WANTED: the bad boys of AMG: Ernie Banks

This week: Ernie Banks

“Left town late one night, possibly to avoid being picked up on a warrant for failing to appear after having been ticketed for climbing the Hollywood sign. Prior to that he had been arrested for prancing nude through downtown LA and busting out a window at the Bonaventure Hotel. One night he broke into our warehouse and started a fire that rapidly consumed almost the entire building.” Bob Mizer

Smiling faces. Glistening bodies. Loaded posing pouches. Bob Mizer’s camera turned common boys into stars.

But life at AMG wasn’t always idyllic. Some of those stars were “trade”. Some were AWOL. Some were petty criminals. Occasionally, in return for his generosity, Bob was robbed or assaulted and his property damaged.

Bob listed those offenses and many others in Physique Pictorial. Even the subjective character symbols next to certain models’ photos included “physically dangerous”, “petty thief” and “criminally inclined”.

Every other Friday we’ll feature “WANTED:”, an article about a model and his subsequent downfall in Bob’s own words.