Doogie Loves Russ Tamblyn!

My first gay crush was actor Russ Tamblyn!

Ever a hopeful romantic in 1962, I first "fell in love" (at age six) with actor and dancer Russ Tamblyn as The Woodsman in "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm."

As a gymnastic dancer, Russ also appeared in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" (1954), as “Tom Thumb” (1958) and as Riff in "West Side Story" (1961). 

They often dyed his beautiful ginger locks. But to this day, if I had a physical “type,” it would be a diminutive ginger with a big smile, such as I first adored in Russ. 

Athletic dancers like Russ and Gene Kelly later spurred me to petition my backwoods high-school to start a gymnastics team. Their verdict: 'Gymnastics is not a suitable activity for boys.' Thank heaven for civic theatre where I occasionally danced in the chorus. But I was forbidden formal training in dance or gymnastics.  

Back then, I often had to settle with just doing backstage work. But I eventually found a new love in writing for theatre and film.

Doogie - Ocala, Florida

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Dennis Loves Ike Eisenmann!

My first gay crush was on Ike Eisenmann.

I was 6 years old in 1975, and Ike as Tony in "Escape To Witch Mountain" was positively dreamy to me! I remember feeling incredibly warm whenever he would talk or use his powers to jump really high. He could just nod his head, and I got a tingly feeling all over my body.

My first thought was, "Wow, how awesome would it be to hang out with Tony?" Which led to thinking, "Tony and I could find the magic spaceship, and go flying around the galaxy having all kinds of outer-space adventures!"

This soon led to, "We can live together in outer space on the magical spaceship with nobody else but the two of us." Of course, Kim Richards was absent during all of this. Though I adored her, she just didn't fit in my 6-year-old brain's lovestruck narrative. Sorry, Kim!

I would literally BEG my mom to see it every single time it played in theaters. "Can't we wait for it to be on TV?," she would ask. "NoOOooOOoooOOO! It's better in the MOVIES!," I would whine.

The reason I loved the movie so much is that it's a metaphor to growing up different, which can certainly apply to being gay. The idea that something logical could explain how different I felt completely appealed to me. As did the idea of having authoritative power over bullies, being able to speak to animals, and move objects with one's mind. That was a level of control I found absent in much of my life.

My family never knew about my crush. I came out in high school, only to be utterly and totally ignored. It was as if I hadn't come out, and they still talk to me as if I'm straight. Nowadays, I don't talk to them much.

They figure if they ignore my special gay powers, I won't be dragged off to Mr. Bolt's evil estate, chased by hound dogs. But those of us from the Mountain, we know better. We can see the future.

Dennis - Portland, Oregon
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Bill Loves David Stollery!

My first gay crush was actor David Stollery.

"Spin and Marty" was an inclusion in the "Mickey Mouse Club" around 1955.

The setting was 
a perfect fantasy: A summer camp and a dude ranch with horses.

My crush was on Marty, the blond, boyish, effeminate outcast.

Spin was very masculine, from a poor urban family, who "spins" the lasso well. Marty was basically the femme to Spin's butch, the sissy spoiled rich kid. Gradually, Marty learns to become "one of the guys."

Other guys I've talked to mostly liked the more manly Marty. So this one is still a little embarrassing among my bear friends. 

David Stollery played several Disney roles, then went to art school and designed cars, including the 1978 Toyota Celica.

Everything was basically a secret in my family, including this crush of mine, so keeping this a secret was no problem.

I liked several other boyish, 1950's TV guys, including Dean Jones in "Ensign O'Toole" and Jackie Cooper in "The People’s Choice." 

Bill - Eagle Rock, LA CA
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Marcus Loves Jan-Michael Vincent!

My first gay crush was actor Jan-Michael Vincent.

When the summer of 1973 came around, my mom was working part time at the mall, and my sister and I would go with her and hang out there. 

This was also when malls had one or two movie screens inside.

One day, the movie we all saw was "The World's Greatest Athlete." And oh my stars!

When I caught sight of Nanu (Vincent's character),
I remember audibly inhaling and my sister asking if I was okay. He was stunning to me.


I recall spending the rest of the summer pretending that he and I were friends in the jungle after he rescued me. And he'd take me swinging on vines, swimming in lagoons, and hunting tigers. Ahh, summer.

I remember still crushing on him when "Damnation Alley" came out in 1977. Although the young Jackie Earl Hailey was also on my gay radar. Double score!

Marcus - San Antonio, TX
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Paul Loves Prince Eric!

I was 9-years old when Prince Eric from "The Little Mermaid" stole my heart.

He was chiseled, sensitive, and able to maintain a perfect coif at all times - even against strong sea winds!

And of course, he's royalty.

One day, I remember going shopping with my mom in search of birthday presents for my younger sister.

I came across a book of Disney paper dolls. While my sister had no interest in them, I tried desperately to convince Mom otherwise. I just had to have that picture of Prince Eric in his underwear!

I suppose a cartoon prince was the safest crush for a gay, Midwestern boy from a conservative family. I mean, he wasn't even 3-dimensional. 

Sitting in religion class at my Catholic school, I filled the perimeters of my notebooks with doodles of Prince Eric, all the while learning about the "evils of homosexuality."

That year our family took a beach vacation.

I ventured out into the water by myself one evening. With nothing but waves as far as I could see, it was easy to imagine being swept away and washing up on a distant shore.

Someplace where a handsome prince would be waiting to rescue me — and make me "part of his world."

Paul - Columbus, OH
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Keith Loves Kurt Russell!

My first gay crush was Kurt Russell in "Overboard!"

He first caught my eye in "Big Trouble in Little China," and my habit of seeing every movie in the mid 80's led me to a matinee screening of Kurt, and his white tank top.

The way he tucked his thumbs under his shirt drove me wild.
I was 13. 

And I've had a thing for thick, burly, meaty, hairy men ever since. There was a guy in my high school who looked a lot like him, who I ogled for 4 years while trying to not be obvious about it.

Anyway, I try to play down this first crush due to his mullet. Hey, I wasn't looking at what was on his head! But I feel no embarrassment - he still looks great! I do, however, balk at admitting I went to see him in "Soldier" many years later. What a void of everything, brain-dead, joke that was.

Is it ironic that the first nude woman I saw in a movie was HBO's "Wildcats" - with Goldie Hawn in the bathtub? No, probably not.

So, Kurt Russell in a movie is definitely a PLUS, even though I never cared for those Snake Plissken flicks. I think I ought to check out his 70's Disney work, eh?

Keith - Philadelphia, PA
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Sean Loves Sean Marshall!

Sean Marshall my my first gay crush.
Well, sort of. Keep reading...

I was a very awkward child, both physically and socially.

I had this idea that everyone in the world was my best friend, and so I behaved accordingly. Well, imagine my disappointment. Also imagine that I had no defense against liking people who thought I was a total oddball.

Then I saw Disney's "Pete's Dragon," and I wanted to be best friends with Pete. I had no idea who Sean Marshall was, which was fine because he wasn't part of my crush. Pete was.

Here was a kid who was an outsider in his adopted family and in the town he landed in. It felt like that was me on the screen, except Pete had a pet dragon to be his defender. Luckily, it just so happened I liked dragons! And overalls!

I imagined we would talk about mythical animals we could strike down our enemies with. And wanting to look the opposite of how I had to dress in Catholic school. No polyester shirts! Yay!

I've never told anyone this, probably because it reveals too much about my psychology. But just wait till I post it on Facebook...

Sean - Erie, PA
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Jack Loves Tim Considine!

My first gay crush was 50's teen actor, Tim Considine.

At my age, the straight world might call me an 'old-timer.'

In gay terms, I guess that makes me a fossil? Thus, I imagine few others would remember my first gay crush?

And back in the 1950's, my mom worked at a time when few mothers did, so I often came home to an empty house.

Rather than playing ball outside with the other kids, I ran home to watch TV, where I sat absorbing what the world was going to be for me.

While I eyed several of The Mousketeers on "The Mickey Mouse Club," my heart truly belonged to Tim Considine. He also played Spin on TV's "Spin & Marty."

As I was shipped off to YMCA camp every summer, that was more fertile ground for forming crushes. And the experience of bunking with other boys cemented my self-casting as Marty. He was the not-cool, self-sufficient kid whose buddy knew his way around.

And who wore jeans that actually fit.

And for sure, Tim Considine gave me a funny feeling in the groin area. Although, there was that friend of my dads who drove a Harley and wore boots and leather, too. But that's another story altogether...

Jack - Upstate, NY
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