Zipper

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"Zipper: Art/Entertainment For Men" was a magazine published from 1971 through at least late 1973 in Hollywood. It had a blend of entertainment news, including interviews with major figures, and articles focusing on men, and on adolescent males. For example, one pictorial feature in the June-July 1972 issue was "Zipper's Roommate of the Month: Peter Glawson (Young Star of The Genesis Children)" when Mr. Glawson was about 16. The magazine was able to garner interviews with such mainstream stars as Paul Newman, B.B. King, Rock Hudson, and Roddy McDowell.

Zipper's office was located at the Crossroads Of The World office complex in Hollywood, as was the office of Lyric International. That, along with the large amount of space that Zipper devoted to Lyric's projects, and the number of ads in the magazine purchased by Lyric, suggests that it too may have been owned by Billy Byars, Jr.. The disappearance at the same time as the 1973 Lyric scandal would also support that, though young magazines frequently vanish. The pseudonymous editorial staff, Bill R. F. Cook and Carl Driver, is another clue.

The magazine is a relic of a lost time of if not respectability than at least co-existence. It can be found in a few university libraries, generally in gay literature collections. Worldcat indicates no library with a complete run.

Publication History

The Jan/Feb 1972 issue was labeled Vol 2, Number 1, and the December 1971 issue has the cover logo in a different typeface than the other known issues, suggesting a late 1971 origin for the magazine. Library catalogs (Yale, Cornell) list the 1971 issue as "Zia/Zipper". The October, 1973 issue is known.

At least two later magazines, one in Japan devoted to women's fashion, and one in London with a homosexual focus, have used the same title.

Rarity

Worldcat finds scattered copies of the magazine in university collections. The Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has Vol. 1 issue 1 (1971); Vol 2 issues 1-3 (1972); Vol 3 issues 2 and 5-7 (1973). Yale University houses its six copies in the rare book collection, and indicates that the sole 1971 issue bore the title "Zia Zipper". Cornell's sole edition, "Zia Zipper" is also in its rare book collection. UC Davis has 9-10 copies of six issues. [1] UC Davis catalog search]

Tables of contents and articles of interest

What is most interesting about the magazine is not isolated articles, which out of context are indistinguishable from articles in magazines sold at the time under the counter or mailed in plain wrappers. Rather it is the publishing of nude, albeit "tasteful", photos of minors along with articles that would be right at home in any gossip magazine on the newsstand today.

Bolerium Books offers three issues for sale online, including cover scans and some description quotes below.

As the magazine is difficult to encounter, here are complete tables of contents from six issues, found in an eBay listing and another online offering:

Zia/Zipper: Art/Entertainment For Men (December 1971, Vol 1 # 1)

Reviews

Boys in the Band

Articles

Stud West Contest
Rev. Troy Perry, Big As Life
Donovan Interview
Hollywood Hotline (gossip) by Sparkle Plenty
Ultra Violet Interview

Pictorials

Naked Beach: San Francisco's B.A. Beach
Man: A Photo Study by Fotoflair

Zipper: Art/Entertainment For Men (February 1972, Vol 2 # 1)

"64p., 8.5x11 inches, b&w photos, some nude including Mr. February centerfold pullout, ads, interviews, reviews, articles, very good gay male's entertainment magazine in stapled pictorial wraps. Cover stories on Rick Nelson, B.B. King, Elton John and Art vs. Porn."[2]

Reviews

A Clockwork Orange

Articles

Rick Nelson
Hollywood Hotline (gossip) by Sparkle Plenty
B.B. King Interview
Elton John Interview

Pictorials

Brian Reynolds (Actor/Model)
Photographer of the Month: Billy Byars
Zipper's Playboy of the Month: John Henderson
I Left My Heart in San Francisco
Art vs. Pornography

Zipper: Art/Entertainment For Men (April 1972, Vol 2 # 2)

"80p., 8.5x11 inches, b&w photos, some nude including centerfold pullout, ads, interviews, reviews, articles, very good gay male's entertainment magazine in stapled pictorial wraps. Cover stories on Ted Neeley, star of "Tommy" "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Hair", Rod Stewart and "The Last Picture Show"."[3]

Reviews

'Tommy' (the Rock Opera) Breaks with Tradition
David Cassidy's Album "Cherish"
The Film Comes of Age - "The Last Picture Show"

Articles

Ted Neeley (star of 'Tommy') Interview
The Who - Pete Townsend Interview
Rod Stewart Interview
The Zipper Advisor: Church that Will Marry Two Men?
Hollywood Hotline (gossip) by Sparkle Plenty
One God for Homosexuals and Heterosexuals

Pictorials

Black/White by Fotoflair, Inc.
Zipper's Playboy of the Month: Chad Martin
There's A Girl in My Box
Every Picture Tells A Story
Poetry
Ode to Kenny by David Morgan
Never Fall in Love by Alan king

Zipper: Art/Entertainment For Men (May 1972, Vol 2 #3)

"80p., 8.5x11 inches, b&w photos, some nude including centerfold pullout, ads, interviews, reviews, articles, very good gay male's entertainment magazine in stapled pictorial wraps. Cover stories on Leon Russell, Roddy McDowell, & Barbara Streisand." [4]

Articles

Leon Russell (rock star) Interview
Cock Rock: Marc Bolan of T. Rex
Roddy McDowell Interview (focus on role in Planet of the Apes)
Barbra Streisand article: Angelina Scarangela
What's Up in San Francisco
Charlie Steals the Show: Chaplin's Academy Award

Pictorials

Zipper's Roommate of the Month: Walter E. Christian
Prometheus Bound
Zipper Fashion Fling (photospread)
The Ray Daniels Boy
Iowa's Own
Around the World in Pictures

Zipper: Art and Entertainment (June-July 1972 Vol 2 #6-7)

" A high quality, glossy stapled Newsweek-size magazine containing 80 pages including front and rear covers. Containing articles, columns, reviews, beefcake photographs, illustrations and vintage ads geared for the gay male community."[5]

Articles

Paul Newman Interview (with two photos)
Robert Kennedy: Case Closed?
Grin and Bear It-Disney Bears
Interview with aspiring actor Bob Kurston (with two photos)
Jon Voight, then appearing in the recently-released film "Midnight Cowboy" (with one photo)

Reviews

Ballet Review: Los Angeles Ballet Society
Film Review: The Genesis Children, with nine very tasteful photographs)
Film Review: Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
Theatre Review: Dirtiest Show In Town (with three tasteful photos)

Pictorials

San Francisco Updates Embarcadero (Architecture)(five photos)
Zipper's Roommate of the Month: Peter Glawson (Young Star of "The Genesis Children") exclusive telephone interview with six tasteful photos, including centerfold
International Boys Camp photo/essayconceived by Billy Byars, the slogan of which was "Understand each other's sameness; enjoy each other's uniqueness" founded in Paris in 1970 (with four photos)
Belgian Belle
The Mosier Boy
full-page advertisement for the International Boys Camp

Zipper: Art and Entertainment For Men - Anniversary Issue (1972, Vol 2# 8/9/10)

Zipper: Art and Entertainment For Men (Vol 3 # 1 )

Zipper: Art and Entertainment For Men - Freedom Issue (Vol 3 # 2/3/4)

"published by Bill R. F. Cook and Zipper Enterprises out of Hollywood, California. A high quality, glossy stapled Newsweek-size magazine containing 64 pages including front and rear covers." [6]

Zipper: Art and Entertainment For Men - Liberty Issue (October 1973 Vol 3 # 5-7)

Reviews

Columbia Records Presents A Week to Remember - An Extraordinary Music Festival

Articles

Zipper Advisor - Self Help Through Modern Hypnosis
What's in a Name? The Importance of Being Rock Hudson
Rock Hudson Interview
Carl Greenberg: A Byline of Distinction
Captain Beyond-6-Member Rock Band
Happiness & Success Through Principle

Pictorials

The Men - David Selby, Bob Kurston, David Bronnenberg, Jay North (Dennis the Menace), Brian O'Dowd, Tom Clarke
Zipper's Roommate of the Month: Captain Beyond
Zipper Salutes: Genya Ravan
New Orleans: A Photo Essay
The Women - Kay Dennis, Casey Lorrain, Ann Dee, Mary Travers, Roberta Flack, Mama Lion, Betty Whitley
Zipper Salutes: Richard Caruso