My First Porn Crush: Michael Musto on Jack Wrangler
After Michael Musto presented Smut Capital at Philadelphia’s QFest, we asked the witty Village Voice columnist and about his own smut memories for our on-going series.
“My first porn star crush was Jack Wrangler,” he told us. “I can’t remember the first movie or spread I saw, but he was everywhere in the ’70s. He had a lean, self-possessed charisma and unwavering hotness that really filled the screen. He seemed so sure of himself, making ME believe in him too.
“I thought Jack was positively dreamy–like the Marlboro Man, but for gays,” he said, not resisting the chance to dish some dirt. ” … And was delighted to later get to know him and find out that he was a big theater queen.”
More on Musto/Wrangler after the jump.
Image Via Vintage Gay Media History
“Is that you Margaret?”
Wrangler might have been a theater queen, but his tough guy image sold plenty of movies. But it didn’t sell anything to the young Musto, who told us he was too cheap to even go to a theater. “I read it in a magazine store,” he said.
Musto hasn’t lost his taste for porn stars in the intervening years. Over the years he’s hung with everyone from Joey Stefano to Michael Lucas. And knowing porn star’s love of publicity, we’re pretty sure the influential Musto is still getting his smut for free. (For more Musto, check out the ever wonderful La Dolce Musto and his new book, Fork on the Left, Knife in the Back)
Fork on the Left, Knife in the Back (via Amazon)
Wrangler: Anatomy of An Icon (via Amazon)
A Night at the Adonis (via NakedSword)
—Mike
Related:
My First Porn Crush: Daniel Nardicio on Brian Buzzini
Tags: Jack Wrangler, Michael Musto, My First Porno
Tom August 30th, 2011 at 4:20 AM
In the 70’s Jack Wrangler was THE MAN. These were the days of porn theaters, the days before DVD’s. Jack Wrangler was the blond King; Al Parker was the dar-haired King (at least for me).
If Wrangler or Parker were in a movie, I would go. And always got off at some time during the afternoon or evening. Every stall had a glory hole, and I was there to give and receive – while the voice of Jack Wrangler talked, moaned and groaned on the screen in the theater.
Wrangler always looked as if he were enjoying every second during his sex scenes as both a top and a bottom. I know I enjoyed it.
Master-P August 30th, 2011 at 3:47 PM
He’s no icon 2 me he chose 2 live his str8 lie right-up 2 his death so he wouldn’t have 2 live a gay-life he made some very disturbing remarks about why he didn’t want 2 live as a gay man that he was.But continue 2 live out his str8 lie with his wife before his death who knew her now dead husband Jack-Wrangler was gay but continue with the lie any-way he knew having sex with his wife wasn’t gonna cure him of being gay.For me and icon dosen’t have 2 live a lie and pretend 2 by some-thing he is not because the truth is alway better than a lie will ever be that why gays need 2 stop picking gays and lesbians who chose 2 lead a life of lies 2 be role-model for other gays. He is not my role-model or my icon enough siad
Mike August 30th, 2011 at 5:54 PM
I don’t know. Sex is complicated. Love even more so. I can understand you disagreeing with him, but it’s not like he had any chance of covering up his attraction to men. Being a porn star — especially one that famous — meant he was radically out of the closet. There was no going back in. There was proof.
We all make decisions in life that others don’t understand, in the bedroom and out of it. That’s the great fun of living though. No?
James August 30th, 2011 at 3:54 PM
Wrangler never did it for me. Liked looking at his photos, but never wanted to see him in action.
Robert Patrick August 30th, 2011 at 5:53 PM
Jack was not only a fine performer, but a sweet man. He was “in” on the “joke” of being Jack Wrangler, and enjoyed “working it.” To see twenty photos of him and me in my play “T-Shirts” (plus photos from other productions), go here: http://pointlessplea.wordpress.com/2010/06/11/t-shirts/
Frick August 30th, 2011 at 7:56 PM
Sorry, but thinking about Musto and sex just gives me limp-dickedness. Aside from that, though, Wrangler and his wife, the great big band singer Margaret Whiting, had an apparent unique and loving relationship, one which I would never deem to categorize as “a lie”.
jd December 12th, 2011 at 10:33 AM
well said, had never heard of him until this morning. I started reading about him because he was mentioned as a ‘gay icon’ and I was wondering what he accomplished in his life to be given this honor. From what I’ve gathered he lived a brave and open life. He starts in a wealthy TV family then goes into gay porn, then str8 porn, acting/music, then marries a woman, and stays married to the end! He appears to not have been concerned/afraid of following his heart, neither the str8 world or gay community could define who he loved and what he did. That is very remarkable and the world would probably be a lot nicer if we all could live that way. He’s not just a gay icon but a heroe to anyone that wants to break the chains of conformity…str8 or gay.
Tom August 31st, 2011 at 5:28 AM
Apparently some Gay men still have problems believing that a man can be BI-sexual.
And Wrangler was hardly “in the closet.” He lived his own life the way HE wanted to.
I guess we need a new “reality” show whereby the audience decides what kind of life we should live. (And no, I am not BI myself.)
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Master-P September 3rd, 2011 at 8:52 PM
To all the posters who have a hard time living in reality on this blog page let me explain some-thing 2 all of you so listen up ass-holes have I got your attention now. Let me make some-thing crystal clear 2 all of you in every statement Jack-Wrangler ever made that I read in non of them did he claim 2 be bisexual he always said he was gay this has nothing 2 do with being bi even dough some of you are trying 2 make it so it is not. In out of print gay porn mag Jack-Wrangler gave disturbing reason why he didn’t want 2 live a gay life & continue 2 live a str8 lie even though it’s hard 4 some of you posters brain 2 take in.Let me also make clear their was nothing special about Jack & Whiting so call relationship Jack stated in the out of print gay porn mag that he jerk-off 2 gay-porn mags & videos while married 2 Whiting & that should he die he ask a friend 2 get rid of all his gay-porno he didn’t want friends & family 2 find it or out.Like I said before he is not my icon try a icon that’s not living a str8 lie & one that is proud 2 be gay and live that way every day because marrying a woman is not going 2 cure you and no one knew that better than Jack him-self even though he chose 2 continue 2 live a str8 lie any-way every fool is in title 2 his own stupidness because you can’t turn a lie into the truth no matter how hard you try every wise man knows that.
JackFan September 14th, 2011 at 9:51 PM
So he’s not an “Icon” for you, “Master-P” but for some of us, he was. We’re allowed, just as you’re allowed your opinion, no matter how crassly or rudely stated.
dmg September 30th, 2011 at 9:27 PM
my “aunty” is the porn icon, georgina spelvin, who had the pleasure of working with mr. wrangler in several features, including (in non sexual roles) in the remake of the film that launched her career, the devil in miss jones. they also appeared together in kansas city trucking company (in iconic film in gay porn)…she was the bar owner or cocktail waitress (i can’t recall, exactly, and it’s too late to call her and ask.
wrangler was only a tad before my heydey in queer life but he’s always been a personal fave.