Larry Caye - The Latent Image

[effCup]

Originally Posted by Pepper II

The pics quoted below are from the Christina Lee thread where there are also more from this set. These are marked as being from DDG (J. Stephen Hicks) studios and are copyrighted 1999. If we look at the previous post on page 6 we see Larry was offering slides from this same shoot at least as early as 1991.

And here is the same shoot in 1987.

Now here is a slide set from this shoot. So the question is which came first, the Larry Caye chicken or the J. Stephen Hicks egg? We believe TLI folded in 1997 so it seems reasonable Hicks may have bought the rights to some of Caye's material. If you can shed any light on this by all means please speak up.

Unless your phone box turns into a Tardis, I don't see what the problem is?

Christina Lee's first PHUS pictorial was 1987-02, & credited to Hicks according to Viklas. So without any further/contrary info. I'd say Hicks took the photos in late '86 or early '87. Caye must have bought the right to sell them--same as he also bought other photographer's work/sets, evident in some of his catalogues you've posted above. The 1999 copyright on the digital slides I think is misleading. I doubt Christina Lee came out of (photographic) "retirement" for a fresh (re-)shoot ~12 years later. All it probably means is those images were digitised for web use/sale around about then.

Spec[ul|ta]ator

edit: yes, I know the PHUS 1987-02 set was different from the one in question, but I still suspect Hicks probably took more than one set of her around about then.

[Pepper II]

I checked my Penthouse 1987-02 hard copy and the pics are from a completely different shoot so really are not relevant to this discussion. I do agree about the 1999 copyright; we've seen similar sets from Suze Randall copyrighted in 2000 but were generated in the '80's. I've found the set quoted below of the shoot since my last post and the photographer is credited as Rupert Daines. Does anyone know anything about him or is this an alias for Hicks or Caye? One of our goals here is to put an end to some of this speculation and uncover the facts. These are from Men Only v52n2 so would date from 1987.

Edit: It seems clear now Rupert Daines is a separate photographer.

Originally Posted by topshelver

[AmateurEmale]

I remember seeing his business advertised in Penthouse around 1992.

I wasn't legally old enough to buy anything, and I didn't have much money.

But I've noticed that some of his material is sold at eBay for relatively high prices...

[Pepper II]

Here's the next supplement I have: Spring 1992. Within are advertised slides and videos of cover model Heather Lere, Nikki Dial, Lara McEwen, and Rebecca Saber, among others.

[Al Gebra]

Image Hosting provided by ImageBam

[Avory]

Larry Caye's greatest contribution, as far as I'm concerned, was perfecting the centerfold video. Very few have rivaled his work in this regard--Jim Salyer was in the same constellation--for making videos that were well-shot, captured the model's personality, showed her at her best, and defined the concept of "erotic glamour."

For those of us who came of age in what I call the "magazine era" (as opposed to the earlier "pin-up" era or the later "video era" or "internet era," the video age was something of a disappointment, as there was precious little effort to capture the essence of magazine modeling in a moving form. In fact, all those magazines that attempted to exploit video in one way or another--Playboy, Penthouse, High Society, Hustler, among others--completely failed to capitalize on the possibilities that existed to take what worked in the magazines and transfer it to a dynamic stage. It was almost like they didn't even believe in the pictorial concept that made them successful in the first place.

So instead of videos that immersed the viewer in a sumptuous moving images of a centerfold, most of us seeking such fare found (1) highly stylized videos devoid of warmth or personality or (2) quickly moving, fast-paced videos full of special effects that could only be appreciated by those with ADD or (3) videos that swiftly devolved into toyfests that sacrificed the model on an altar of plastic and silicone.

Larry Caye's centerfold videos never succumbed to the trite or the convenient, much less those more grievous errors. For most models who appeared in a Larry Caye-produced TLI video, it was the best solo appearance they ever had, and for some, the best video appearance they appeared in period. Certainly, for those of us with a favorite model or actress who appeared in a TLI video, you know what I'm talking about. No one combined class and explicit eroticism better than Larry, nor appreciated more the women he filmed.

Larry Caye's video work holds up to this very day, and I miss receiving those quarterly notices (I still have them all) announcing who was appearing next. I bought the slides too (and no, he didn't shoot the majority of those sets) but nothing beat the excellence of his centerfold videos for those of us whose favored form of erotica is found in well-made solo female productions.

[Avory]

Was a bit over two years ago, November 21, 2012.

According to the Folsom Telegraph (an area I can reliably confirm Larry moved to after retiring from his business), dated November 28th:

Larry E. Caye, age 76, of Folsom, Calif., formerly of Pittsburgh, Pa., passed away on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 after a brief illness.

Beloved father of Christy L. Caye; former husband and dear friend of Carolyn Caye of Folsom. Also survived by sisters Linda C. Murphy of Hampton Township, Pa., and Viola Caye of Polk, Pa.; and brother James Caye of Cranberry, Pa. Preceded in death by loving parents, Emerson and Esther Caye.

Mr. Caye was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

Were all the people he touched deeply in his life assembled at his memorial service, they would have needed a football stadium to hold them all. I personally would have traveled to the service just to let the family know how proud of Larry they all should be. All too often the life's work of someone like Caye is swept under the rug in embarrassment, but we should all wish to leave this earth having made as many people as happy and with as many fond memories as Larry E. Caye.

RIP, Larry, your vision lasted long after your eyes closed for the last time.

[Pepper II]

Thank you, Avory. I suspected Larry had passed but could not confirm the obituary I found online was for "our" Larry Caye. There's also an e-bay seller who states he bought out the business products from the estate. Please scan any material you may have for us. Unfortunately the only video I have is the one which cannot be posted.

Here's the next supplement I have which is Summer 1992.

[Pepper II]

This is the 1993 Autumn Supplement with Melanie Bolton, Jane Botham, Dina Deville (Brandy Cruise), and Catalina L'Amour among others.



And here are a couple of odds and ends. First is the mailing envelope for a slide set, then the box for a super-8 reel of Holly Benson (Tawny Pearl).

[deanblue87]

Larry, indeed, had a pioneering approach to his videos, which had that "up close and personal aspect" which the Playboy centerfolds lacked.

At one time, I did have various "sampler" videos that TLI offered, which gave a good glimpse at the sheer (no pun intended) variety and scope of model centerfold videos available.

One title that I remember fondly was "Kera Stevens" (Kim Kelly), in addition to one of the earliest Julia Hayes appearances ("Julia Hayes - Elephant Girl"), which was, I believe, reported to precede any other appearance.

In terms of novelty combined with a great model, I think my choice would be "Veronica Keys - Blow Baby Blow," in which the model, "Veronica," demonstrated her ample ability as a clarinettist, in various stages of undress. This video was offered sometime in the 90s, after the Julia Hayes title. Is this model ("Veronica") elsewhere identified?