1969 October to December

        Legendary Maria Callas as "Medea" is the cover for October.    Interviews with Jack Nicholson; Tennessee Williams (his new play is opening) and Ann Miller on her re-inventing herself.   Also an article about the play "HAIR" in London with a photo of the cast including Tim Curry.

                                                                            

   Emmaretta Marks of "Hair" and Hiram Keller of Fellini's "Satyricon"  are the cover models for this issue which has articles on "New Erotica on the Art Scene" and "Exotica, Erotica and Evasion of Experience".   

                                                                                  

       Artistic adviser William Katz and dancer Louis Falco are on the cover as part of a 20 page photo essay on The New Young which included such future stars as Blythe Danner, Al Pacino and Richard Thomas.  Also articles on Lee Grant and Sergio Franki.

1969 July to September

                                                                             

   The cover for this issue is of Lotte Lenya who is the subject of a large interview article.  Also articles about Richard Chamberlain and a article with photos from the movie "Midnight Cowboy".

                                                                              

         Matador Pepe Caderes is on this month's cover for an article about bull-fighting.   A large article about Talullah Bankhead; one about John Davidson (The Square That Never Was" and an interview with Katherine Ross because of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid".

                                                                              

   The cover is of Dermot Burke of the Joffrey Ballet who they call "Joffrey's Star in the Making".  Also a large photo-essay about enjoying Central Park with photos that you probably wouldn't see in today's parks because of "safety concerns".

1969 April to June covers

     Apparently they wanted something eye-catching for the newsstands with this issue.    And at this time, there is an article about the Oscars but  it's actually very small--only four pages.    This issue isn't one of the "big star" ones--there are interviews with people important to New York stages and a larger one with Maggie Smith who's "ready to move into her Prime"--a reference to her movie "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" which would really bring her into the public's eye.

                                                                            
                                                                                      

     Of course, this issue's cover is the stunning Angela Landsbury.   It's for the rather large photo essay about the man who did the costumes for "Mame", Robert Mackintosh.    Articles about actor Earl Holliman, Sal Mineo directing and a young actor/dancer named Miguel Godreau who danced with Alvin Ailey.  He was apparently this issues ' up and coming performer ' which they liked to do.

                                                                        

     This issue's cover is part of a rather large (ten pages) Kenn Duncan photo shoot for summer fashions.    They've done fashion shots before but this one is larger than usual and is the first time they've used actors as well as models to showcase the clothes.    Apparently it's all part of the "get out there and be seen for publicity" that was routine for the times.   Among the future stars in this shoot are Diane Keaton, Joe Dallesandro and a number of actors appearing in Broadway and Off-Broadway.   A large article about Lillian Gish and one about San Francisco's American Conservancy Theater.    

1969 covers January to March

Joe Dallesandro is the cover model for this issue which seems only right as there is a big article on the Andy Warhol phenomenon inside as well as a smaller one about Joe D.   Other articles include an interview with Estelle Parsons after winning her Oscar for "Bonnie and Clyde" and several about experimental theater.   This is the issue that breaks the link with Ballroom Dance Magazine as there are no more ads for ballroom anything.

     The cover is for an Off-Broadway show called "Dames at Sea".   Inside is the usual "What's in the News" columns which covered plays,television, art and movies--it's enjoyable because it usually had small photos of the actors which you never see anymore.   Interviews with Ingmar Bergman, Janis Ian, Gore Vidal and Matt Crowley.

                                                                             

The cover is for the play "Recess" which is billed in here as an experimental work-in-progress.   An article about Fellini (his "Satyricon" is being filmed) but the main focus is on New York works--opera, theater, art galleries.

1968 covers

    The first official issue was the May 1968;  along the bottom is a notation that it is "incorporating Ballroom Dance magazine".   Which explains why the first year had ads in the back for dance exhibitions and classes for the fox-trot.   But the cover is striking.    They're trying to find their level--articles about "Hello Dolly" and Spencer Tracy mixed with ones about the artist Robert Indiana best known for his "LOVE" poster  and a Japanese avant-garde artist named Yayoi Kusama with nudity and string art.

                                                                               

I have a gap of several months--this is the October issue.   A mix of articles--fashion with a tenor from the Metropolitan Opera; a big interview with Bea Arthur; the Living Theater and it's experimental flavor.     Sometime this year they've started highlighting the logo on top and the listing of the cover subject.

                                                                              

November 1968---one of the more scandalous covers for it's time.  But I love the graphics of it.   Articles about Kate Hepburn and "The Lion in Winter"; electronic tarot;nudity on stage; "HAIR!" and John Philip Law:'a new kind of  star".    Lot of the fun in these old issues is seeing who they were trumpeting as a break-out performer.   And old photos of movies and productions you didn't know old favorites were in.
                                                                            

   The final issue for the year and they've gone all out with seeing how far to push the envelope--at least, for 1968.   Nude photos of the cast of "HAIR" but tasteful ones, with certain parts covered by arms or other cast members.  A fashion lay-out " The Gorgeous People are the Happening People". A big interview with "the most under-appreciated young leading man around" Sam Waterston.   This issue breaks with the system of matching the logo color with the listing of the cover subject.

     I don't have all the magazines for this year and I'm not even sure that there are actually more out there.   It was just starting up and magazines did skip issues and months at times.  If I get a missing issue, I'll be sure to add it.

Why this and why now?

    I first came across After Dark magazine some time in the 70s when the covers became eye-catching and the content slightly scandalous--to me, at least.   It was a look inside a whole other world from the Iowa midwest life I had.    Music, theater, art and an urban lifestyle that hasn't been seen since.  You never knew who or what you'd find inside.   It all seemed very adult and exotic.

    But time and all of us moved on and I'd forgotten about it until I'd be rummaging in a box of old things and there would be one or two issues that I'd kept because I liked the cover or an article inside.  And then came Ebay.

    Suddenly, I could regain lost issues that I'd enjoyed and what's more; earlier issues that I'd never seen.   And at dirt-cheap prices back then.   After all, Ebay was still unknown and people were still figuring out how it worked.   So I would get an issue or two and enjoy that nostalgic feeling of a trip down memory lane.   And then someone would be unloading multiple issues and still at rock-bottom prices so I'd get those.   Before you knew it, I might as well try to get all the issues for a certain year since I had most of them and then it was, "Why not collect them all?"   Especially the early ones I'd never seen, let alone read.   And it was a good thing I'd started early, because somehow Ebay became the go-to market for all kinds of dealers who charged such outrageous prices that I'm sure some of them are using Ebay to launder money.   Magazine issues that I'd gotten at 5 dollars for multiple issues are now going for 25 for a single and in some bizarre cases 250 dollars.    I don't know that anyone is buying at that price but once it starts, everyone else follows along.   Which is odd in itself, because it doesn't really look like people are buying them.

So until prices get reasonable, I have to make do with the fact that I got almost all the issues, except for very early ones that don't seem to show up for sale anyway.

But I thought I would post these covers because I love the graphics.   And hey, maybe someone else would like them.   Because who doesn't like some glamour in life?