1930's is the Birth of Modern Beefcake Magazines

June 1931

In the 1930's modern beefcake magazines began to appear. Starting at the turn of the century magazines began to appear to cater to bodybuilding and physical culture. This tied in with a trend at the time that saw an interest in the American public in physical fitness. The came from fears that modern urban society was making men to "weak" and "feminine". By the 1920s there were several magazines devoted to bodybuilding yet it wasn't until the 1930s that the photography in muscle magazines began to have a homo-erotic subtext to them. A good example of this is the magazine Klein's Bell published by Siegmund Klein. Siegmund was born on April 10, 1902, in Kronisberg Germany.  His family moved one year later to Cleveland Ohio when he was a child and that is where he grew up. The magazine was short lived but typical of the new direction that beefcake magazines were headed in the 1930s.

Leon Nole

Klein's Bell was first issued in June 1931 and ran monthly until December 1932.

In January 1933 it merged with 'Strongman Magazine'

Each issue ranged from 4 to 8 pages. It was described as 'being published gratis for the pupils and friends of Seigmund Klein's Studio of Physical Culture, 717 7th Avenue., at 48th St., New York City.'

By October 1931 the copies were costing 5c each and ultimately the publication was sold at 50c per year.

Because of his connections Klein was able to publish articles by a wide range of Physical Culture and Bodybuilding experts and

each issue is a gem containing the most interesting of articles, photos and personal recollections and anecdotes.