the public and Bruce of Los Angeles is just this kind of mysterious figure to many of us. So why don't we talk for awhile about Chipper and Toby.

SCOTTY: OK, they are now TOBY's the older one 36. He's an executive in the communications field out here in Los Angeles. He's the father of a boy and a girl. He was a NCAA wrestler, and an alternate for the Olympic team in the 70's. CHIPPER is the youngest one 33 now I know the readership of these magazines like to know signs, both of them are Libras. Chipper has a daughter, no son. He's a free lance artist, metal work. We all have an artist bend. His mainstay has been as a Martial Arts teacher. Both have been married and divorced so they are both single now! (Don't get any ideas gang--Ed.).

OUTCOME: That's interesting. I always thought that Toby was the younger.

SCOTTY: He probable looked baby faced back then. He had a little more of a pudge, right now he's lean. Actually we have a younger brother, He was much too young at that time.

OUTCOME: You're all definitely brothers right?

SCOTTY: Right.

OUTCOME: Was your family from California or from somewhere else?

SCOTTY: We were from the east coast, Long lsland ... Suffolk County.

OUTCOME: Long Island, I'm surprised. You all have a farm boy look I always thought you came from somewhere in the mid-west

SCOTTY: OK, we'll take that as a compliment, we like a rural look as opposed to the pseudo sophisticated.

OUTCOME: I mean you all had wholesome, boy-next-door, All American type looks.

SCOTTY: Yeah, I suppose the hair and the whole demeanor, sure. I must admit the Island now is not like it was 30 years ago when I was growing up. But we all graduated high school there, it was quite, quite rural. It was all railroad tracks, big   fields, so you might say it was the Iowa equivalent certainly of New York City. I, by the way, was born in Norway. I wasn't born in this country

OUTCOME: What made your family go out to the coast?

SCOTTY: Well my Father was working in the service, the Air Force, and was stationed throughout England and Europe during the time and brought my Mother over. Then I came along, born there literally.  I'm a natural citizen there and the U.S. Then we came back and then my three brothers were born in the U.S. We were all reared, as I said, in Long Island. When we came out here my Father accepted a contract with MacDonald-Douglas--at that time they hadn't split up. He was working for Republic Aviation on the Island and we moved out here and have stayed since.

OUTCOME: Let me ask you, since it's been some time since you've modeled, what do you think the overall effect was on you from being a nude model?

SCOTTY: Generally being a nude model was very enhancing  for me, of course I was mature enough to handle situations. Now there were other photographers who were obviously expedient with photographs and whatever else they can extract from a situation. Again, Bruce distinguished himself that way too. Since he was my first experience, I thought that was the only experience! I would say it was very favorable because I was treated very well, as I would assume Playboy and Penthouse models are.

OUTCOME: I don't mean how the experience of posing was but rather the effect of having nudes of you being published for the public. Did you find it a positive experience. Did you have any negative experiences?

SCOTTY: Well I'm a naturalist, I might say but my brothers are more embarrassed, I can tell you that much. They are both responsible people and would rather not have someone come up to them and say "gee, you look like Chipper or Toby", they'd be mortified.

OUTCOME: Have they had any actual bad experiences where it actually hurt them?

SCOTTY: There was no threat to their physicality. They are all very physical and can handle themselves; but they would get, sometimes, recognized, especially when they were younger--in their early 20's. They would have overtures made to them and if they were with a lady or other people it was a little embarrassing but nothing threatening. Now on the other hand I'm more gracious so it doesn't bother me at all. It was more favorable to me. They would say "it was a good experience"

OUTCOME: But there was no repercussions that hurt your or their careers?

SCOTTY: Of course on the other hand if this kind of photography was as popular as female photography, that might be the case with many, many models and I think in general might be stigmatized. I'm sure there are young ladies who have been photographed and then for better or worse are denied jobs or a little prejudice follows it. But we've never run into that.

OUTCOME: Chipper and Toby just posed for Bruce, right?

SCOTTY: Exclusively

OUTCOME: And you posed for a few other photographers. Can you tell me who?

SCOTTY: Jim French (Colt) is one. I found him to be probably on the second rung to Bruce.

OUTCOME: I know at that time there were a huge amount of photographers and studios. Now it's narrowed down.

SCOTTY: The profit margins are not there unless they go "all the way or they do something very classy like Roy Dean. He and Bruce are another octave altogether. They handled sessions exquisitely.

OUTCOME: Again it's old school.

SCOTTY: Right, its old school as far as photographs. but they are classy

OUTCOME: That's what I mean by old school.  I mean they're artists. This is why I love publishing so much of the photography of that period. The photographers from the Physique Era had to be very creative because they couldn't do full frontals. They did a lot of costuming and set design. It was pure golden age of Hollywood, it was beautiful work. Today you just pose nude and that's it.

SCOTTY: Right, it takes much less of a creative person right now, just someone who knows how to work a lens and more profit can be made that way

OUTCOME: I find though that since I publish the work of CHAMPION that there is a whole generation who never knew this kind of erotic artistry was around and they are amazed.

SCOTTY: I agreed it's like, "my God this looks like it came from a Grecian period" I'm very proud to have known one of the pioneers and principal artists who got this going. Certainly on the west coast and in the U.S. In fact maybe in a few years I would like to do male, female photography Very artistic refined work, thematic rather than just nudes per se. Is there anything you or your readers would like to know generally or specifically Because I must say I knew a few models real well. I can't say we hung out but they were at the studio and we got to know each other

OUTCOME: Were you there when he worked with Dallesandro?

SCOTTY: Oh yes, I was there with Joe.

OUTCOME: What was he like at that time?

SCOTTY: Joe was very hot, as you know. He had that look. Joe as you know depending on the hair cut and the look on his face could go different ways. After he started into the movies he was untouchable. But up until that time he gave an element that was a nice naughty boy element

OUTCOME: Personality wise what was he like?

SCOTTY: Back then he knew what he had. He was a very savvy young kid. I was quite naive. He was very worldly

OUTCOME: Did you watch Bruce photographing him"

SCOTTY: Yes.

OUTCOME: How was he to work with?

SCOTTY: Probably a little more temperamental than me, 'cause Joe knew what he wanted to do. He would just do certain things. But Bruce had a very definite style. I was more malleable besides I brought my own creativity with it. Joe did his own thing, but because he was so in demand he knew he could stretch that. He would say I'm not gonna do that, but this is what you're going to get.

OUTCOME: He was head strong.

SCOTTY: Yes, of course; He could have expanded his posing. Maybe if that head strong possibility carried over to his acting...it does not allow others to give you creative input.